In this episode of the miniseries, ‘Social work around the world’, Community Care’s careers editor, Sharmeen Ziauddin, speaks to social worker Riad Arar, who is from Hebron, a city south of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank.
He describes what life has been like for him since 7 October 2023. Increased military checkpoints have made delivering services incredibly hard for social workers and healthcare professionals. The focus is on survival and having the basic necessities.
Riad speaks about the destruction and trauma around him and in Gaza. He points out that social workers and other professionals are not exempt from the trauma of occupation and war. His Palestinian colleagues, even those who work for international humanitarian organisations, are not safe in Gaza.
But Riad also talks about hope, and how the solidarity from the international community keeps him going.
Listening with the transcript is advisable.
About The Social Work Community Podcast
The Social Work Community Podcast explores the issues that matter to social work practitioners. Careers editor Sharmeen Ziauddin and fellow host Kirsty Ayakwah, our senior careers editor, interview experienced and inspiring guests, including frontline social workers who speak from the heart about their jobs, the sector and society.
It was nominated in the podcast category at the 2024 BASW Social Work Journalism Awards following its first season, which ran from October 2023 to April 2024.
It can be found on all major podcasting platforms including:
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You can also listen to the episode here:
Listen to “Social work around the world: West Bank & Gaza” on Spreaker.
Listen to Riad’s previous interview: How the Israel-Gaza war has affected social workers in the UK
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