Learn Without Fear

Despite progress, we continue to live in a world where millions of children remain out of school. Girls in particular may be forced into exploitative labour, trafficked and are vulnerable to HIV and AIDS and sexual violence. At a time when the world is examining progress towards the MDGs, UNICEF welcomes efforts, such as this campaign by Plan, which can give much needed impetus to ending violence and abuse in schools and ensure they are safe places for children to learn.

Education is a fundamental right and the best route out of poverty for millions of children all over the world. Violence in schools is a problem that can have massive negative repercussions on a child, on a family, on a community and ultimately on a nation. This is particularly the case where violence against girls in and around schools contributes to perpetuating gender inequality in education, which ActionAid consider as a violation of their rights to and in education. It is important that we all work together, whether our responsibility is at grassroots or global level, to stop violence against girls and boys in schools.

We welcome Plan's latest campaign that tackles violence in schools. School-related violence knows no colour or creed, and child helplines play a critical role in allowing children to report incidents and offering support to those who are affected. We look forward to working closely with Plan in making schools around the world violence-free zones.

Plan's Learn Without Fear campaign is an important step towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals. I believe that there is hope - we can end violence in schools. With global solidarity and by synergising our efforts, we really can make a difference for millions of children all over the world.

The African Child Policy Forum is happy to be associated with Plan's campaign to stop violence in schools. The ACPF believes in a healthy, happy and prosperous future for all African children and access to education without violence is vital towards that goal. We applaud the Learn Without Fear campaign and look forward to working closely with Plan to help children in Africa.

Plan's Learn Without Fear campaign will help to transform the lives of countless children and help them live life in all its fullness. This is a mission and campaign that World Vision very much supports and we look forward to working with Plan to tackle the problem of violence in schools.

Plan's campaign has the potential to create momentum for real change. International organisations and governments, teachers and parents should heed Plan's call to action and work together to create safe schools where children learn the skills they need for a brighter future.

Corporal punishment of children breaches their fundamental human rights as people; given their vulnerability and developmental status, children plainly deserve at least equal protection under the law. The Global Initiative to End all Corporal Punishment of Children works towards law reform and public education with a range of partners worldwide. We wholly support Plan's Learn Without Fear campaign, which has the potential to deliver real change for the many children who are still not protected from this legal, state-authorised violence in their schools.

Special Olympics is proud to share a global partnership with Plan. Together, we are working to ensure that all students, with and without intellectual disabilities, have the right to learn without fear. Learning without fear is fundamental to advancing in the classroom, on the field of play and in the community. Special Olympics encourages everyone to support Plan's Learn Without Fear campaign and create academic communities where young people may become agents of change in fostering respect, dignity and acceptance of individuals with and without intellectual disabilities.

Our teachers should be there to teach us and not to touch us where we don't want or to solicit love favours from us girls. We are irritated by love advances from teachers. I feel like disappearing from the world if a person who is supposed to protect me instead destroys me.