Protecting Dreams: Teachers Taking a Stand Against School-Related Gender Based Violence

An empty desk in a classroom is usually easy to overlook. For Friday Nkonde, Head Teacher at Tongotongo Secondary School in Chinsali District in Zambia, it told a story that could not be ignored. A learner who had attended classes faithfully had suddenly disappeared from school. As he searched for answers, he uncovered a heartbreaking reality: the young girl had been forced into marriage.

For Friday, the incident was a wake-up call. It reinforced the importance of looking beyond attendance registers and examination results and seeing schools as spaces where children must also be protected from violence, abuse, and harmful practices that can rob them of their future.

Today, that painful memory fuels his determination to ensure that no learner is robbed of their future. Through UNESCO's Connect with Respect (CwR) training, delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Education under the Spotlight Initiative 2.0 funded by the Government of Ireland, Friday has strengthened his ability to identify learners at risk, respond effectively to cases of abuse, and create a school environment where every child feels safe, respected and protected.

“I have learned that protecting learners requires more than good intentions; it requires the right knowledge, procedures and partnerships,” Friday recalls. 

Friday is among 300 in-service teachers from Chinsali District who have been equipped with practical skills to identify, prevent and respond to gender-based violence affecting learners. The training forms part of a broader rollout across Eastern and Muchinga provinces covering Chinsali, Isoka, Katete and Chipangali districts, where 1,200 teachers have been trained to prevent School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) and promote positive, gender-responsive learning environments.

The intervention is expected to directly benefit approximately 84,000 learners, with each trained teacher reaching an average of 70 learners in their respective schools. By strengthening teachers’ capacity to identify, prevent and respond to violence, the programme is creating safer schools and reducing barriers to learning. These efforts complement the Ministry of Education’s Revised School Re-Entry Policy Guidelines, launched in March 2026 with UNESCO’s support, which reaffirms that pregnancy should not mark the end of a girl’s education.

For Lute Banda, a teacher at Kenneth Kaunda Secondary School in Chinsali District, education is not only about academic success—it is also about ensuring that every learner has the opportunity to stay in school.  Over her 18 years in the profession, she has seen how pregnancy, poverty, gender-based violence and other vulnerabilities can interrupt a learner's education.

“Many learners face circumstances that can interrupt their education, but those challenges should not define their future,” she says. “The training has reminded us that as teachers, we have a responsibility to support learners—including pregnant girls and young mothers—to remain in or return to school and achieve their full potential.”

School-Related Gender Based Violence remains a significant barrier to quality education worldwide. It includes acts or threats of physical, sexual and psychological violence that occur in and around schools, often driven by harmful gender norms.

For many children, especially girls, the impact can be devastating, undermining their mental well-being, disrupting attendance, affecting academic performance, and limiting their future prospects.

In Zambia, the challenge remains urgent. According to the 2023 Zambia Gender Assessment Report, more than 36 per cent of women and girls aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence at least once since the age of 15.

Through Spotlight Initiative 2.0, funded by the Government of Ireland, UNESCO is working alongside the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to address gender-based violence through a comprehensive, multisectoral approach. Within the education sector, UNESCO is leading efforts to strengthen the prevention of school bullying and SRGBV through teacher training and community engagement, recognising that schools play a transformative role in shaping positive behaviours and promoting gender equality.

 For Lute, one of the most transformative aspects of the Connect with Respect training was its focus on positive discipline.

“One of the biggest lessons for me was understanding that discipline should not simply be about punishment,” she says. “It should guide, encourage and motivate learners to change their behaviour positively. Positive discipline creates a more respectful and supportive school environment.”

The training also encouraged teachers to better understand the mental health challenges learners face and the importance of creating safe spaces where they can seek support.

“The conversation on mental health was particularly powerful. It reminded us that learners are carrying many challenges that affect their attendance, behaviour and performance,” Lute says. “Supporting learners means understanding what they are going through and creating a safe space where they can seek help.”

For Friday, preventing violence extends beyond the school gates.

The impact of the training extends beyond classrooms.

“I am passionate about protecting children. We need teachers, parents, traditional leaders and the wider community to work together so that every learner feels safe. We must make sure no child becomes a victim of gender-based violence,” he says.

Equipped with new knowledge and skills, Friday, Lute and hundreds of other teachers trained through the Connect with Respect initiative are already taking action in their schools. Friday plans to orient fellow teachers and engage parents and community members on learner protection, while Lute will champion positive discipline and raise awareness about mental health among both staff and learners.

Lute also believes learners themselves must be empowered.

“Many learners do not fully understand their rights. We need to help them understand that rights come with responsibilities,” she says. “When young people learn to respect themselves and others, we build a more inclusive and respectful society.”

Through Spotlight Initiative 2.0, UNESCO and its partners are helping schools become places where learners can thrive free from fear, discrimination and violence. The Connect with Respect training is doing more than building teacher capacity—it is strengthening safeguarding systems and creating champions for learner protection in schools and communities.

For teachers like Friday and Lute, the training has strengthened a shared commitment: ensuring that every child can learn in a safe, inclusive and supportive environment. With every teacher trained and every classroom transformed, Zambia moves one step closer to a future where schools are places of hope, dignity, respect and opportunity for all.