New Database Additions  Short Summary Title The Safe Schools Program: a Qualitative Study To Examine School-Related Gender-Based Violence in Malawi Author DevTech Systems, Inc Publication Date January 2008 Publisher United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Summary This resource summarises the results of a participatory learning and action (PLA) research activity conducted in Malawi's Machinga District to help raise awareness, involvement, and accountability around school-related gender-based violence at national, institutional, community and individual levels. The study was conducted in October and November 2005 by DevTech Systems, Inc. and the Centre for Educational Research and Training through the USAID-funded Safe Schools Program. Key findings include: the concept of gender-based violence is not clearly understood by pupils, teachers and community members; boys and girls are victims as well as perpetrators of gender-based violence; corporal punishment is the most commonly cited form of physical abuse in schools; absenteeism and dropping out are common outcomes of gender-based violence in schools; and reporting systems can be effective as long as they are implemented with strong leadership. In general it highlights the need for increased sensitisation about school-related gender-based violence and child's rights for pupils, teachers and parents; and for greater guidance and counselling services at the school level for both perpetrators and victims. But it also makes specific recommendations, including that there should be: :- Explicit documentation of sanctions that can be imposed on perpetrators to raise awareness about levels of SRGBV in schools and in the communities around the schools; :- Increased support to clubs and community-based organisation activities to sensitise pupils on their rights and responsibilities. :- Classrooms sizes should be reduced so that teachers can gain better control of violence levels between pupils. Document file size: 1,200 KB See also: Student and Teacher Baseline Report on School-Related Gender-Based Violence in Machinga District, Malawi http://www.devtechsys.com/services/activities/ssp.cfm Complete Document View PDF (Portable Document Format)