The impact of violence on learning and wellbeing

Violence in and around schools undermines children’s learning, well-being, and future opportunity. It affects millions of learners every day – in classrooms, on the journey to and from school, and online. 

School-related violence takes many forms: bullying, corporal punishment, sexual and gender-based violence, emotional abuse, online harassment, and even deliberate attacks on education. These experiences harm children’s physical and emotional health, interrupt their learning, and prevent the promise of education as a force for equality and social progress. 

When children feel unsafe, they cannot learn. Fear affects their ability to concentrate, participate, trust adults, or stay in school. Violence doesn’t just threaten a single moment – it shapes a child’s long-term well-being, confidence, and sense of possibility.
 

How widespread is violence in and around schools?

While global data remains incomplete, the evidence we do have shows the scale and urgency of the problem:

• More than one in three adolescents aged 13–15 have experienced bullying, and a similar share report being involved in physical fights.
• In a global UNICEF-Gallup poll of over one million young people, 69 per cent said they had felt afraid of violence in or around school.
• 793 million school-age children attend school in countries where corporal punishment in school is not fully prohibited.
• In conflict-affected contexts, more than 6,000 attacks on education were recorded from 2022–2023, harming over 10,000 students and teachers.
• Certain groups face far higher risks: LGBTQ+ students are three to five times more likely to experience bullying or school violence, while girls with disabilities are up to 10 times more likely to experience gender-based violence.
• Structural inequalities deepen vulnerability: 122 million girls worldwide remain out of school, increasing their exposure to exploitation and harm.
   

How does violence affect learning and well-being?

Violence at school does more than disrupt a child’s day – it can alter the course of their life. Research from UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, World Bank and global academic studies shows that children who experience violence face a wide range of negative impacts on their learning, health, and long-term development. 

They are more likely to:

• Miss school or drop out, and have difficulty concentrating or participating in class
• Experience anxiety, depression, trauma, and low self-esteem
• Show poorer academic performance and reduced learning outcomes
• Develop stress-related health problems, including headaches and sleep difficulties
• Engage in riskier behaviours, such as substance use
• Struggle to form trusting relationships with peers, teachers, and caregivers
• Face long-term effects on their mental health, well-being, and employment prospects 

When children feel unsafe – in their classroom, on their way to school, or online – their ability to learn, grow, and thrive is deeply compromised.