Why did WHO prepare this document?
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"Together, we must build and develop for the future a culture
of peace based on non-violence, dialogue, and mutual respect and social justice.
This is neither easy nor a quick task. Nevertheless, it is possible and at a
time of rising waves of new forms of conflict and violence, it is absolutely
necessary."
The Dalai Lama, January 1995. |
Violence affects everyone. It undermines the health, learning
potential and economic well-being of people everywhere. As Carlyle Guerra de
Macedo, Director of the Pan American Health Organization, notes, "Terrorism,
genocide, political assassination, bloody crimes, abuse, assault, torture,
harassment, and other modes of force, in violation of the most basic human
rights, have become part of our daily existence.(2)
It is time for us to go beyond treating and trying to manage the
health consequences of violence; we must prevent it. It is time to change
the social, behavioural and environmental factors that lead to violence. The
World Health Organization (WHO) has prepared this document to help people
understand the nature of a Health-Promoting School and how efforts to promote
peace and prevent violence might be planned, implemented and evaluated as part
of the development of a Health-Promoting School. It will focus on simple,
concrete steps that schools can take without major investments of resources. It
is designed as a starting point, to be modified and enriched as more knowledge
and experience is gained in the prevention of violence through
schools.
