Russia discusses measures to combat bullying

The State Duma of the Russian Federation hosted the Second All-Russian Anti-Bullying Forum "We Need to Talk!". The event was broadcast on the website of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Deputy Sergey Mironov said that the State Duma is drafting a bill that would oblige schools to inform the police and juvenile affairs commissions about cases of bullying.

Yana Lantratova, Head of the State Duma Committee on the Development of Civil Society, Public, and Religious Associations, said that it was necessary to introduce the concept of "bullying" into legislation. This would provide a basis for the development of a unified state programme to combat bullying.

Larisa Falkovskaya, Director of the Department of State Policy for the Protection of Children's Rights at the Ministry of Education, said that her department has developed materials to counter bullying. They are intended for pupils, parents and teachers and describe legal defence mechanisms.

"In the near future, these materials will be sent to all regional and municipal education authorities," Falkovskaya said.

Member of the State Duma Anatoly Wasserman emphasised that it is necessary to teach children how to respond correctly to bullying and added that it is impossible to ignore physical aggression – it requires special measures.

The creator and head of the forum and the Laboratory "We Need to Talk!" Elizaveta Kochetkova shared her personal experience in her speech.

"I did not understand what bullying and aggression are [...] Up to 70 per cent of schoolchildren have faced bullying, and up to 60 per cent do not know how to deal with it," she noted.

Bullying remains a serious problem around the world, but many countries already have solutions to deal with it.

Brazil is actively developing bullying prevention programmes and already more than 40 per cent of schoolchildren in the country participate in anti-bullying projects.

According to the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, students are being taught how to recognise and respond to bullying, and mechanisms for anonymous complaints are being established.

The United Nations emphasises that a systemic approach to bullying requires cooperation between schools, parents and government agencies. International experience shows that effective prevention and early intervention can significantly reduce bullying and create a safe educational environment.

Photo: screenshot from the broadcast on the website of the State Duma of Russia