(Zaman Al Wasl)- Scenes of children carrying plastic toys of fighting weapons spread recently in the liberated regions of Aleppo province. Toy shops witness a lot of consumers especially during Eid days which show the deep effect of war on psychology of children and their daily behavior.
Toy shopkeeper Abu Omar told Zaman al-Wasl that many children buy these toys which imitate adults’ world in Eid. Although they realize the dangerous aspect of these toys on children, shopkeepers have to sell it because it is widely demanded although some of it contains beads which if fired on a child’s eye, it would damage it.
One child was walking beside his father carrying a plastic gun. He was overjoyed with the toy. The father of the child told Zaman al-Wasl that he was forced to buy the toy because the child embraced the toy refusing to put it back. The child was influenced by the other children in his neighborhood.
The father added he could not say no to the child because of the difficult conditions the child is living under with his peers.
Activist Mahmoud al-Naser indicated the phenomena of buying fighting toys became widespread and the toys look very much like the real weapons especially in Aleppo province.
He attributed the phenomena to the war which reflected negatively on children behavior.
Al-Naser demanded to fight this phenomenon buy placing regulations to stop entry of these toys to the market and these regulations should be enforced by the courts and cross points. The concerned authorities should adopt a comprehensive project with the Directorate of Education, media outlet, NGOs to limit the spread of this phenomena which encourages violence among children. These toys should be replaced by toys which distance children from war and destruction.
Zaman al-Wasl asked teacher Nour Shehab who works in an NGO for children about this phenomenon. Shehab pointed out the war and insecurity in Syria affected the Syrian society directly. The violence reflected by children buying these toys. Violence in media is also another influenced this phenomenon.
The teacher confirmed most children are the most affected in their cultural and social environments. It reflects in their behavior and it danger is enhanced by the lack of awareness from parents who buy the toys for the children although some of it might cause a physical damage. Also, there are no institutions to fight these effects of the war through social and psychological support for children in armed conflict zones.
Shehab demanded the judiciary to start and implement regulations to limit buying the toys and its spread indicating that social and psychological support program should be more present in dealing with this issue.
Franc Press agency reported while on tour in Eid al-Fitr in Aleppo that the children’s favorite toy in Aleppo is fighting and now it is with plastic toys which arises concern they might turn to real weapons if the situation remained the same.
According to the report, it became familiar the children are divided into groups; the regime group, ISIS group, FSA group, al-Nusra Front group as a game.
Psychologists attribute this to children thinking in death language and not in the culture of life or future. Psychologists also pointed out the children turning to aggressive behaviors. (Translation by Rana Abdul)
Toy shopkeeper Abu Omar told Zaman al-Wasl that many children buy these toys which imitate adults’ world in Eid. Although they realize the dangerous aspect of these toys on children, shopkeepers have to sell it because it is widely demanded although some of it contains beads which if fired on a child’s eye, it would damage it.
One child was walking beside his father carrying a plastic gun. He was overjoyed with the toy. The father of the child told Zaman al-Wasl that he was forced to buy the toy because the child embraced the toy refusing to put it back. The child was influenced by the other children in his neighborhood.
The father added he could not say no to the child because of the difficult conditions the child is living under with his peers.
Activist Mahmoud al-Naser indicated the phenomena of buying fighting toys became widespread and the toys look very much like the real weapons especially in Aleppo province.
He attributed the phenomena to the war which reflected negatively on children behavior.
Al-Naser demanded to fight this phenomenon buy placing regulations to stop entry of these toys to the market and these regulations should be enforced by the courts and cross points. The concerned authorities should adopt a comprehensive project with the Directorate of Education, media outlet, NGOs to limit the spread of this phenomena which encourages violence among children. These toys should be replaced by toys which distance children from war and destruction.
Zaman al-Wasl asked teacher Nour Shehab who works in an NGO for children about this phenomenon. Shehab pointed out the war and insecurity in Syria affected the Syrian society directly. The violence reflected by children buying these toys. Violence in media is also another influenced this phenomenon.
The teacher confirmed most children are the most affected in their cultural and social environments. It reflects in their behavior and it danger is enhanced by the lack of awareness from parents who buy the toys for the children although some of it might cause a physical damage. Also, there are no institutions to fight these effects of the war through social and psychological support for children in armed conflict zones.
Shehab demanded the judiciary to start and implement regulations to limit buying the toys and its spread indicating that social and psychological support program should be more present in dealing with this issue.
Franc Press agency reported while on tour in Eid al-Fitr in Aleppo that the children’s favorite toy in Aleppo is fighting and now it is with plastic toys which arises concern they might turn to real weapons if the situation remained the same.
According to the report, it became familiar the children are divided into groups; the regime group, ISIS group, FSA group, al-Nusra Front group as a game.
Psychologists attribute this to children thinking in death language and not in the culture of life or future. Psychologists also pointed out the children turning to aggressive behaviors. (Translation by Rana Abdul)
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