Combating Cyberbullying: UNICEF and UNESCO's Call for Digital Safety

The Pervasive Nature of Cyberbullying

• 📱 Cyberbullying extends school violence into young people's daily lives, appearing on phones, messages, and social media.
• 💔 Instead of positive interactions, young people often receive negative comments about their appearance, leading to distress.
• ⚠️ One in ten young people experience cyberbullying, highlighting a significant and growing problem.

Impact on Self-Expression and Learning

• 🚫 Receiving hateful comments can deter individuals from posting again, leading to self-censorship and silencing.
• 📚 Cyberbullying and technology-facilitated violence negatively impact children's ability to learn at school, a key concern for UNESCO.
• 🏫 UNESCO emphasizes the right of children to be safe both in school and online.

Calls to Action for Safety

• ⚖️ Governments are urged to pass child-centered laws specifically addressing cyberbullying.
• 💻 Tech companies must adopt safety by design principles, making online environments safer by default.
• 🏫 Schools and educational systems need to actively contribute to making the online world safer for students.

Youth Advocacy for Digital Rights

• 🌟 As a UNICEF Youth Advocate, Abril Perazzini champions digital rights and education for children and young people.
• 🤝 Participation in events like the Summit of the Future Action Days provides a platform for learning and advocating for future generations.
• 🚀 The goal is to ensure that future children do not suffer the same consequences of online harm.