TITLE:
Training Women Graduates as Human Relations Counsellors and Researchers in Gaza, Palestine: “Beyond Brokenness”—A Planned Research Framework
AUTHORS:
Christopher Adam Bagley
KEYWORDS:
Palestine, Gaza, Child Health, Post-Traumatic Stress, Women’s Health, Psychological Resilience, Islamic Non-Violence
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.5 No.5,
May
9,
2017
ABSTRACT: Background: The people of Gaza, Palestine have suffered profoundly since conflict with Israel
began in 2000, with the resulting warfare and blockades. Following a series of
external bombardments between 2000 and 2014, much of Gaza’s infrastructure has
been destroyed, without hope of rebuilding. Many schools, hospitals and
colleges have been destroyed. Public health conditions are deteriorating, and
physical and mental health of women and children has been profoundly affected
in negative ways. Post-traumatic stress following numerous bombardments is a major
problem. Mental health of adults and children is declining, but no information
is available on changes in mental health after the most recent conflict of
2014. Methods: Firstly, this paper offers an overview of psychosocial
survival in Gaza, Palestine and potentials for strengthening psychological
resistance to future trauma. A proposed research programme is outlined, which
aims to create a cadre of ‘resilient women’. We have planned, with local cooperation,
a programme for creating a cadre of strong and resilient women, who can counsel
and support others in offering social and psychological supports, through a
modified form of cognitive behaviour education. Measures to be used in the main
study have been successfully piloted, and plans established for recruitment of
100 “resilient women” graduates, through
social network analysis. Results and Conclusions: Political barriers to
effective implementation of this research programme are outlined.