Even with half a day free, children do not have the chance to reconnect with the little leisure time available to them across the country, on this day of June 1, which is devoted each year to the protection of their rights.

Living in anguish about school results and coming exams, they end a very difficult year, marked by new measures imposed by the health crisis linked to Covid-19, after a break from classes for more than 8 months. Many child protection associations are expressing their concern at this situation, which is added, they say, to the many forms of violence to which children are exposed.

Director of Ciddef (Information and Documentation Center on the Rights of Children and Women), Ms. Nadia Aït Zaï believes that “during confinement, children were collateral victims of violence against their mothers. They are forced to be silent and do not express their suffering and their refusal of these attacks.

This is not the case with women, who could use social media or the phone when available to talk, express themselves. But not the child. It takes direct contact to make him talk. With containment, that was not possible. We resumed consultations in June 2020. We did not receive many people ". Me Aït Zai points out, moreover, that confinement "has somehow protected the child from violence outside his family home, but aggravated the so-called domestic violence.

Statistics do not reflect reality. We have a big problem with the numbers. It takes national surveys to tell us what we never say. For both women and children, strategies to combat violence are based on national surveys. The last ones were made in 2014 and since then we are still waiting for the national action plan, which has not arrived. Nothing is done on the ground. Everything is theoretical, while we were off to a good start ”. Member of the Wassila network, Ms. Louisa Aït Hamou agrees.

She, too, claims that the confinement cut the network from direct contact with victims of violence. And to explain: "However, through our helplines, we know that the pandemic has worsened the already burdensome situation of families, especially women and children. Husbands have lost their jobs, children who no longer go to school for lack of funds, women who suffer the repercussions of the drop in income, etc., but it is the children who have been most affected by this crisis. health, by stopping classes, resuming with a fairly strict health protocol and new practices that are difficult to get used to. Effects which result in a mental disorder and behavior. The situation is worrying and calls for action. ”