Interview with Hadeel Arja

How does it feel winning the Samir Kassir Award?

It is very difficult for me to talk about this feeling. A big salute to Sarah Jamal from Egypt; the topic of female genital mutilation was very powerful. Mohammad Abi Shama is risking his life to shed light on a very important topic that deserves discussion at this time because if we delay too much in Palestine, people may suffer greater harm. I am very happy and sad at the same time because many journalists have left us this year from Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon. I am sad because Giselle Khoury was not with us this year either. It is difficult to summarize my emotions, but the responsibility is very great, and I am very proud to have received the award.

Can you tell us more about your piece? What inspired you to write about the topic?

The investigation into forced puberty in the camps of northern Syria began after it was briefly mentioned in a statement by an international organization that spoke about the increase in gender-based violence, particularly cases of forced puberty. This term was very shocking. We had heard of enforced disappearance and forced marriage, but we had not heard of forced puberty before. This was the starting point for the investigation and the work I did.

How does it feel to be a journalist and/or writer from a region where freedom of speech is compromised?

Indeed, freedom of the press is shrinking, and topics are becoming heavier and more difficult. Sometimes, just a fleeting human story on a website is very difficult to achieve because you are telling a sensitive story. However, this gives us a greater challenge to continue. Many of us here are not affiliated with large media institutions; we work with independent institutions to find a place where we can talk about important issues. This matter is very important for journalists and for continuing to discuss these issues.