. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .
An article by Jerry Bibang, special to CPNN
The Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace, Gabon section (PAYNCoP Gabon) recently launched, in Libreville, a project to promote the culture of peace and fight against violence in schools.
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In Gabon, violence in schools has reached worrying proportions, according to a recent study conducted by UNICEF in partnership with the Gabonese government. Approximately, 79% of the actors of the education system are victims of verbal or psychological violence; 59% are victims of physical violence and 50% are victims of sexual violence. Aware of this state of affairs, the Government has drawn up a national strategy to strengthen the response to violence in schools.
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(Click here for the original French version of this article)
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve? Can a culture of peace be achieved in Africa through local indigenous training and participation?
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The project to promote the culture of peace and fight against violence in schools, initiated by PAYNCoP Gabon and supported by the French Development Agency (AFD) is part of this national strategy to strengthen response to violence in schools.
The initiative will sensitize key actors (supervisory staff, students, parents of students) on the effects of violence in schools, train them on the culture of peace and peaceful conflict resolution. In order to engage students in the continued promotion of the culture of peace within the school, the project also plans to create a club of young peacemakers within the school.
For Jerry Bibang, the coordinator of this initiative, “this is a pilot experience that is part of our activities to promote the culture of peace, in connection with government action. If the experience is positive, we plan to extend this project to other establishments in the capital but also to the interior of the country ”
The project involves several key players, including supervisory staff, students, teachers and parents, in an inclusive and participatory process.