REVIS

 REsponding to VIolence against children in Schools and adjacent settings

Violence against children is prevalent across the globe and visible in Europe and specifically in South Eastern Europe. Many children are reportedly exposed to violence more regularly in schools and homes. There are several factors contributing to violence against children in school, including gender-based violence. The socio-cultural norms, social exclusion, poverty, system gaps, lack of effective policies, capacities of teachers and students’ faith in the system are the major factors leading to violence against children in schools. In Bulgaria, UNICEF (2016) reports that each year about 3,500 reports of violence against children are received and 26.4% of students have conflict with their teachers due to corporal punishment or disciplinary policies. In Romania, 22% of children have threatened beating another child, 16% had already beaten another child, and 30% had lightly hit another child (Save the Children Romania, 2016). In Serbia, 44% of students are exposed to peer-to-peer violence in school, of which 33% is physical violence. It is suggested that peer-to-peer violence is more common in urban environments than rural areas (UNICEF Serbia, 2017). In Romania, the physical abuse against children mostly took place in classrooms, corridors, school yards or in the locker rooms. In urban areas, 28% of students are feeling anxious about going to school due to violence that could involve them directly being victims or indirectly being a witness. In Croatia, 73.04% children experienced some form of psychological violence during their lifetime or school life (BECAN Croatia, 2012). Benčić (2014) asserts that children who suffer from violent acts in schools more often suffer from depression and are prone to having suicidal thoughts or psychiatric disorders.

The REVIS project brings together five experienced child protection organizations from South-Eastern Europe which have a rich experience in advancing progressive principles in reducing violence against children, building capacity and knowledge amongst childcare professionals and empowering children to be an integral part of the debate and participate in tackling harmful practices.

The overall goal of the project is to prevent, combat and respond to peer violence among children through transforming social and gender norms and behaviours; create space for children to challenge social and gender norms that lead to peer violence; and become social influencers to develop solutions to the problem.
The objectives of the project are:

1.develop a program of engagement in four countries - with the help of 80 trained facilitators and 8 trainers, based on the findings of a qualitative research conducted into the social and gender norms contributing to violence against children,

2. to work with 1600 children, youth and teachers on activities, campaigns and programs that prevent and reduce peer-to-peer violence in and around schools and other educational settings (like afterschool).

Project timeframe: 15 January 2021 – 14 March 2023.