When children are not safe, they cannot learn.
The evidence is clear, violence has significant negative impacts on children’s brain development and physical and mental health. Violence also lowers educational attainment and increases risk of school dropouts. When children are deprived of a safe learning environment they cannot reach their full potential. Corporal punishment is proven to be consistently associated with lower learning outcomes, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
The learning crisis is inextricably linked to the prevalence of school-related violence and urgent action to tackle both is required. We will not achieve our collective ambitions to accelerate progress in education and on foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes unless we ensure that every child is safe to learn.
Violence in, around and through schools undermines children’s right to education. Violence also undermines a child’s right to live free from all forms of violence. Both human rights are enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child article 19 and 28. Every child has the right to learn in a safe environment.
Globally, it is estimated that a minimum of 115 million children and adolescents experience school-related gender-based violence in the form of physical, psychological and/or sexual violence every year. Girls in particular are disproportionately affected – in school, on the way to school, at home, and online. Violence hampers prospects for gender equality, mental health and well-being, and socio-economic equity. The cost of violence in schools is an estimated US$ 11 trillion loss in lifetime earnings.
Violence is a complex practice influenced by multiple interconnected factors including deeply rooted social and gender norms and power imbalances. It requires concerted action and a multifaceted approach that effectively diagnoses and addresses the social and behavioural drivers of the practice. The benefits of doing so far exceed the investment.
All violence is preventable. The education sector can play a crucial role by implementing comprehensive strategies and leveraging social and behaviour change approaches to create safer learning environments. Fostering political will backed by concrete action is a necessary priority. Policy level changes are urgently required – 732 million or half of all school children globally aged 6-17 live in countries where corporal punishment at school is not fully prohibited. Advocating for change includes actively engaging with Ministries of Education fostering collaboration with Ministries of Social Welfare and Finance. Comprehensive budgeted strategies must be implemented to end violence in and around schools and other learning environments.
Similar to the Foundational Learning Action Tracker (FLAT) based on the RAPID framework, Safe to Learn tracks countries progress on violence prevention and response in schools through the Safe to Learn Benchmarking and Diagnostic Tool. The FLAT is designed to monitor educational challenges and offers a structured approach to assess education sector policies, strategies, and resource allocation. By leveraging the RAPID Framework, alongside the Safe to Learn tools, countries can gain a comprehensive view of their efforts in promoting safe and violence-free learning environments. This synergy can also support assessing progress on the implementation of the Safe to Learn Call to Action to address violence in and around schools including the elimination of corporal punishment, advancement of positive discipline and non-violent behaviours, and the integration of child protection policies in education systems.
Safe to Learn and UNICEF are investing in programmes that integrate violence prevention and response as a key priority in education programming in close collaboration with child protection, health, gender, and social and behaviour change actors.
Education has the power to challenge rather than replicate social and gender norms and behaviours that perpetuate violence in and around schools. This has the potential to impact results both in and beyond education. Classroom by classroom we can foster social cohesion, peace, and gender equality for future generations.
Safe schools enable children to learn, grow and thrive, laying the groundwork for more equitable and prosperous societies. Transforming education and improving global learning outcomes can only be achieved once we end violence in, around, and through schools, for every child, everywhere.
Robert Jenkins is the UNICEF Global Director, Education and Adolescent Development
Line Baago-Rasmussen is the Global Coordinator for Safe to Learn
