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Partners in STOP@BULLISM project:

Prhomos association (Italy)

Estonian Survival Society (Estonia)

Dia-Sport association (Bulgaria)

Menderes İlce Milli Eğitim Mudurluğu

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

BULGARIACountry Profile

Territory: 110 993,6 km2

Population- 7 973 671Borders- Romania, Turkey, Greece, the FYR of Macedonia, Yugoslavia and the Black SeaCapital city- SofiaOfficial language - Bulgarian

Political system- Parliamentary Republic

National currency - Lev

3STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

BULGARIA Symbols of Sovereignty

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National Flag

State Coat of Arms

The National Guards Unit of Bulgaria

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

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European Charter for Democratic Schools without violence

Strasbourg, 16 July 2004

1. All members of the school community have the right to a safe and peaceful school. Everyone has the responsibility to contribute to creating a positive and inspiring environment for learning and personal development.2. Everyone has the right to equal treatment and respect regardless of any personal difference. Everyone enjoys freedom of speech without risking discrimination or repression.3. The school community ensures that everybody is aware of their rights and responsibilities.4. Every democratic school has a democratically elected decision-making body composed of representatives of students, teachers, parents, and other members of the school community where appropriate. All members of this body have the right to vote.

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

European Charter for Democratic Schools without violence

Strasbourg, 16 July 2004

5. In a democratic school, conflicts are resolved in a non-violent and constructive way in partnership with all members of the school community. Every school has staff and students trained to prevent and solve conflicts through counseling and mediation.

6. Every case of violence is investigated and dealt with promptly, and followed through irrespective whether students or any other members of the school community are involved.

7. School is a part of the local community. Co-operation and exchange of information with local partners are essential for preventing and solving problems.

6http://www.esspd.org/file/pagesleft/1_1_Charter_document_01.pdf

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

What do we know and do not know about bullying in Bulgaria?

On average, every fifth child has been victimized, and every seventh has been harassed by his classmates in any form.• Nearly 2% of children have been harassed for many years and it is believed that this is one of the main reasons for the suicides of school age. • Bullying often remain hidden because of the reluctance of children to share, because it does not expect substantial assistance from the elderly - in Bulgaria only 23% share with teachers in such cases.• Teachers most often do not respond because they do not recognize bullying and do not know how to deal with it

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STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Aggression in school as a percentage: In recent years appears a worrying trend of

increasing cases of sexual violence against children. The biggest group is of children between 14 and 18 years /48%/, which are followed by children aged 7-13 years /33%/ and those between 2-6 years /19%/.

54% of students had witnessed violence and aggression in entertainment places, discos and computer rooms.

Every 10-th child is a subject of bad intentions.

70% of Bulgarian students recognize that their school was a case of aggression, while 55% have personally been subject to violence.

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STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Aggression in school as a percentage:

The percentage of abusers in the class has nearly 4 per cent.

Nearly 60% of abusers have problems with justice, since they are out of school and 40% tend to relapse dangerous.

The odds of violence in school in the country are between 25-27% on average 20% in Europe.

Much of the problem of bulling comes from parents who set their children to return to the violence.

25 per cent of children go with fear every day to school.

At least 30% of children entering first grade already – with aggressive models

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STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Aggression in school as a percentage:

The number of suicides of school–age children - every year lose about two classes- 60 children.

Voltage and constant aggression among students create the future “losers” in society- some of them are violators, other- victims. The most common form of violence between students is related to the attacks, insults, irritation, spreading

Slander and gossip, set the other children against the victim and not allowed taking of somebody’s goods.

Nearly 25% of third graders recognize that insults, slander and lies about them on the Internet are part of everyday life.

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STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

How to recognize aggressive students:1. Suffer from complexes to their own

ego2. Think they can solve their personal

problems with violence .3. Used violence to control and

subordination of others.4. Participate in physical fights and

abuse others, especially smaller ones.5. Have discipline problems.

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How to recognize aggressive students:

6. Show disrespect and do not honour the authority

7. Do not recognize the rights of others

8. Highly explosive and irritable, difficult control their anger

9.Damaging school, foreign and private property

10. Do not participate in school activities

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Statistics of January 2011 Statistics of January 2011 by calling the National helpline

for children shows that children are seeking advice and solution to family problems, share of physical, mental abuse or neglect by parents or their relatives.

A total of 56 alerts were for violence, while with 6 of them it comes to sexual abuse.

In January 2011 experts have held consultations in 1018 and made 21 signals for children at risk with the department of Child Protection. These signals are physical and mental abuse, neglect or exploitation of children for begging.

During the same month in 35 calls children have shared that in the moments where they feel that there is no solution for their emotional or family problems they thought about suicide.

