UNICEF statement on bullying

UNICEF is deeply saddened by the recent reports of bullying among children in Malaysia.  Bullying can have tragic consequences. No child should ever fear for their safety when going to school. No parent should worry they may not see their child return from school. Schools must be safe, joyful spaces where children learn, grow and build friendships with dignity and respect.  

Children have consistently voiced their fears about bullying. In UNICEF’s 2017 survey, bullying was named as one of their biggest fears. The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2022 found that 8.6 per cent of children reported having been bullied in the past month. The message is clear: bullying must be addressed with urgency.  

UNICEF guidance and consultations with children highlight the need for safer reporting channels, stronger school policies, and teachers who can respond with empathy – so every child can learn free from fear. These remain urgent priorities. We must listen and act. 

Recent incidents reported in the media underscore the urgent need to strengthen Malaysia’s child protection system to prevent and respond effectively to violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse, both online and offline. This includes investing in professional social workers and the wider social service workforce such as school counsellors.  

We commend the Government and partners for taking urgent action in tackling violence against children. This collective effort must continue, through stronger national policies grounded in child rights, better child protection systems, and a culture of care and respect fostered in classrooms.  Above all, these efforts must be grounded in every child’s right to safety, dignity, and education free from fear. 

We must also move beyond blame to solutions. As UNICEF’s #StandTogether campaign reminded us, violence begets violence. While justice takes its course, we must remember that children who bully are still children. Their rights must be upheld, their privacy protected, and their actions addressed through guidance and due process. 

UNICEF stands ready to support the Government in their coordinated effort to ensure bullying has no place in Malaysia. Every child has the right to be safe, valued, and protected — at school, online, at home, and in every space where they belong. Protecting these rights is not just an obligation under the Convention of the Rights of the Child, it is a promise we must keep to every child in Malaysia.