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UNESCO to support efforts on ending GBV in schools

HARARE. UNESCO and the Ministry of Education & Training of the Kingdom of Swaziland organized a 4-day workshop from 6 to 9 March 2018, where about 45 education sector officials from Government, UN and civil society from 8 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa (Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya and Swaziland) met to discuss classroom interventions aimed at ending school related gender based violence. Focusing on the Connect with Respect tool that was initially developed by partners in South East Asia, meeting participants discussed issues around how SRGBV is perpetuated in the school setting, as well as positive interventions to address such violence.

The consultation was officially opened by the Swazi minister of education and training, Dr. Phineas Magagula.

The consultation was meant to raise awareness about school-related gender-based violence; sample the Connect with Respect (CWR) resource designed for students to discuss relevance to ESA context; build familiarity with method and content of violence prevention education; build awareness of other tools available in ESA on this issue; identify where change is needed to tailor CWR to suit context and culture in order to test it in interested countries; and consult about what teachers need in order to deliver education on preventing gender-based violence and managing safe, violence-free classrooms.

Speaking at the official opening, the Hon. Minister said that his government was committed to supporting the implementation of the adopted tool in order to address the challenge that most learners face-violence. “I have been at the forefront of the ESA CSE Ministerial Commitment at country and regional level and I am excited that this process is part of initiatives that will support the region towards addressing one of the ESA CSE Ministerial Commitment targets, that of eliminating gender based violence,” he said. At the same event, UNESCO’s regional officer for HIV and health education, thanked the government of Swaziland, through the minister for their commitment to supporting this work, and reiterated UNESCO commitment to ensuring that learners learn, and teachers teach in a safe and healthy environment free from violence or discrimination.

The consultation meeting for adapting the Connect with Respect tool will be followed by the field-testing of the modified tool with a selection of schools in Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Zambia and Tanzania in 2018, involving a cascade training of master trainers and teachers, mentoring support during implementation and monitoring of the pilot in the participating schools.

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