Violence in Schools :: Learn Without Fear

Imagine you're 15 years old, still growing, still developing, still learning. 

Imagine one of the safest places you can be has become a place of fear, terror and danger.

Imagine waking up every morning, dreading seeing that one teacher, that group of boys or that man who comments and stares as you pass him everyday.
Imagine being robbed of your childhood.

There are millions of girls who don't have to imagine this, it's their life on a daily basis.  

I know I like to keep Love On The Wall a place for happiness, but Plan UK asked me to talk about a very serious issue and I really wanted to spread awareness and find some ways we can help.

This school year, 246 million children will be affected by violence at school worldwide. 

Worldwide, 62 million girls don't go to school - violence is one of the reasons why. In the UK, 60% of girls ages 13 to 21 reported sexual harassment at school or college and more than 5,500 alleged sex crimes and 600 rapes in schools were reported to the police in the last three years.

This video below speaks not a thousand, but a million words. This is what real girls are experiencing in their terrifyingly, very real, everyday lives.


What are Plan doing to help?

- Plan have launched a 'Because I am a girl' campaign which helps ensure girls can access a safe and quality education all over the world.
- They've set up child protection communities in schools in Kenya & Zimbabwe, where children and staff can report any concerns.
- Ensuring girls have a voice. In Uganda they have supported girls to go to parliament and talk to their MP's on how to stop violence and discrimination.
- Running workshops for boys and men to teach them about the importance of treating girls with respect.

What can I do to help? Us girls have gotta stand up for each other!

DONATE!
 Just click here to go to their donation page, you can choose between monthly donations or a one off donation. Absolutely anything you can give will help! Heres a few things that your kind donations will help towards...
£5 a month could train community workers in Bangladesh to register births. This means girls can prove their age and claim their rights.
£9.40 a month could help 10 girls a year have access to ChildLine Kenya.
£96 could provide a three month scholarship to a girl in El Salvador that will allow her to earn her own income. 

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN!
You can sign up to join Plan's campaign to stand up for girls around the world and to say no to violence.

LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER!
Speak out if you are in danger. Look out for friends who you feel could be unsafe. Talk to responsible adults. Don't keep inappropriate behaviour, from bullying to sexual harassment, a secret in fear of the repercussions, it will be a lot worse if you keep things to yourself. Don't let them win.

Every girl has the right to Learn Without Fear.

If you'd like to learn more out this campaign, click here to go to Plan's 'Learn Without Fear' page.

#LearnWithoutFear