UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

11/18/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/19/2024 02:32

UNESCO marks International Day Against School Violence and Bullying 2024

The event focused on the theme: "Protect, Educate, Empower: Learners Call for Safe and Inclusive Schools,"underlining the pivotal role of education in creating supportive, inclusive environments.

The observance spotlighted global and national efforts, building on earlier commitments such as the "Learning without Fear" resolution (2015) and the "Safe to Learn Call to Action" (2019). The webinar, reaching over 70,000 viewers, highlighted the significance of fostering safe learning spaces.

Eliminating violence in schools is a key part of ensuring safe and equitable learning environments, and this has been adequately highlighted in the National Education Policy, 2020. We congratulate the Ministry of Education for developing "Guidelines on School Safety and Security" which highlights the commitment of the Government of India to promote safe and inclusive school environments for all learners.

Tim Curtis, Director and UNESCO Representative to Bhutan, India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka

Safety and security of students is a priority for the Government of India. Aligned to the vision of the National Education Policy, 2020, MOE developed "Guidelines on School Safety and Security in 2021". All State School Education Departments are requested to set up Institutional mechanisms and making schools free from bullying. We realize that this big task cannot be done by Ministry alone and we need UNESCO, CBSE and all managements of schools to join us in implementing these guidelines to reach even the last student of the class.

Shri Anandrao Vishnu Patil, Additional Secretary, DoSEL

CBSE is committed to empowering educators to tackle these challenges head-on. Through initiatives like the School Health and Wellness Programme with UNESCO, we are equipping teachers across India with practical strategies, including a dedicated module on preventing and addressing bullying.

Shri Manoj Srivastava, Director (Training), CBSE

The event featured dissemination of impactful resources, including the short film "ChuppiTodo" (Break the Silence), student voice videos, and educational posters. These materials, alongside presentations for teachers and students, aimed to raise awareness and provide tools to create safer, more inclusive learning environments, reinforcing the commitment to eradicate school violence and bullying across India.