A National platform for the prevention of violence that involves children “I protect you”

Online platform “I protect you” enables a centralised approach to combating violence. It encompasses work of 7 ministries in one national online platform and improves access to information, training, as well as prevention and intervention tools. By integrating all aspects of prevention and tools for combating violence, it raises the capacity of children, teachers, parents through specifically designed free online training, as well as institutions to recognize and quickly address violence.

Innovation Summary

Innovation Overview

The Government of the Republic of Serbia, with the support of the Office for Information Technologies and Electronic Government, launched a project to establish a national platform for the prevention and suppression of violence involving children called "I protect you". The platform integrates all the necessary aspects of thorough prevention and tools to combat violence involving children in one place.

The national platform aims to coordinate and strengthen intersectoral cooperation of all competent institutions in the fight against violence. In addition to peer violence, which is the focus of this platform, it also represents a tool that will help us in combating violence towards all employees in educational institutions throughout Serbia.

Within the information and education sections of the platform "I protect you", visitors can find information on forms of violence, recognition, and treatment in cases of violence, abuse, and neglect in accordance with the official procedures of the competent departments.

Educational materials in the field of prevention and protection from violence are published and available for download. On this platform, students, parents, and teachers are able to find all the information regarding the type of violence and recommended actions in different situations. A particularly important section of the platform is online training for students, parents, and teachers.

Next important step is enabling citizens to report violence online, which will enable them to report violence involving children at any time, but also to personally monitor the progress status and resolution of their report. At the moment a system for reporting violence is being tested, and it will be implemented in three stages. In the first stage, a system for reporting violence in educational institutions will be established, in the second stage it will include all the project partner institutions, and in the third stage online reporting of violence for all citizens will be supported.

Implementation of the project “I protect you” united relevant actors from government, civil society and economy. The project partners are the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Family Care and Demography, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, the Association "Friend is not a Target", Center for the Protection of Infants, Children and Youth Zvečanska, National Children's Line and Kampster.

Innovation Description

What Makes Your Project Innovative?

This platform enables a centralized and systematic approach, expands, improves and increases access to information, training, as well as to prevention and intervention tools and procedures. It informs, educates and raises the capacities of children, teachers, parents and institutions to recognize and address violence quickly and adequately.

The platform unites all relevant governmental departments. A section of the platform serves as an educational online channel where parents, students and teachers can find in one place all the information regarding the type of violence, signs and behaviour in different situations. All actors are involved in the content creation.

Next important step is enabling citizens to report violence online at any time, but also to personally monitor the progress status and resolution of their report. This will give a completely new dimension in the fight against peer violence, a safer environment for citizens and much better working conditions for educators.

What is the current status of your innovation?

The established platform requires the cooperation of all involved institutions. Currently, 11 trainings for children, parents and employees in educational institutions are available on the platform. Trainings were designed and prepared by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

At the moment a system for reporting violence is being tested, and the first stage of implementation ensuring its availability in educational institutions is about to be completed. In the second stage it will include all the project partner institutions, and in the third stage online reporting of violence for all citizens will be supported.

Innovation Development

Collaborations & Partnerships

“I protect you” Platform united relevant actors from government, civil society and economy. Several ministries, a Center for the Protection of Infants, Children and Youth Zvečanska, National Children's Line and numerous educational institutions work together with CSO "Friend is not a Target ", Campster platform and other entities willing to support the project implementation.

Users, Stakeholders & Beneficiaries

At the moment “I protect you” is focused on peer violence and violence against educators, thus its main users are children, parents and teachers. However, we plan to expand it and leverage its potential by including all other types of violence, as it should serve all citizens in combating every type of violence.

Innovation Reflections

Results, Outcomes & Impacts

From March 2021 up to September 2022, a total of 210.783 users visited the platform, and 208.999 continued to visit it.

There were 798.922 page views. Online trainings for employees were accessed the most times (a total of 277.691 page views).

106.366 students, parents and teachers started education by attending trainings on the educational section of the platform. 102.688 persons completed their training.

Challenges and Failures

Complexity of the problem required an integrated response and cross-sectorial cooperation, an adequate institutional, organizational and legal setting, and a network of employees - including opening new jobs. In such sensitive matters, it is also very important to take care of data privacy and the procedures regarding the access, use and sharing of data. Great willingness, motivation and teamwork allowed us to overcome all challenges.

Conditions for Success

The willingness of all institutions to work together and give priority to this topic was crucial, as well as strong political support enabling effective and integrated response.

Replication

At the moment, the platform focuses on violence in educational institutions, yet in the coming period, it will be replicated to address violence in general and to serve as the national platform for combating violence where governmental institutions will invest their efforts in partnership with civil society, local communities and business entities.

Lessons Learned

In some situations, people are unaware of being victims of violence, and that they should report it or seek help. Combating violence requires trainings, education and availability of information - people have to recognise all forms of violent and unacceptable behaviour, to know how to protect themselves and a tool to report it.

Cross-sectorial approach to the problem of violence is necessary to address violence adequately, and the entire society has to work together.