Child Protection in Educational Settings: Findings from six countries in East Asia and the Pacific

International standards and conventions, particularly as delineated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), are unequivocal on children’s rights to protection, which should not be compromised in any way and cannot be separated from the realization of other entitlements, such as the right to education. The failure to be protected in all settings, including the home, schools, communities, institutions and even online, has significant immediate and long-term consequences for children; the irrevocable nature of some of these impacts serves to underscore the importance of effectively preventing and responding to child abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation.

The findings of this report provide the basis for recommendations to policy makers and other stakeholders on priorities and next steps for strengthening child protection in educational settings. The principal recommendation is for ministries of education in each of the countries to develop a National Education Policy for effectively protecting children from abuse, neglect, violence or exploitation, in school settings, the home and elsewhere.