Dear World Leaders, Don't Fail Us
Watch young people speak out on school violence and demand action
Content warning: discussion of violence, sexual violence, discriminatory actions, suicide and eating disorders
Don’t Fail Us: Young People Demand Safe Learning
Around the world, young people are rising to demand action. In a powerful youth-led film titled Don’t Fail Us, survivors of school-related violence share their stories and call on world leaders to put an end to violence in and through education.
The film was co-created by youth from Kenya, Colombia, Viet Nam, and Sierra Leone, each sharing personal experiences of bullying, exclusion, gender-based violence, and unsafe school environments. Their message is clear: we cannot transform education without making it safe first.
Launched at the UN Secretary-General’s Transforming Education Summit, the film amplifies youth voices during a moment of global reckoning for education—as conflict, climate change, and economic instability place children at heightened risk.
Their demands align with the Safe to Learn Call to Action. Watch the Voices Behind the Film:
Falastin (Kenya)
Calls for inclusive schooling and anti-bullying policies after experiencing discrimination and inaction from teachers.
“The perfect school for me is where there is no bullying, one where people will think differently, dress differently and look differently.”
Watch her individual film here
Jesus (Colombia)
A refugee youth demanding dignity and education access for displaced children.
“We are humans, we have rights, and we do not understand why we cannot go to school. My message to you is simple. We are not invisible… We are the future and we have the potential to change the world.”
Watch his individual film here
Giang (Viet Nam)
Advocates for mental health support and an end to stigma in schools.
“I want to see schools where mental health issues are looked at just as any other physical challenges. And there will no longer be barriers, stigma or discrimination to stop us.”
Watch her individual film here
Josephine (Sierra Leone)
A survivor of sexual violence fighting to make schools safe for all girls and calling for investment in teacher pay and training.
“The poverty of teachers will always affect the quality of education. We must invest in teachers so that education…will be safe.”
Watch her individual film here
The youth involved were supported by networks including Education Cannot Wait, Global Partnership for Education, Plan International, Purposeful, She Leads, Transform Education, UNESCO, and UNICEF. The film was produced by On Our Radar in partnership with Safe to Learn and the End Violence Partnership.
