BULLYING: children’s messages to peers and adults

• What do children know about bullying?
• How does a child feel when facing bullying? What can s/he do to get out of the situation and whom to turn to?
• How can witnesses stop a bullying situation?
• What should parents and school do to protect the children against bullying?

A number of teenagers, challenged by Terre des hommes within the “STOP BULLYING! I Stop. I Speak. I Help.” campaign, have answered these and other questions about what bullying is and how this phenomenon can be stopped.

Through this video which compiles the opinions of several teenagers, some of them having been witnesses or victims of bullying, Tdh wants to bring the children’s views and messages to the sight of all stakeholders who are responsible for child safety and security – parents, school administration, teachers, child protection professionals, as well as the general public: https://www.facebook.com/tdhmoldova/videos/507667110233546 

The UNICEF Report on „Bullying among adolescents in the Republic of Moldova”, issued in 2019, revealed that 87% of secondary school and high school pupils are somehow exposed to the phenomenon of bullying, as initiators of bullying against colleagues, victims or witnesses. The surveys pointed out that, regardless of the role played by children in bullying situations, it can have long-term, often disastrous effects.

Children involved in bullying situations can suffer from serious emotional and behavioural consequences. They may be more prone to depression and anxiety, have a low self-esteem level, feel lonely and may lose interest in any activity, and such effects may even impact on their adult life. In extreme cases, children can resort to desperate gestures, such as suicide.

Terre des hommes Moldova is carrying out an information and awareness-raising campaign between October 2020 and May 2021, as part of the “Joint efforts to combat bullying in Moldova” Project, implemented with support of UNICEF Moldova.

Tdh Foundation is the most important Swiss child support organization. Founded in 1960, the organization joins each year the international endeavours to improve the quality of life of millions of children throughout the world. Through its projects, Terre des hommes helps more than four million children and members of their families in more than forty countries each year.

Terre des hommes operates in the Republic of Moldova since 2004. Being registered as a local Foundation, Tdh Moldova brings together a team of 14 professionals in the field of child protection, trainers, project managers, communication, monitoring and evaluation, law, finance and administration experts. Tdh Moldova works to reduce the vulnerability of children affected by migration and improve their protection, to improve children’s access to their rights in the juvenile justice system, promoting a restorative approach, to strengthen the capacity of child protection institutions and professionals, and to support children, families and communities. The organization’s programmes are aimed at ensuring that all children in the country benefit from a system that can guarantee their protection, development and involvement in the social, educational, cultural and health processes that concern them.

Over the past years, Terre des hommes Moldova, jointly with its partners, has been actively involved in empowering the adolescents and youth, empowering the Youth Centres and youth workers, enabling the (general and vocational) schools to protect children and youth against any type of violence and to develop their civic participation skills.