ARC (Advocating the Rights of Children) has launched its RESPECT Campaign today, which is designed to equip children to respect themselves, others, differences, boundaries and surroundings.
The awareness campaign has a special focus on anti-bullying and anti-discrimination and its main aim is to support students, teachers and parents to promote positive and respectful behavior to create safe and healthy environments for children.
Under this campaign, ARC started a weeklong activity session at Kudakudhinge Hiya and Muhyidheen School in Villingili, today, which will cover areas such as:
- understanding that children can have different opinions and still be friends
- looking for talents within themselves and in others
- developing empathy for others
- understanding the term bullying, identifying bullying behaviours and recognizing the emotional impact of those behaviours
- learning the difference between assertive, aggressive and passive communication and to learn to use assertive communication to stop or prevent bullying
The sessions will be conducted through both indoor and outdoor activities and will be carried out by international Consultant Ms Karen Boswell and ARC’s Senior Consultant on Education Ms Fathimath Nahid Shakir. The sessions will be participated by 58 students from Grade 1 of Muhiyidhdhin School and children ages 6 and above from Kudakudhinge Hiya
RESPECT campaign was developed following a survey conducted by ARC in 2012, which showed alarming statistics of bullying in schools. The survey was conducted at one class of Grades 6 and 7 in all primary schools of Male’, Hulhumale’ and Villimale’. Out of the 542 students that participated:
- 80% of children stated that they seen another student being bullied/discriminated against and 78% of children noted that bullies acted in a group
- 61% indicated that they themselves had been bullied in school
- Among types of bullying experienced, 15% noted being hurt physically, 28% noted spreading lies and rumours about them, while 32% noted hurtful teasing.
- Participants also noted that 10% of bullying incidents took place in the toilet areas, 14% in the school playground, 16% in corridors and 37% in classrooms
- 45% of children noted that they have never reported bullying incidents to anyone and from the 55% who had reported such incidents, 49% of reports were made to teachers, while 45% was made to parents
- 17% of children mentioned that they had bullied another student
- Among reasons of why children think bulling happens, 11% noted having difference of opinions, 18% noted performance at schools, 23% noted personality and 36% noted physical appearance
- Children’s opinions on ways to prevent bullying: 13% noted involving students, parents and teachers on bullying prevention, 16% noted raising more awareness on anti-bullying and 17% noted the need for increased adult supervision, while 19% noted the need for creation of policies and rules to stop bullying
A series of activities have been planned by ARC for pre-schools, primary and secondary schools throughout the year to address this serious issue and ARC hopes that the RESPECT campaign will encourage Maldivian children to own respect and make it a way of life.