Paris - New York: Europe and the Arabs
On the International Day against Violence and Bullying in Schools - including Cyberbullying - which falls on November 7, UNESCO called for intensified efforts to protect students from all forms of physical, verbal and psychological violence, which threaten their educational environment and affect their mental health.
This call comes at a time when gender-based violence and discrimination are on the rise, posing a real threat to students' ability to learn and grow in a safe environment. According to the United Nations Daily News Bulletin, a copy of which we received on Friday morning, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stressed the importance of providing a safe educational environment that respects students' needs, noting that "every child must feel safe and respected in school, so that they can learn and grow freely and confidently. Unfortunately, many students are still victims of violence and bullying, problems that are exacerbated and spread more due to electronic means, as bullying is no longer confined to the school but has extended to the digital space." According to a UNESCO report, one in three students is subjected to physical violence at least once a year, while one in three students suffers from traditional bullying at school every month, and one in ten children is subjected to cyberbullying. These practices negatively affect students’ mental health, leading to feelings of extreme isolation, insomnia, and sometimes suicidal thoughts.
Studies show that some groups are exposed to violence unequally, with girls being more vulnerable to gender-based violence, by up to 25% in some cases, and about 40% of these incidents occur within schools, highlighting the need to strengthen laws and practices that protect girls in educational institutions.
Recommendations and implementation
In this context, UNESCO issued a report entitled “Safe to Learn and Grow: Ending Violence in Education”, which focuses on the role of comprehensive public policies and cooperation between different sectors of countries in reducing school violence. The organization provided recommendations to member states, as only 32 countries have a comprehensive legal framework to combat violence in schools, including technical notes to help teachers confront gender-based violence.
UNESCO supports a number of field projects around the world, particularly in Africa and Asia, to help schools implement these recommendations, promote a culture of mutual respect among students, and provide support to victims of bullying.

In October 2024, UNESCO launched a new project in partnership with France and the European Commission to promote the mental health of students in France, which aims to train educational teams and create support networks for students including teachers, health workers, and social services.

UNESCO also stressed the importance of developing curricula to include educational content that supports the values ​​of peace and respect for others, within the framework of its recommendations on education for peace, human rights, and sustainable development. The organization works to assist Member States in implementing these recommendations, to create educational environments capable of confronting hate speech and discrimination, which often form the basis for bullying and rejection of others.

The International Day Against Violence and Bullying in Schools, including Cyberbullying, was established by UNESCO in 2019 and is celebrated on the first Thursday of November each year, as an occasion to highlight the importance of addressing these challenges that threaten the safety and security of students around the world.