Safe Schools Every Girl's Right

Every day, girls face being assaulted on their way to school or abducted for trafficking, pushed and hit in school grounds, teased, humiliated and insulted by their classmates, sexually harassed or abused because they are lesbians, disabled, migrants or refugees. In conflict areas, girls can be seized by armed groups, and some are injured or killed on their journey to school. Violence can be inflicted by teachers, administrators, other school employees, fellow students and outsiders. Education is a human right and every effort should be made to ensure that the school environment is safe and accessible for girls so that they are not kept out of school, drop out of school, or do not fully participate in school. It is fundamental that physical and sexual violence is acknowledged and punished because condoning such abuse has a huge emotional and physiological impact on girls. Moreover it puts them more at risk of HIV infection. Six steps are recommended to stop violence against girls at school.

They include:
? prohibit all forms of violence against girls, including corporal punishment, verbal abuse, harassment, physical violence, emotional abuse, and sexual violence and exploitation. Enact and enforce appropriate laws, policies and procedures.
? respond to incidents of violence against girls through confidential and independent reporting mechanisms, effective investigations, criminal prosecutions when appropriate, and provide services for victims and survivors.
? provide support services for girls who have suffered violence, including counselling; medical treatment; HIV/AIDS information, medication and support services; comprehensive information on sexual and reproductive rights; and support for reintegration into the school system of girls who are living with HIV or are pregnant, married or mothers.