ICSPR and Community Development Projects Launch First Awareness Session on Psychological Support and the Risks of Early Marriage in Deir Al-Balah
Date: July 25, 2026
Press Release
ICSPR and Community Development Projects Launch First Awareness Session on Psychological Support and the Risks of Early Marriage in Deir Al-Balah
The International Commission to Support Palestinian People’s Rights (ICSPR), in partnership with Community Development Projects, conducted the first session in a series of awareness meetings titled, “Building Hope and Protecting the Future: Psychological Support and Awareness of the Risks of Early Marriage.” The session was held at Al-Farah School (1), on Al-Baraka Street in Deir Al-Balah, with the participation of 60 women.
The session began by introducing the definition of a child under international conventions and reviewing the key rights guaranteed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. These include the right to life, education, protection, health, and development in a safe environment. The discussion emphasized the responsibility of families and society to safeguard and uphold these rights.
The meeting addressed the concept of early marriage and its harmful effects on children, particularly girls, from health, psychological, social, and educational perspectives. It stressed that this practice violates a number of fundamental rights established under international conventions and treaties.
The session also included psychosocial support activities intended to provide participants with a safe space to express their feelings and experiences. It supported them in coping with psychological pressures caused by war and displacement, while strengthening their capacity to protect their children and provide them with psychological and social support.
Participants engaged actively in discussions on the importance of awareness of children’s rights, the family’s role in reducing early marriage, and the need to promote a safe family environment that guarantees children opportunities for education, development, and a dignified life.
ICSPR and Community Development Projects affirmed that this awareness series is part of their ongoing efforts to strengthen child protection, empower women, raise awareness of children’s rights, and reduce practices that undermine those rights, contributing to a more informed society capable of protecting its members.
