On the occasion of the 4th Conference on the Prevention of School Bullying and Cyberbullying, organized by the Social Action Area of the Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) to mark the International Day Against School Bullying on May 2nd, this year’s project featured the voice of the Universidade Internacional do Cuanza (International University of Cuanza, UNIC) community, where both faculty and students wanted to share messages addressing both issues.
May 2nd is a key date in the fight against bullying and cyberbullying—two issues that affect millions of people, especially teenagers and young adults around the world. This day is dedicated to highlighting the consequences of this type of violence and raising awareness about the importance of empathy, respect, and solidarity in interpersonal relationships.
Africa has a high prevalence of bullying, at around 44% of the adolescent population. Cyberbullying in Africa is an equally serious and growing problem, with nearly one in three young people in sub-Saharan Africa reporting having been victims. Attacks include online harassment, identity theft, and hate/smear campaigns, disproportionately affecting women and girls.
This is a concern for the entire educational community, which is why actions like this serve as messages of support for the victims and calls for bystanders to break the code of silence. In addition, it is important to know what steps to take to report witnessed instances of harassment.
As a result, both students and faculty at the Universidade Internacional do Cuanza have recorded the following video, which compiles all of these messages with the aim of contributing to the prevention of bullying and cyberbullying.
The Video: A Message of Hope and Solidarity
The video, titled “Unidos contra o Bullying” (United Against Bullying), reflects the university’s collective effort to combat these forms of violence.
Vanessa Yélamos, the conference coordinator and a professor of psychology at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO), highlighted the importance of this type of initiative, “Today more than ever, it is essential to create spaces where students can express their emotions and realize that they are not alone. Bullying and cyberbullying must not be normalized, as their consequences can be deadly and may even lead to suicide. “That is why, as a community, we must continue to fight to eradicate them from all areas of our society, as these are social problems.”
A Call to Action
The initiative calls on us to take action. Particular emphasis is placed on fostering empathy in educational settings and on the importance of speaking up and asking for help in any situation involving bullying, as well as relying on bystanders to help put an end to the bullying.
FUNIBER is calling on all educational institutions and communities at large to join the fight against bullying and cyberbullying, promoting cooperation, empathy, and dialogue as essential tools for breaking the code of silence.