Safety and security
The importance of feeling safe within one’s surroundings emerged as a crucial aspect in a large proportion of the interviews. All of the participants reported experiencing either physical threats or a general feeling of vulnerability due to attacks both from the Israeli army as well as intra-community violence. Moreover, the environment was widely perceived as unhealthy (e.g. unhygienic conditions) or unpredictable, enhancing feelings of fear, sadness, and distress.
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Feeling unsafe, either outdoors or within their homes, was described by the children as a source of negative emotions, with consequent sleep problem and distress. These factors were acting as a significant deterrent of children’s agency, negatively impacting children’s well-being and inhibiting the normal activities of their everyday life, such as going to school and studying.
“In my house we are very close to the gate that the army use to enter in the camp. […] When I’m so worried I can not sleep. […] After in the school I’m too tired to concentrate.” (Dheisheh Camp, 8, female).