Why we help ..
Despite the demonstrated efforts from authorities concerned with child safety, like legislative amendments on laws, child help line and increasing child protection services. The situation of children in Egypt is still aggravated.
Working hands-on with children, families, orphanages, care centers and governments, we grievously found out that many children in Egypt are being subjected to violence at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and nurture them, and what exacerbates the crisis, is that it is normalized by the adult perpetrators and even by the children themselves, according to UNICEF global database report 2017, 1 in 3 children in Egypt experienced severe physical punishment by their caregivers.
Street Children
The Egyptian population is estimated at 101.48 million. With factors like the socioeconomical conditions of the citizens, almost 40% are below 18 out of which, 1 million children are homeless commonly known as “street children”, children became more vulnerable to trafficking, child begging, forced labor and forced prostitution and all kinds of abuse.
And having a review on the conditions of the orphaned children in Egypt who reached 1.7 million “according to SOS Children’s Villages” many of them engage in labor activities and also experience severe physical, sexual and psychological abuse by adults on a regular basis.
Adding to that that rise of internet usage in Egypt specially in the last few years where almost aspect of our lives turning hybrid and children spending one third of their time online, mostly between internet communication and online content, it has led to doors wide open to innumerable risks and potential harms to our beloved little ones.
These findings and many others encourage us to acknowledge the extent of violence against children and act upon it, towards a safer country for children to grow and develop.
We know that we can’t help everyone, but we know for fact that everyone can help someone, so the answer has become obvious…. It is because it is everyone’s responsibility.
