Every day, children face various forms of violence in and around schools, often perpetrated by teachers and education personnel. These abuses are sometimes seen as normal by students and staff, which contributes to a culture of impunity.
On May 20, 2025, Education Ministers and state representatives from 11 countries formed a Ministerial Taskforce to address violence in schools. This initiative follows the first global conference on violence against children held last year in Bogotá, Colombia. During the conference, governments, international organizations, and civil society members committed to protecting children from all forms of violence. Some participants signed the Safe to Learn Call to Action—a nonbinding commitment for governments to tackle school-related violence comprehensively.
The taskforce is focusing on prohibiting corporal punishment in schools but should also prioritize addressing school-related sexual violence (SRSV). SRSV has long-term effects on survivors and includes rape, sexual abuse, coercion for grades or fee waivers, harassment by teachers and peers, and online exploitation through nonconsensual sharing of intimate photos.
SRSV affects all children. While girls are disproportionately impacted by SRSV and its consequences, boys as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), and nonbinary children also suffer silently due to stigma and discrimination. Justice for SRSV survivors is insufficient.
In 2024, over 200 organizations including Human Rights Watch signed an open letter urging governments to treat SRSV with urgency. The global taskforce should heed this call by acknowledging that SRSV is widespread globally. It should urge ministers to pledge ending impunity for SRSV while adopting evidence-based prevention measures.
Countries involved in establishing the taskforce should lead by example with national strategies tackling both offline and online cases of SRSV. They must allocate adequate funds matching their commitments while strengthening accountability within their educational institutions.
