Gaza – November 2017
Marriage – I Am Still a Child”, as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The initiative featured a silent theatrical performance depicting the symbolic “marriage” of two children, held at Al-Jundi Al-Majhoul Square in Gaza City, and was attended by hundreds of citizens and community representatives.
Amal Syam, General Director of the Center, stressed the importance of confronting child marriage as a form of violence against women, emphasizing: “Life is better without violence.” She highlighted the urgent need to protect women’s and girls’ rights, in line with international conventions, and noted that ongoing violence against women remains a major obstacle to Palestinian development and women’s empowerment.
Project Coordinator Hanaa Al-Zant explained that early marriage is a critical issue in Palestinian society, citing statistics that show 37% of women were married before the age of 18, and 5% before 15. Research conducted by the Center revealed that 63% of girls married early experienced domestic violence.
Youth initiative coordinator Aida Al-Rawagh added that the campaign included awareness workshops for high school students and local committees, as well as public activities to advocate raising the minimum marriage age to 18. She noted that Al-Jundi Al-Majhoul Square was chosen as a strategic location to maximize outreach.
The initiative was implemented in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) under the project “Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence among Displaced Women and Girls.”
