UNESCO has declared the first Thursday in November as the International Day Against Violence and Bullying in Schools, including cyberbullying, recognizing that violence in schools, in all its forms, constitutes a violation of the rights to education, health, and well-being of children and adolescents.
This day calls on students, families, members of educational communities, educational authorities, and various sectors and partners, including the technology industry, to participate in the prevention of all forms of violence and to promote safe learning environments, which are essential for the health, well-being, and learning of children and young people.
What is school violence?
School violence is a widespread phenomenon that affects both students and teaching staff. Around the world, one billion children between the ages of 2 and 17 experience some form of violence every year.
School violence manifests itself in various ways: physical, psychological, or sexual. It can include gender-based violence, bullying, and cyberbullying, and extend beyond individual acts to systemic and institutional violence.
How does school violence affect learning and beyond?
School violence not only disrupts learning, but also has a ripple effect that extends far beyond the classroom.
All forms of school violence hinder learning. Children who experience violence often have problems with concentration and cognitive development. This is reflected in lower academic performance, absenteeism, and, in many cases, dropping out of school. Studies show that students exposed to violence are more likely to perform poorly in essential areas such as literacy and numeracy, with long-term effects on their ability to achieve academic and professional success.
Experiencing violence causes significant psychological and mental disorders. Children who experience violence often suffer from anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, which can persist into adulthood. The strain on their mental health can severely hamper their ability to form healthy relationships and participate fully in society. Those who experience sexual violence, in particular, may suffer from post-traumatic stress and other serious psychological conditions, limiting their future potential and opportunities.
In many settings, school-related sexual violence can lead to early and unplanned pregnancies, forcing girls to drop out of school. This has lifelong consequences: it interrupts education, affects economic opportunities, and perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. The effects of this type of violence are even more devastating in regions that lack comprehensive sexuality education and support mechanisms.
Learning to be safe in the digital era
This year, International Day Against Bullying and Harassment in Schools was commemorated on November 6 under the theme “Screen smart: Learning to be safe in the digital era.”
With rapid advances in the digital world and artificial intelligence, students are increasingly exposed to the risks of online violence and technology-facilitated violence.
Online violence extends bullying—including cyberbullying and technology-facilitated gender-based violence—beyond the classroom into the digital space.
Approximately 58% of girls and young women face online harassment, while students from minority and migrant communities suffer disproportionately from violence and exclusion on the internet.
However, according to the GEM Report 2024 – Youth Edition, only 16% of countries have adopted legislation aimed at preventing cyberbullying through education.
Education is the first line of defense: safe classrooms must also mean safe screens. Learning to be safe online—or becoming “screen aware”—is essential to ensuring the quality of education that children and young people are entitled to.
