Ending Gender-Based Violence in Schools
Working together to make schools safe spaces
School-related gender-based violence
A major barrier to gender equality in education
School-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) devastates the lives of millions globally. For students, it affects their ability to get to and from school, to learn effectively while in school, and to remain there long enough to reap the benefits. Girls are particularly vulnerable to SRGBV, the consequences of which can jeopardise health, lead to unwanted pregnancy, and keep whole families entrapped in the cycle of poverty. As co-convener of the Global Working Group to End SRGBV, UNGEI has long been at the forefront of efforts to eradicate this violation of human rights.
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The gender dimension of school violence
Globally, minimum estimates indicate that over 115 million children and adolescents experience SRGBV in the form of physical, emotional and/or sexual violence every year. Rooted in gender norms and unequal power relations, SRGBV negatively impacts both the perpetrators and those subjected to it. It is a human rights issue and an education issue: a violation of human rights and a major barrier to learning.
The Global Working Group to End SRGBV
Established in 2014 in response to the need for a coordinated response, the Global Working Group to End SRGBV comprises a network of over 50 organizations from civil society, academia, the UN and more committed to working collaboratively to tackle the root causes and drivers of gender-based violence in and around schools. Co-convened by UNGEI and UNESCO, the Working Group facilitates learning, knowledge exchange, collective advocacy and evidence-based approaches to further a shared agenda. Task teams are organized around core areas of work:
Minimum standards to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in and around schools have been developed and are now being piloted in two countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Research is being carried out on the prevalence of SRGBV, its impact on those subjected to it and the effectiveness of approaches and interventions to tackle it.
Knowledge exchange and learning around SRGBV is facilitated across the Working Group through meetings and regional workshops.
Through policy advocacy and global campaigns, UNGEI partners with Working Group members to raise awareness of SRGBV and champion specific actions to address it.