Adolescence (13-19yrs) in Palestinian

Abstract

Adolescence insights were explored through 4 open ended questions on; reasons, services needed for drug users, HIV prevention and services needed for people living with HIV.  Reasons that make MARA go outside the walk of their peers; The social status of the family was the most recognized response among the majority of the participants, many reported parents’ divorce and separation in addition to family financial status and unemployment as said “these are major factors that lead to the loss of their children”. Many commented on family violence and disrupted families; others criticized their family’s lack of care and guidance in raising children. Among girls’ respondents, early marriage was an issue that was stated bitterly where 6% of those few married girls were divorced. Some of the married ones reported that “husbands’ violence, use of drugs and alcohol drinking at home leads to sexual violence, force use of alcohol and drugs”.

Services needed to be provided for drug users; many said “I do not know”, some asked for awareness raising and few others said “use of condom”. Such responses are very marked information that needs to be highlighted to all on the importance of awareness and prevention of STIs and HIV

Services needed to prevent HIV; they emphasized the importance of knowledge and awareness as well as consistent guidance to help adolescents avoid risk behaviors and unusual practices. Few advised for not to practice sex outside marriage

Services needed to provide care and support to people living with HIV; for this question there were 12 responses only. Of those; majority suggested provision of treatment, psychosocial support and care for people living with HIV, as said by one “do not isolate them” and other said “do not stigmatize them”

The stakeholder representatives interviewees reiterated on many issues starting with their knowledge of the prevalence and size of the problem of MARA. All organizations representatives agreed that risk behaviors among adolescents is very much increasing particularly the drug use, but no one was able to give the correct number for the drug users in Palestine, their impressions are based on their own experiences and access to some of  these adolescents. One of them describe drug use among young people “it’s like a fire in a straw lot”. Other risk factors such as child labor is available and many of them face harassment, and maltreatment where they stay long hours of work with low wages. Sexual behaviors are also not identified in terms of data as reported by some “we have things like that, but not very often” and others said “family violence, sexual abuse and incest happens but can’t identify the real problem”

Reasons and determining factors for MARA; again there was a consensus among all institutions for reasons and factors affecting adolescents; family status and family dynamics, low socio-economic conditions, poverty and unemployment among families, child school dropout and consequently child labor, unstable political conditions and harassment of young people. Coupled with Peer pressure, violence at home or outside, lack of recreational facilities, lack of information and/or misleading information are other determinants that allow young people to go outside the normal walk of their peers.

Institutions’ preventive and protective interventions for MARA; Most of the institutions have common preventive and protective intervention strategies, with a variation among them regarding each specialization. But in general they all have education and awareness programs that deal with adolescents and youth needs at schools and university levels, local youth and women organization utilizing many modalities as peer educators, recreational activities, and many others that promote community engagement and young people development. There is a praiseworthy growing awareness raising against drugs among Palestinian youth and among all stakeholders by Palestinian Police –ANGA. BUT no one has specific intervention strategies targeting MARA except for Asadiq Tayyeb and Caritas being specialized in drug users’ rehabilitation. No one mentioned the adolescents’ laborers needs for care, awareness and or help to find an alternative for them

The overall results for MARA are similar to local Palestinian studies done with MARP but it added value in terms of understanding this specific age group and the determining factors that lead adolescents to be at risk. The profile of MARA was similar to MARP, they are more economically and socially disadvantaged than the general population, but MARA are more subjected to harassment and manipulation particularly those who are working; being young and have little agency or control over their selves. An important indicator that jeopardizes adolescents to be at risk as been indicated by MARA and stakeholders subjective data was their families parenting styles and family dynamics (either these families do not care or are too rigid and aggressive – no dialogue among family members) and considered a determinant factor to cause early marriage of girls, school dropout and child labor which ultimately reflected on their children and adolescents future

Keywords: Adolescence ( 13-19yrs) ,   Palestinian