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http://www.vesti.bg/index.phtml?tid=40&oid=3613311STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Factors Factors that make the greatest impact

on children come from families - 82.2 percent. More significant are: lowered parental control, family crisis, impaired emotional ties, lack of love and attention to child alienation, frustration of parents, parental incompetence, low parental capacity, low culture and lack of interest, excessive freedom of the children a bad example of parents, too high demands and expectations of children and many others.

Media and Internet - 41.7%Society as a whole – 36,8%Personality and psychological factors-

22.9%Factors related to school – 20.4% 14http://frognews.bg/news_15865/Daskaloto_balva_agresiia_na_kilogram/

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Programs and examples to combat violence

Campaign “See them’ hear them, tell!” -With the campaign “See them, hear them, tell!” Appeal for the immediate reaction from adults when they realize that there is physical violence against a child

What it is a “School without Violence”?-The project "School without Violence" is the Bulgarian version of the most effective anti-bulling 'program in the world – the one of the Norwegian psychologist Dan Olweus. (Anti-bulling "refers to programs against violence and especially against bullying at school.)

In Bulgaria this program started in the summer of 2007 with financial assistance on the initiative of UNICEF, with the support of Sofia Municipality, the State Agency of Children Protection and the Ministry of Education. The program lasted for 2008-2009 school years.

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http://www.unicef.bg/en/campaigns/view/vij-gi-chui-gi-razkaji

http://www.psychology-bg.org/antibullying/STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Programs and examples to combat violence

The Safer Internet Program of the European Commission - The Program Safer Internet 2009-2013 of the EC. The program co-funds projects aiming at increasing public awareness; providing the public with a network of hotlines for reporting illegal and harmful content and conduct, in particular on child sexual abuse material, grooming and cyber bullying; fostering self-regulatory initiatives in this field and involve children in creating a safer online environment; establishing a knowledge base on new trends in the use of online technologies and their consequences for children's lives.

“Do not close your eyes”- Program is here to help all victims of school violence

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http://nezatvarqiochi.hit.bg/index.html

http://www.safenet.bg/index.php?id=1389

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

A guidebook for parents- practical advices how to help children

Show your child you believe him/her and you understand him/her!

Give him/her some advice how to protect himself/herself from attacks.

Develop together a safety strategy.Help him/her overcome his/her shyness,

become confident and assertive.Give courage to your child.Make him/her feel valuable.Help your child meet other children and

develop new friendships beyond school.

Encourage your child to establish connections with the well-intentioned classmates.

http://www.unicef.bg/en/news/view/one-third-of-violence-among-children-is-in-the-cyberspace17

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

What can we do…?  What students can do?

Help others understand that name-calling, teasing are unacceptable behaviours and know that they have the right to be treated with respect;

Refuse to go along with bullying or harassment and watch out for those being bullied. Tell a teacher or adult if it is happening;

Gather their friends to help speak out against bullying and harassment.Parents should:

Discuss examples of bullying with their children and help them understand the consequences of bullying;

Model of appropriate behaviour; Watch the child for signs of changed behaviour

18http://www.iigoff.com/

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

International and national acts on the rights of children

The main objective of the international and national regulations is:

Protection of human rights of minors;

To protect the welfare of minors when they come into contact with the law;

To protect minors from abuse, neglect and exploitation;

To introduce special measures to prevent crime in the minors.

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www.bgoneworld.org/Upload/file/broshura.pdf STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

International acts regulating international standards for protecting children

Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989 by the UN General Assembly;

United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice

United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency;

United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty.

20www.bgoneworld.org/Upload/file/broshura.pdf STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

National regulations :

Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria;Bulgarian Penal Code;Criminal - Procedure Code;Family Code;Child Protection Law;Law on Combating Anti-Social Behaviour of Minors;Rules on Child pedagogic rooms;Rules of organization and operation of homes for temporary

accommodation of minors.

21www.bgoneworld.org/Upload/file/broshura.pdf STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Government measures The State shall protect children from any physical or moral

harm and of indifference to them. "Rights of the Child" (1990), UN Center for Human Rights

The family, motherhood and children are protected by the state and society.  “Art. 14 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria

Republic of Bulgaria shall guarantee the life, dignity and individual rights and create conditions for free development of human and civil society. "Art. 4 par. 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria

"The development of children and protecting their rights is a national priority ..." National Strategy for Children 2008 – 2018

The child's right to protection against violence is defined in Art. 11 of the Child Protection Act (CPA).

22http://cis-sacp.government.bg/sacp/CIS/content_en/law/item03.htm

STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy

Thank you for your attention!

23STOP@Bullism Final Project Meeting26-29 May 2011 Gallarate, Italy