Schools and education systems can help by encouraging parents and children to enroll and attend. Having quality education can increase the likelihood of children finding paid work in adulthood, and taking part in organized activities can make it less likely that children will become involved in aggressive behaviour or violence.

Schools can also be ideal places for activities aimed at preventing violence. They can involve many young people at one time, influencing them early in life. Skilled teachers can deliver violence prevention programmes and act as significant role models outside of family or community life. Schools can reach parents, improving parenting practices that may be harmful to children’s health and education.

Schools make ideal environments to challenge some of the harmful social and cultural norms (standards or patterns that are typical or expected) that tolerate violence towards others (for example, gender-based violence

Safe Schools

Project Overview

Violence can also affect educational outcomes and children’s potential to lead successful and prosperous lives. Schools are in a unique position to address and prevent violence against children. Not only are schools accountable in ensuring that their premises are safe and protective but they can also take an active role in engaging the community on issues related to violence. This can include violence that takes place in schools, such as physical violence, sexual violence, bullying, and corporal punishment. It can also include types of violence that emerge in the home and community, such as child maltreatment, dating and intimate-partner violence and elder abuse.  Children continue to be exposed to diverse forms of violence, often permissible and buttressed by cultural beliefs and practices. Violence against children occurs on a large scale and in virtually all settings.

Unfortunately, only a small proportion of all acts of violence against children are reported and investigated and few perpetrators are held accountable. This is due to poor reporting mechanisms and some of the victims fear to report because the perpetrators are either their parents, teachers, guardians or other relatives. In July 2013, a study on assessing the extent and the impact of protection and safety problems impacting children in Uganda’s schools revealed that of the children interviewed who experienced sexual abuse at schools, the minority –only 40% of girls and 39% of boys- reported it; many “never” did so. Children lacked awareness on child rights in schools, which inhibited them from reporting the violence they experienced.

Goal of the Program

The goal of this program is to empower schools with the capacity to prevent and respond to school related gender-based violence.

What We are Doing

Improving the awareness and advocacy on school related Gender Based Violence at all levels.

Improving access and retention for all school age children, with emphasis on girl child education.

Strengthening capacity of local communities, SMCs and parents, Teachers Associations and greater community participation to fight against school related gender-based violence.

Objectives

• Strengthen capacity of local communities, SMCs and parents Teachers Associations and greater community participation to fight against child gender-based violence.
• Develop legal and policy frameworks that specifically address violence against children in schools and communities.
• Improve access and retention for all school age children, with emphasis on girl child education and gender parity thus making schools a safer learning environment.
• To build the capacity of girls and boys to understand, challenge and skills to resist Gender Based Violence and discrimination.
• Improve awareness and advocacy on child related Gender Based Violence at all levels.