Promoting Health Education, Personal Safety, and Child Welfare in Duhok Schools

📍 Mazi School – February 24, 2025 | University of Duhok Media

University Press Office (UNPO) | As part of its unwavering commitment to community service, child protection, and health education, the University of Duhok (UOD), through the College of Nursing, successfully organized a vital workshop titled “Educating Children about Sexual Harassment and Immediate Self-Protection Actions” at Mazi School on February 24, 2025.

This strategic initiative aligns with UOD’s broader vision of promoting awareness, safeguarding children's rights, and fostering social responsibility through outreach programs aimed at enhancing societal resilience and youth empowerment.

🧑‍🏫 Workshop Overview: Building Knowledge and Confidence

Led by a group of dedicated educators from the College of Nursing, the workshop addressed a sensitive yet critical issue—protecting children from sexual harassment—and provided essential tools and strategies to promote self-defense and awareness among school students.

Throughout the session, students engaged in age-appropriate discussions designed to:

• Understand the concept of bodily autonomy and personal boundaries.
   
• Differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
   
• Recognize the warning signs of harassment in its verbal, physical, and visual forms.
   
• Develop confidence to say “NO” and seek help when necessary.
   

🔹 Key Workshop Objectives and Highlights:

• Empowering Personal Awareness: Students were introduced to the importance of self-respect, understanding personal space, and knowing their rights over their bodies.
   
• Raising Awareness on Harassment: Facilitators clearly defined sexual harassment and taught students how to identify unsafe situations, using interactive examples and discussions.
   
• Providing Protection Strategies: Children learned simple yet effective techniques to protect themselves, including identifying trusted adults, staying in groups, and setting clear personal boundaries.
   
• Action Steps for Immediate Response: Students practiced real-life scenarios through role-playing activities, reinforcing the critical steps to take if they or someone they know experiences harassment—such as speaking up, reporting incidents, and overcoming fear or stigma.
   

The workshop was praised for creating a safe, respectful, and engaging environment, where students felt empowered to learn and express their concerns openly.

📚 Advancing UOD’s Strategic Vision for Community Engagement

This initiative exemplifies the University of Duhok’s Strategic Plan 2023–2038 priorities by: 

•  Promoting community health and child safety education
•  Strengthening UOD’s role in societal development and awareness-raising
•  Empowering youth through practical life skills and protective education
•  Integrating university expertise into community-based outreach programs
•  Advocating for children's rights and protection mechanisms in local communities

By equipping students with critical life skills, UOD reaffirms its leadership in societal development, public health promotion, and educational innovation across the Kurdistan Region.

📌 UOD Media, April 2025

📝 Reported by: Fatima Mahmood Ali, Berin S. Ibrahim
 

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