This report has been commissioned by Plan International as a response to the growing concern surrounding violence against children in educational settings. These concerns are documented in the UN Secretary General’s report on violence against children (published in 2006) which highlights the physical, sexual, emotional and social violence which occurs against children. In order to support Plan’s Global Advocacy campaign for 2008 this report intends to provide the organisation authoritative information on the present situation in educational settings in the developing world using a right-based approach. Ultimately this report will be used in order to form the basis of Plan’s recommendations for how developing countries can prevent school-based violence through sustainable legislation and programmes.

The scope of this study covers all of the 49 developing countries which Plan operates in, as well as 17 of its donor countries in its desk-based review with supplementary phone/email interviews with key governmental and NGO informants from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The preliminary recommendations presented in this report are:

1.       The need to use comparative and longitudinal evidence in communicating messages in order to establish credibility and awareness.

2.       Designing, implementing and monitoring policies and programmes that present joined up services

3.       The promotion of a socially inclusive, rights-based and multi-stakeholder approach.