Theevent, as part of a three-year initiative which aims at protectingadolescent girls aged 11 – 18 from violence at school, was co-hosted bythe non-governmental organisation Plan Vietnam and the municipalDepartment of Education and Training.
Coordinator of theproject Trinh Thi Mai Anh said since 2013, the programme has beenimplemented at 20 secondary schools in Hanoi, equipping teachers andstudents with necessary knowledge, skills to improve gender equality andminimise violent behaviour.
A six-grade schoolgirl shared viathe project, her school held a meaningful fair, enabling students toexpress their anti-violence messages through creative handmade products.
In a poll of 3,000 Hanoi’s students, 80 percent of theparticipants said they experienced gender-based violence at school atleast once in their lifetime. Among those victims, 73 percent sufferedfrom mental harassment, 41 percent were physically assaulted, and 19percent got involved in sexual abuse cases.
The issues areattributable to remnants of a male chauvinist society and genderstereotype. Besides, weak management and protection for the victims fromschool’s administrative board, parents and media coverage also make theproblem worse.-VNA