This morning I viewed
an advertisement produced by UNICEF about the abuse and suffering of children.
Liam Neeson’s very distinctive voice spoke only a few words about each graphic
scene. Words were not necessary. The scenes depicted the horrors. One girl
raped in this spot, one child slept in this alleyway after being thrown out of
home, another child murdered and so on. One thing is certain; these global
abuses of children must not be allowed to continue.
Anyone who abuses
children, regardless of politics or geographical location should be punished to
the utmost allowed by law. UNICEF’s campaigns for the betterment of children
are a great way of bringing to light the global sufferings of children and
fortunately many celebrities like Liam Neeson and others help in this awareness
campaign. Many years ago, when the beautiful Audrey Hepburn became UNICEF
Ambassador, she gave the rest of her short life to help children. Pictures of
her with undernourished children from sub-Saharan Africa still hold a memory of
a beautiful, talented woman devoting her energies to the needs of those who
could not help themselves.
UNICEF maintains this
‘cause celeb’ in its campaigns against child suffering and abuse. We are more
aware of the horrors of sex-trafficking of young girls, diseases due to poverty
and war, the millions of Syrian refugees suffering the indignities of losing
homes and families and what their children endure. Most especially since the
attempted murder of Mulala Youssefsai by the Taliban which said women and girls
must stay home and forget schooling, the newest watchword is the Empowerment of
Women/Girls. The strongest tool to empower women is education. Mulala refused
to be silenced, even at death’s door. She garnered global support; the actress
Angelina Jolie founded the Mulala Fund, its main purpose to empower girls
through education, raising money for this cause.
Yet throughout all
this there is still one group of girls who, similar to the UNICEF advert,
experience rape, homelessness through being discarded by families, live in
alleyways scrounging for scraps of food, used by street gangs all for the
promise of a place to sleep and some food, and the worst indignity of all abuse
by the very group sworn to protect them, the police. These are the street girls
of Egypt. They bear the scorn of their own families, their own society,
government, and all who should step in to protect them. To mention a street
girl in Egypt is to bring ridicule, of course they are known. Cairo itself has
between 50,000 and 200,000 street children – more than half girls.
No one hears about
them. If caught by the police who appear to have quotas, they are brought to
the stations, often abused first in the station from whippings to rape, given
criminal records, and then dumped in places called Islahayas. Some of these
girls are under 10 years of age. The Islahayas are no better than prisons,
facilities at a minimal, certainly no real education, and no hope. But the
world doesn’t hear about these girls. Is it politically incorrect to step on
Egyptian government toes? The West needs Egypt politically on side. Bringing
this issue to light, one which the government and society deride might inflame
the delicate political balance.
A friend and
colleague, over 30 year resident of Egypt, Hanna Hartmann-Hosni became my
mentor in this situation. So much so that I had my university students assigned
as a project to visit these girls in the Agouza Islahaya. Whenever possible I
have visited them myself, helped Hanna, even wrote a book using the girls’ own
words to describe their lives inside and outside.[1]
Hanna raises money through Christmas Bazaars at the school where she is head
librarian, the German School in Dokki to pay for volunteer teachers. Even then
those in change only allow 15 or 20 girls out of a population of over 120 to
receive any schooling. Hanna holds an annual pyramid race, takes contributions of clothes,
and many other activities to raise money to help educate even a few of the
girls. It is a difficult process, often stymied by the madams in charge or
government officials. Her husband, Hanna’s greatest supporter, steps in to her
aid whenever possible. It’s an endless cycle of hope and despair, with the
world at large not even aware of these girls. NGOs in Cairo don’t step in to
help; other charities appear to have better places for their money. But the
empowerment of girls through education is truly the best solution and Cairo has
so many un-empowered with no hope at all. Hanna works alone with a few
supporters and the odd donations, but where is UNICEF in this fight to change
the lives of these girls – Il Binait Dol?
Where are the celebrity voices which could do so much toward enlightening
the world about this disparaged part of society?
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