Line Baago-Rasmussen has about 12 years’ experience working across global, regional, and country levels. Before joining UNICEF Education in HQ, she was working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Danida) where she held the role as Chief Adviser on Education and Gender leading Denmark’s portfolio on global education and representing Denmark as board member in the Global Partnership for Education and Education Cannot Wait. Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Line worked in UNICEF MENA Regional Office as a Child Protection Specialist on social and gender norms that drive child marriage and female genital mutilation, and in UNICEF Zimbabwe as a Child Protection Officer on the social and behavioral drivers of violence against children. Prior to UNICEF, she worked with the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Line holds a master’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratisation.
Abstract
Abstract Title
Perspectives from Safe to Learn: Using Social and behaviour change approaches to advance safe, inclusive and equitable quality education
Education has the power to transform societies. Yet, for far too many children, schools are a place of violence, fear, and neglect. All forms of violence are detrimental to learning. Violence negatively impacts children’s brain development and psychological and physical wellbeing. It has a big impact on children’s ability to learn, which limits their future potential. Violence is also a major obstacle for children attending and staying in school – which can lead to an increase in other harmful practices such as child marriage and other protection concerns. Understanding the root causes of why children are experiencing violence, not learning, and/or are out of school is essential in ensuring children are safe to learn. This session will explain the Safe to Learn initiative and approach. Doing so, it will focus on the social and behavioral drivers of violence in schools and how applying evidence-based social and behavior change interventions can tackle harmful social and gender norms and behaviors underpinning violence in, around, and beyond schools.