Save the Children Romania launches awareness campaign to fight bullying amongst children

Threats of physical violence and verbal humiliation are situations that children frequently face in schools in Romania: data centralized by Save the Children, following a survey among children, shows that 82% of students have witnessed bullying situations in their school and 45% in a group of friends.

Additionally, almost half of the respondents (49%) say they have been victims of bullying, while more than a quarter of pupils (27%) admit to having been the perpetrator of bullying.

Because pupils are most often bullied during recess, Save the Children is launching, with the support of Kaufland Romania, The Right to Recess, a campaign to inform and raise awareness of the role that each of us, teachers, parents, pupils, has in ensuring a positive educational climate in schools, so that all children feel safe and recess is a time for relaxation, socializing and connecting.

The campaign visuals - children's portraits and video testimonials - are entirely inspired by the experiences of students who have reported bullying situations on the website, and the key message that accompanies them is: "Ensure the right to a recess without bullying".

The main objectives of the campaign are:

• to inform the general public about the importance of transforming schools into safe communities where children feel safe;

• to make adults aware of the devastating effects that social acceptance of violence has on children's relationships and the serious negative impact it has on their social-emotional development;

• promoting schools that have initiated anti-bullying action groups or similar interventions;

• empowering adults involved in the upbringing and education of children by emphasizing the message that although bullying is a common occurrence in groups of children, it is the responsibility of adults to create contexts and behavioral models through which this phenomenon can is prevented in schools.

The Right to Recess campaign materials are available on the official website.

Students, teachers, and parents who need support to set up anti-bullying action groups can contact the Save the Children team.

(Photo source: Save the Children Romania)