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The shocking incident of severe child abuse at the Garderêve nursery in Jdeideh, which shook the public opinion in Lebanon on Monday, has rekindled discussions about the responsibilities of the authorities in charge of supervising daycare centers, the standards for staff selection as well as for the issuance or suspension of licenses for these institutions. In addition, it has brought children’s rights and protection into the spotlight of Lebanon’s current affairs.
The press office of the caretaker Minister of Health, Firas Abiad, announced the permanent closure of Garderêve, the nightmarish place where the abuse took place. Moreover, the nursery’s license has been revoked.
During a subsequent press conference, Abiad unveiled plans to roll out a system aimed at allowing parents to ensure that their chosen daycare center complies with international standards. Central to this system, in addition to staff qualifications, is the installation of surveillance cameras. Such monitoring measures were previously in place but were removed from daycare centers three years ago in response to a request from one of the two syndicates that oversee the sector, as revealed by Ici Beyrouth.
Abiad emphasized that the events that transpired at Garderêve should serve as a lesson for other daycare centers. The perpetrator, caught on hidden camera assaulting the children, has been arrested and will be subject to legal proceedings. As for the individual who filmed the incidents, she has been interrogated by investigators and granted bail on the condition of residing at a designated address, as confirmed by Amira Sukkar, the president of the Union for Child Protection in Lebanon (UPEL), to Ici Beyrouth.
Sukkar announced that she had been tasked with “implementing a child protection policy in daycare centers” and stated that she had initiated the process around a month and a half ago. She further mentioned that she had actively supported a daycare center that had applied for a license from the Ministry of Health and successfully obtained it.
During the press conference held by the Minister of Health, the idea of providing training to all daycare centers was suggested, as revealed by Sukkar. She added that “one of the Minister of Health’s commendable decisions is that every daycare center must be a member of the syndicate to be officially recognized.”
Sukkar stressed that the issuance of licenses is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, and stated that Garderêve had obtained a valid permit. However, the problem, as revealed by the video, resided in the selection of personnel.
She further explained that “the ministry establishes a set of criteria that daycare center owners must comply with,” and stressed the importance of continuous supervision on the part of the management of these facilities. Sukkar clarified that circumstances can evolve within certain daycare centers without any oversight from the ministry.
Asked about the criteria for granting licenses to daycare centers, Sukkar referred to a decree that specifies the requirements for obtaining permits, which include “knowing the qualifications and credentials of the daycare director, ensuring the implementation of educational programs, providing well-trained staff, having assistants and having effective emergency services in place. It is also important to evaluate the facilities’ characteristics, including its rooms, beds and electricity and fire safety systems. ”
Investigations, Sukkar regrettably revealed, proved that not all daycare centers adhere to such standards.
This is a matter that Abiad has pledged to address. He intends to amend the decrees and laws pertaining to child protection in order to ensure that daycare centers adhere to the regulations by installing surveillance cameras and that staff are subject to regular evaluations and continuous training.
Furthermore, Abiad has promised to intensify the audits carried out by governing bodies, including unexpected visits, in order to guarantee compliance with the stipulated regulations. He emphasized the importance of “adopting a collaborative approach among all stakeholders involved in the protection of children and minors.”
Hana Joujou, president of one of the two unions representing daycare owners in Lebanon, also raised awareness about the fact that “this phenomenon is not exclusive to daycare centers.” She pointed out to Ici Beyrouth that “incidents of abuse occur in homes and hospitals as well. Our role as a union is to protect the profession and improve the standards of management, employees and educators.”
Alarming assessment of child abuse cases
In a broader context, Rose Habchi, the director of the resilience program at the NGO Himaya, provided Ici Beyrouth with an alarming assessment of child abuse cases reported in recent years, summarized as follows:
- 2021: 2,335 cases of mistreatment, with 23% involving physical abuse.
- 2022: 2,412 cases of mistreatment, with 29% involving physical abuse.
- 2023 until June: 1,415 cases of mistreatment, with 29% involving physical abuse.
The rise in reported cases can be attributed to a lack of awareness and education about the forms of abuse, including child abuse. It also underscores the need for greater efforts to tackle mistreatment in all settings.
