The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Malaysia has begun a campaign, featuring two 30-second  public service announcements (PSAs), in conjunction with Universal Children's Day on Nov 20.

The campaign, called Teach Respect, aims to teach children how not to discriminate other children as well as to provide opportunities for both adults and children in bringing up issues of bullying among children.

The PSAs, created free by Kuala Lumpur-based Story Me Studios, run both in Bahasa Malaysia and in English. They aim to show how children unknowingly discriminate against the differences of other children through ways of labeling, mimicry or poking fun.

UNICEF Representative to Malaysia Hans Olsen says that it is important for children to understand and respect their rights and that of their peers.

"Feelings of prejudice and discrimination are established early in life and it is our responsibility as adults, to ensure children develop positive attitudes and behaviour, and avoid using their power to bully, harass or discriminate others," Olsen says.

He adds that by promoting respectful relationships, we can actively prevent bullying and support children in developing social skills, understanding, acceptance, social responsibility and citizenship.

"We also need to encourage children to create positive changes by providing examples of how we can respond to bullying as observers, as well as victims," he says.

Like adults – wittingly or unwittingly – children may discriminate based on prejudices such as gender, sexual identity, appearance and behaviour, citizenship, geographical location, family background and income, ability and HIV status.

Olsen notes that a 2004 study by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris showed that a staggering 80% of primary school students have been bullied, the majority of which  happen in classrooms.

"Verbal bullying is the most common type of bullying experienced by both boys and girls," Olsen says, in an email interview.

Studies show that boys are more likely to be physically bullied by their peers, while girls are more likely to report being targets of rumour-spreading and sexual comments. Girls are also more likely than boys to bully each other using social exclusion.

Certain forms of bullying, such as name calling, exclusion and threatening do not leave scratches and bruises like physical bullying does. However, HELP University College vice president and Faculty of Behavioural Sciences dean Dr Goh Chee Leong says, "These are no less harmful".

"In fact research indicates that social bullying may have more severe psychological and emotional effects on children in the long term, than physical bullying," Dr.Goh says.

"One child we interviewed said that 'when someone hits me, at least I know who it is, but when someone spreads rumours about me on the internet or through SMS, I don't know who my enemy is,'" he adds.

Bullying creates fear, frustration and anger within the child, and he or she may avoid going to school - a sign parents should look out for.

"Children bully for many different reasons," Goh explains, such as to boost their sense of self importance and power; to express anger and frustration; or to get attention.

The bully, however, should take full responsibility for his or her actions.

"It has become too easy to blame others, like parents and teachers. A responsible and mature society must hold individuals accountable for their actions," he adds.

UNICEF Malaysia suggests the following tips to teach children respect for others:

1. Help children become sensitive to other people's feelings;

2. Make children understand that prejudice and discrimination are unfair;

3. Help children recognise instances of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination, as well as how to respond to such situations;

4. Encourage children to create positive change, by saying, "Don't call me that. That's not fair"; or "Don't call him that. Call him by his name", should another child be discriminated.

Addressing prejudice and discrimination, when it happens, prevents a child from growing up thinking that exclusion and labelling are right, or that the victims deserve such treatment.

More importantly, adults should model respectful behaviour to the young ones.

"How we treat our children, our maids, our neighbours, and our staff – our children will see and follow," Goh tells.

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