International day against violence and bullying at school including cyberbullying
School violence and bullying including cyberbullying is widespread and affects a significant number of children and adolescents.
UNESCO Member States declared the first Thursday of November, the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School Including Cyberbullying, recognizing that school-related violence in all its forms is an infringement of children and adolescents’ rights to education and to health and well-being. It calls upon Member States, UN partners, other relevant international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations, individuals and other stakeholders to help promote, celebrate and facilitate the international day.
Almost one in three students has been bullied by their peers at school at least once in the last month and a similar proportion were affected by physical violence. School violence and bullying is mostly perpetrated by peers but, in some cases, by teachers and other school staff. Corporal punishment is still allowed in schools in 67 countries.
There are significant negative effects from the violence, including on academic achievement, mental health, and quality of life in general. Children who are frequently bullied are nearly three times more likely to feel like an outsider at school and more than twice as likely to miss school as those who are not frequently bullied. They have worse educational outcomes than their peers and are also more likely to leave formal education after finishing secondary school.
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
"Let us hope that this first International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying, will build global awareness about the scale of the problem, and of the need to put an end to it as soon as possible. As students, parents, members of the educational community and ordinary citizens, we have all a part to play in stopping violence and bullying in schools."
Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director General, on the occasion of the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying
CELEBRATIONS IN 2020
- International Conference on School Bullying
Thursday 5 November
Video messages by political leaders
What UNESCO does on school violence and bullying
Publications
- Behind the Numbers: ending school violence and bullying – Overview, UNESCO, 2020
- Behind the numbers: ending school violence and bullying, UNESCO, 2019
- Bringing it out in the open: monitoring school violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in national and international surveys, UNESCO, 2019
- Summary report of the global consultationon the inclusive education and access to health of LGBTI+ youth around the world, MAG Jeunes LGBT, 2018.
- Global guidance on addressing school-related gender-based violence, UNESCO, 2016
- Out in the open: education sector responses to violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, UNESCO, 2016
- Out in the open: education sector responses to violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression: summary report, UNESCO, 2016