The agency is calling for students to be better protected from physical, verbal and psychological aggression in the environment report announced the night before International Day Against Violence and Harassment in Schools, including Cyberbullying.
Study safely
“At school, every child must feel respected, accepted and safe in order to learn and develop.,” speak UNESCO General Manager Audrey Azoulay.
“This International Day must galvanize collective efforts to step up the fight against violence and harassment in education,” she added.
UNESCO notes that globally, one in three students reported having been bullied in the previous month. Cyberbullying is also increasingly widespread, affecting 10% of children.
The agency said these phenomena have serious consequences not only for learning but also for mental health because victims of bullying are at risk of severe loneliness, insomnia and depression. Thoughts of suicide are twice as high.
Girls and gay students are most affected
Violence in schools disproportionately affects certain groups based on factors such as gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other markers of identity, with girls especially especially vulnerable.
Up to a quarter of adolescent girls experience gender-based violence and up to 40% of these incidents occur in school. Worldwide, 42% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth are “mocked, taunted or threatened at school,” mostly by other studentsbecause of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
School transformation
UNESCO’s report emphasizes the essential role of public policies, standards and multi-sectoral cooperation to limit violence and bullying in education, noting that only 32 countries, or 16%, There is a comprehensive legal framework to address this issue.
It calls for immediate and sustained action to transform schools into sanctuaries where every student can thrive, free from fear and harm.
To strengthen efforts, UNESCO has launched global assessment summarizes data from the past few years. Its 194 member states also received a set instructOne series of thematic notes And Guide for teachers to combat gender-based violence in schools.
Furthermore, recommended about bullying in schools and Technical note about the key role of teachers has been introduced.
Support countries
UNESCO also supports many projects to put its recommendations into practice, especially in Africa and Asia through Connect with respect programme.
This initiative helps prevent gender-based harassment by encouraging students to treat each other with respect and showing victims where to go for help. UNESCO has also trained more than 20,000 educators in West Africa to create a school environment free of violence.
UNESCO also launched a new project last month devoted to the mental health of students in France.
The two-year project – established in partnership with the country and the European Commission – aims to strengthen the skills of education teams in the sector and create a cohesive student support network teachers, educators, health care and social service workers.
The agency further emphasizes the importance of curriculum design that ensures educational content promotes the values of peace and respect for others, as expressed in the Recommendation on Education for Peace , Human Rights and Sustainable Development, which Member States unanimously adopted last year.
About International Day
UNESCO established the International Day against Violence and Harassment in Schools, including Cyberbullying in 2019, celebrated on the first Thursday of November.
It recognizes that school-related violence in all its forms is a violation of the rights of children and young people to education and their health and well-being.
