A grassroots Israeli organization, established in 2018 by a group of Israeli parents deeply concerned about the harm Palestinian children endure under Israeli occupation.
Support Our WorkWho We Are
Parents Against Child Detention (PACD) works to expose the phenomenon of the detention of Palestinian children and to protect their rights, out of a commitment to the principle of the best interests of the child and to the principles of the international Convention on the Rights of the Child. We work to document the reality on the ground, to raise public awareness, and to influence decision-makers, with the aim of reducing the systematic harm to children and advancing policy change.
“My message to the world is this: we are undergoing severe torture, we need help.” — A., a 15-year-old detainee in an Israeli prison.
Every year, hundreds of Palestinian children are arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned by Israeli authorities. In recent years, administrative detention has been increasingly used against children as well — a procedure that allows them to be held without indictment or trial, with no known release date. Many children are arrested in night raids on their homes, interrogated without a parent or lawyer present, and tried in military courts. During their arrest and imprisonment they are held under conditions identical to those of adults, and are exposed to hunger, violence, isolation, and separation from their families. Although children are entitled to special protections under international law, many of these practices continue.
What We Do
Public Pressure for Policy Change
Building pressure groups targeting decision-makers through activism, protests, and public engagement, to advance policy change and reduce the violation of Palestinian children’s rights.
Documentation & Exposure
Collecting testimonies and systematically documenting the detention of children, with the support of a group of women professionals from the mental health fields who work to develop professional knowledge and to write recommendations and position papers, in order to expose the scale of the phenomenon and its consequences to the Israeli public and to decision-makers.
Public Discourse & Education
Conferences, tours of the Ofer military court, community gatherings and talks that place the issue of the detention of Palestinian children and their rights within the detention system at the center of public discourse.
Art & Culture
Exhibitions and art projects, in galleries and public spaces, bringing the stories of detained children to a wide audience.
Leadership
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Support Our Work
Our activities are made possible thanks to donations. Every contribution helps us keep exposing, educating and driving change.
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