Press Centre 2004/12/10: Child Protection

Children Under Threat of Violence (1)

Cansu Aydın speaks about ‘Children Under Threat of Violence’ on the occasion of the launch of The State of the World’s Children 2005, Children Under Threat

I am very excited to address you here. Thank you very much for this opportunity. I have thought a great deal about the issue and I would like to share my thoughts with you now.

We children go through a great deal at school which we do not talk about. One of the most common ones is name-calling, which influences us deeply -- if you put on some weight, your name becomes Piggy, if you are hardworking, you are a Cow. These names cause us to almost shrink beside others. At first, we try to resist, then, we start to withdraw.

In everything connected with school, we always bear that name in mind. When we are studying, it disturbs us and holds us back. It takes away our desire to even attend school. Gradually we start to withdraw from school, we become aggressive and make bad friends.

So, if only a little thing like a name causes all these problems, why are we still doing this or allowing others to do it?

Another major problem is the ridiculing of others. Everything is made fun of -- appearance, success in studies or the family situation for example. Making fun of someone’s looks can cause serious problems in future years, as experts have noted, and it can also destroy a child’s positive feelings towards school. When his friends make fun of his parents, the child can react badly towards his family, by asking Why are you like this?. The child can also become aggressive at school in order to protect his family against others.

The things we see at our schools are not limited to these examples. Some of the stronger children, taking their example from the television, get together to form gangs or a bullying system. They extort other students’ money and wait at the school gate to beat up those who do not obey them. They get away with this because school gates are not as secure as they are assumed to be.

These gangs have many sharp weapons, including razors and even guns. Moreover, they frequently hold parties with cigarettes and alcohol behind the schools, teaching their ways to the younger ones or recruits as they are called, and to ensure that they are addicted to harmful substances. The presence of such substances in schools proves how inadequate the security is they make the students more aggressive and make it almost impossible for them to focus on their studies.

Of course there are also problems with our teachers. Just try to understand what we feel when they get angry and humiliate us if we ask for clarification. Try to understand the mixture of pain and embarrassment we experience when we are beaten in front of our friends.

It is also very important for teachers to take note of any physical problems the children may have such as hyperactivity, poor eyesight or attention deficiency and to report such problems to the parents. Our Constitution says that there are equal opportunities for all. However, some people have computers at home while some don’t even have bread to eat. The teacher should know how to maintain a balance between children from both ends of the spectrum and ensure that all of them manage to get educated. If needs be, the teacher must look hard for the roots of the problems.

We also experience many problems with guidance teachers. Some of us believe that they might help us. However, when we visit them they humiliate us in the same way that other teachers do. We can lose our trust in them completely when they disclose what we confided in them to our parents, school management or teachers. Most children do not trust in them and, because of this, they don’t share their problems. What will happen if they tell no one else?

Another major problem is that students are not allowed to be involved in the activities of the school. By getting involved, we could make our opinions known to the school management and teachers. For example, why not ask the students’ opinion when it comes to painting the school? Many negative attitudes would vanish if they made us feel that we are important and allowed us to express ourselves.

Everyone knows that a balanced diet is important and that it influences success at school. The State can at least distribute basic food items to primary school children, such as milk for example. This may help to prevent malnutrition in schools.

School rules exist to maintain order at schools but they don’t work because these rules they do not discourage -- they merely humiliate. Where they should educate, they only punish. A student who is punished for something he has done will not hesitate to repeat it.

From time to time, we see a friend die all of a sudden because of illness that his family was not aware of. However in some schools the state conducts regular physical check-ups of students. Such events would be eliminated to a great extent if regular check-ups were made compulsory in all schools.

Steps to be taken

• Both students and teachers should be given training on the implications of such problems and on children’s rights.
• Action must be taken against school gangs.
• Students should be informed on how to solve problems affecting them.
• Victims of violence should be given support.
• The students must be informed about harmful substances in detail.
• Priority should be given to the guidance service and in order to make it more effective.
• Guidance teachers should be trained to also help teachers. School rules should be revised.
• Booklets providing information on the subject should be distributed.
• Food items such as milk should be distributed free to the schools.
• School entrances and exits should be controlled.
• Students should have physical check-ups at school before to prevent unexpected problems arising.

When the disorganisation of the education system is added on top of the problems I have mentioned, there remains no reason to ask why education and instruction in schools is poor?

View the State of the World’s Children report online or order printed copies from UNICEF Headquarters in New York.

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