National Anti-Bullying Week promotes positive action to reduce bullying.
UNICEF UK/2009/T.Hanley
This week (16-20 November) is National Anti-Bullying Week, which promotes positive action to reduce bullying in all its forms.
Bullying continues to be a major problem for many children in the UK. Research has shown that over two-thirds of children have reported being bullied. An even larger number of parents, 87%, have reported that that their child had been bullied.
All young people have a right not to be bullied and to be treated with respect by their peers, so it’s highly appropriate that Anti-Bullying Week should coincide with the UNCRC@20 – the 20th birthday of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November.
According to Article 28 of the UNCRC, you have a right to an education and discipline in schools should respect human dignity. Bullying stops these rights from being fully realised.
Currently, attempts are being made by Rock, the Rights of the Child UK coalition, of which UNICEF UK is a member, to make the UNCRC a full part of British law. If Rock are successful then children will be able to more effectively stand up to bullying because they will be supported by the law.
Anti-bullying week this year focuses on ‘cyberbullying’, bullying which takes place over the internet or through mobile phones. Research suggests that more than one in three 12-15-year-olds have faced some form of cyberbullying.
For loads of ideas on what you can do to stop bullying, from an anti-bullying poster competition to setting up an anti-bullying policy at your school, check out the Anti-Bullying Week website.
See Something Say Something from Bold Creative Showreel on Vimeo.
And for an insightful and entertaining look at bullying, check out Bold Creative’s short film See Something Say Something above. Ben Wright and Will Milton’s brilliant animation for Nickelodeon captures the views of the bully, the bullied and the witness and was the joint winner of the UNICEF UK Short Film Award along with The Mouse by Pil Maria Gunnasson. The award was presented as part of young person’s film festival Showcomotion, 25 June – 9 July 2009.
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