Write for Rights 2021 - Janna Jihad

• Global Citizenship
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1,2,4

Palestinian Janna Jihad (15) is being threatened.

At the age of seven Janna became a citizen journalist. With her mother's phone she recorded the violence of the Israeli army in her village on the Occupied West Bank.

Call on the Israeli authorities to protect Janna from discrimination and violence.

Israeli soldiers raid Janna's village at night. They raze houses and schools and destroy communities that stand up for their rights. Palestinian children are also killed or injured. Israel does nothing to protect them. Janna reports on this in many popular films. This brings her unwanted attention. She is often harassed and receives death threats.

By the end of the lesson you will

•  Have learnt about the motivation of a young activist and discover the difference young people can make.
• Understand what it feels like to be systematically discriminated against
• write a support card to a young activist

Extra information:

Following a six-day armed conflict in June 1967, Israel took control of the

Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Since then, Israel has

constructed hundreds of illegal settlements (colonies) where hundreds of

thousands of Israeli settlers live and work, on occupied Palestinian land in the

West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Israel dismantled all its settlements in

Gaza in 2005, but those in the West Bank remain, and are one of the main

driving forces behind the mass human rights violations resulting from Israel’s

more than 50-year-long occupation

Show the film clip: 3 minutes

What surprises you about Janna’s story?

What impact does the government not respecting 

and protecting children’s rights have on Janna and 

other children in her village?

How do you think they feel? 

How do you feel? 

Explain that: 

Since 2009, the Israeli authorities’ actions have caused the deaths of four

people in the village – Mustafa Tamimi, Rushdie Tamimi, Izz al-Din Tamimi and

Saba’ Obaid. Hundreds of others have been injured, including children.

The Israeli authorities also frequently declare the area to be a closed military

zone, particularly during demonstrations. This includes closing the roads into

and out of the village, requiring residents and visitors to enter and leave through

military checkpoints, where many complain that they are harassed by Israeli

soldiers. The army frequently arrests local political activists and human rights

defenders, and conducts night raids in the village, sometimes arresting children

accused mostly of throwing stones at Israeli soldiers. 

At what age did Janna begin to record the violence of the Israeli army in her village?

1. 15
2. 7
3. 10
4. 4

Janna was seven when she started documenting the violence she saw.

She was four years old when she started protesting about the Israeli army in her village.

Where does Janna live?

1. Jordan
2. Israel
3. Occupied Palestinian Territories
4. Syria

What was a consequence
of her
journalistic work?

There are several correct answers here: 

She received death threats. But she also became very well known and brought the plight of Palestinians to the attention of the world. 

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS ARE FOR EVERY CHILD

 Israel has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) but it does not

provide these protections to Palestinian children in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This

results in discrimination against Palestinian children.

Click on the hotspot for information: Also explain the following

The impact of the army’s actions in Nabi Saleh appears to amount to a

collective punishment, whereby the whole population is penalized, including

those who play no active part in the struggle against Israeli military rule. This is

banned under international law, and can amount to a war crime. 

How do you think the Palestinian children feel, knowing that they are being discriminated against by not having their rights met?

Israel has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child and has a special

committee in parliament to make sure that it is being implemented. However,

Israel does not extend its protections to Palestinian children. While Israeli

children, including settlers living illegally in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,

are subject to Israeli civil law, Palestinian children in these areas, including

Janna, are subject to military law. This results in discrimination against all

Palestinian children.

What do you think about Janna's future? Will there be an improvement in the rights of the children
she is fighting for? Why or why not?

TAKE ACTION

Sign a petition

Write a card

Explain about Amnesty’s Write for Rights campaign. Explain that Amnesty is encouraging

people to demand justice for Janna Jihad. Give examples from last year’s campaign 

demonstrating how successful writing letters and taking other actions can be.

www.amnesty.org

Jongerenpetities

Amnesty’s afdeling Educatie biedt petities aan die speciaal gericht zijn op een jongere doelgroep. De informatie op deze petities is vereenvoudigd en er worden minder (persoons)gegevens op achtergelaten (alleen voornaam en leeftijd) dan op petities voor volwassenen.

www.amnesty.nl

Online possibilities for Write for Rights

Wherever you are, at school or at home on  your iPad We have several online opportunities for you to join Write for Rights at School in 2021!

If you have time over, and if your class have not already taken part in Write for Rights with their mentor, maybe get them to look at the W4R website and sign cards and petitions

www.amnesty.nl