Interior Ministry's Decision not to Open Daycare Center for Arab Bedouin Children at Risk in Tel Arad Violates their Rights

(Beer el-Sabe, Israel) On 31 March 2011, Adalah sent a letter to the Abu Basma Regional Council and the Interior Ministry demanding the opening of the therapeutic day care center for children at risk in the Arab Bedouin unrecognized village of Tel Arad in the Naqab (Negev). The letter, prepared by Adalah Attorney Rami Jubran on behalf of parents of children in the village, follows a new decision by the Interior Ministry not to open the center.

The situation of children and youth in Tel Arad continues to deteriorate and is in a state of danger. The root causes of this situation stem from the extremely low socio-economic status of the village, the death of some parents, the low quality of schooling, and violence in some of the village's families.

In 2009, the Abu Basma Regional Council proposed the opening of a therapeutic day care center in Tel Arad in accordance with the policies of the Child and Youth Service of the Welfare and Social Services Ministry. The Abu Basma Regional Council found 30 cases of children between the ages of 6-12 who were diagnosed with severe distress and needed to be in a therapeutic center for children at risk. The organization, S.O.S, along with a children's non-profit organization, "Nardem", which were the pioneers of the project, were in full cooperation with the Abu Basma Regional Council and the Child and Youth Service of the Welfare and Social Services Ministry.

After extensive efforts to locate an appropriate place for the center, the S.O.S successfully found a 20-year old building belonging to the Al Amor family who generously donated it for the use of these children at risk. Moreover, it is crucial to note, that there is no safe and appropriate place for Tel Arad's children at risk within their area and they are dependent on the authorities. Upon the completion of the building's restoration, the center was scheduled to open in June 2010. However, the center never opened.

In the letter, Adalah argued that the Interior Minister's decision not to open the therapeutic center violates the basic rights of children at risk to equality and dignity. While the state provides budgets and services for children at risk in other communities, especially in Jewish towns in the Naqab, it is failing to do for Arab Bedouin children in Tel Arad. In addition, the failure to open the center also violates the children's rights to adequate health care and living standards.