The Generation of Hope: Stop Bullying and Start Protecting

One way to help children grow into confident individuals is by creating a bullying-free environment. Bullying is no trivial matter. Often, bullying is dismissed as mere teasing among children and is therefore considered harmless. However, repeated bullying that is not taken seriously can significantly harm a child's mental health. 

Raising awareness about the dangers of bullying on children's mental health is not solely the responsibility of adults. Children, who can be both perpetrators and victims, must also be made aware of this issue. Children and adults must collaborate to ensure that bullying is not normalized. This means that all parties agree that bullying is a serious problem that threatens children's futures. 

"There's a lot of bullying at my school. I've even been bullied by my friends. Even after being reprimanded by the teacher, they still bully me," said Oktapiana, 15. Bullying among children is also more prevalent because there are no consequences. Oktapiana, who is also a member of a Children's Forum in the village, realises that bullying can no longer be considered normal. Children need to know that bullying affects mental health, including damaging a child's self-esteem. If a child grows up feeling inferior, they will miss out on many valuable opportunities in the future. 

Oktapiana and her friends in the Village Children's Forum in Landak Regency, West Kalimantan, have started a movement to stop bullying. The officers and members of the Village Children's Forum initiated, planned, and carried out this action independently. The Children's Forum facilitators were also involved in providing guidance when the Forum members mapped out children's issues in the village and developed a plan for this movement. 

The Village Children's Forum chose to socialise the message of stopping bullying through posters and social media content. "After school, we gathered to make posters. I was happy to be able to put up these posters," said Oktapiana. The posters created by the Village Children's Forum are displayed in several public facilities in the village. Oktapiana and other members of the Children's Forum also became initiators and disseminators of positive information to discourage bullying among children. 

Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and comfortable environment. This is not only to support physical development but, more importantly, for mental health. Instead of bullying, children and adults can take these five simple steps to help children develop self-confidence: 

• Give sincere praise: Praise a child's effort and achievements, not just the end result. 

• Encourage children to try new things: Give children opportunities to try new things and learn from their experiences. 

• Listen to children's opinions: Show children that their opinions are important and worth considering. 

• Teach children to cope with failure: Help children see failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. 

• Be a good role model: Show children how to be confident through your daily actions. 

Oktapiana and other children in the Wahana Visi Indonesia program area in Landak Regency will become children who understand the importance of building a supportive environment free from bullying. In such an environment, children can develop their potential safely, far from negative expressions that diminish their self-confidence. Through the Children's Forum, children can voice the issues they experience, become agents of change for their peers and communities, and spread positive information that supports child protection. 

Author: Widiyanto Kristiawan (Sponsorship Coordinator for Landak Area Program) 

Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)