Bullying
on
the
Rise
in
Mongolia;
ADRA
Helps
Kids
Be
Part
of
the
Solution

Tuesday,
September
1,
2009

For
more
information,
contact:


John
Torres,
Senior
Public
Relations
Manager

301.680.6357
(office)

301.680.6370
(fax)

SILVER
SPRING,
Md.
—While
cases
of
bullying,
gender‐based
violence
and
other

related
issues
are
increasing
in
Mongolia,
limited
understanding
and
research
still

exists
on
how
to
effectively
curb
these
problems,
reported
the
Adventist

Development
and
Relief
Agency
(ADRA).
A
recent
program
instituted
by
ADRA

Mongolia
is
successfully
helping
instigators
become
part
of
the
solution.

The
Acting
on
Gender‐violence
Awareness
through
Peer
Education
(AGAPE)
project

is
an
ongoing
program
that
is
helping
to
halt
bullying
and
other
violence‐related

behaviors
in
primary
schools
in
the
capital
Ulan
Bator’s
low‐income
areas,
due
to

the
higher
rates
of
bullying
and
other
forms
of
youth
violence
reported
there.

“We
teach
children
how
to
deal
with
their
problems
in
a
constructive
way,
and
how

to
resolve
conflicts
between
them
in
a
peaceful
manner,”
said
Carly
Fletcher
of

ADRA
Mongolia.
The
project
also
trains
peer
educators
and
adult
educators
with

essential
life‐skills,
teaching
them
how
to
communicate
better
and
be
more
tolerant

of
others.


Using
this
approach
with
the
skills
they
learn,
young
people
are
better
able
to
work

together,
creating
a
safe
and
constructive
learning
environment
that
also
translates

to
conflict
situations
that
may
arise
outside
the
classroom.

To
raise
awareness
regarding
gender‐based
violence
in
the
targeted
community,

ADRA
is
integrating
issues
regarding
gender‐based
violence
into
all
of
their

community
training
programs,
and
other
peer‐education
based
projects.


“There
is
a
reluctance
among
young
people
to
get
help
from
their
teachers
and

school
social
workers
because
they
think
they
can
solve
the
problem
among

themselves,”
added
Fletcher.
“If
they
do
ask
a
teacher
or
a
social
worker
for
help,

they
are
likely
to
fall
victim
to
more
bullying.”

By
using
peer
and
adult
educators,
AGAPE
is
working
to
impact
the
lives
of

approximately
2,000
people
in
Ulaanbaatar,
including
students,
teachers,
and
social

workers.
Peer‐educators
are
chosen
based
on
their
own
experiences
as
bullies,
and

the
level
of
influence
that
they
hold
over
their
peers.

One
of
those
benefitting
from
this
project
is
Ochir,
a
student
attending
school
in
Ulan

Bator
who
was
bullied
constantly
as
a
young
child
at
the
hands
of
older
students.
As

he
grew
older,
Ochir
began
to
exhibit
some
of
the
same
behaviors
that
he
had
been

subjected
to.
His
aggressive
behavior
toward
other
children
in
his
class
was
a

deciding
factor
in
his
selection
to
be
a
part
of
the
AGAPE
project.

“Since
attending
the
training,
Ochir
has
begun
to
show
a
lot
of
improvement
in
his

attitude,
behavior,
and
actions
towards
his
classmates,”
said
Fletcher.
“Before

attending
AGAPE,
he
thought
using
violence
was
the
only
way
to
solve
his
problems.

Now,
he
sees
that
there
are
other
ways
to
solve
conflicts
without
having
to
resort
to

violence.”


Plans
are
underway
to
hold
a
national
conference
in
cooperation
with
Mongolia’s

National
Centre
Against
Violence
to
raise
awareness
about
how
to
prevent
violence

throughout
the
wider
Mongolian
community.

According
to
the
World
Health
Organization,
bullying
occurs
when
one
or
more

children
intentionally
seek
to,
repeatedly,
cause
pain
or
distress
to
another
child

without
provocation.
This
is
a
common
problem
worldwide,
and
it
is
known
to
have

a
major
impact
on
a
child’s
physical
and
mental
health.
It
can
also
affect
a
child’s

attendance
in
school,
adversely
affecting
the
quality
of
their
work
once
there,

compromising
their
educational
development.


ADRA
is
a
non‐governmental
organization
present
in
125
countries
providing

sustainable
community
development
and
disaster
relief
without
regard
to
political

or
religious
association,
age,
gender,
race,
or
ethnicity.

For
more
information,
visit
www.adra.org.