India: UNODC, Raipur Police join hands to promote peace, integrity, health and lawfulness with RiseUp4Peace-Nijaat campaign collaboration

Raipur, Chhattisgarh/17 July 2024:Creating synergies between law enforcement officials and education stakeholders opens up new possibilities for engaging and empowering young people while preventing crime and risky behaviors. By integrating preventive law enforcement strategies with targeted educational interventions in classrooms, students can gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed and positive choices.

In this direction, UNODC and the Raipur Police joined hands with an innovative collaboration between the RiseUp4Peace educational initiative and the anti-drugs Nijaat campaign in Chhattisgarh.

This pioneering partnership resulted in a series of targeted capacity-building and sensitisation interventions focused on peace, lawfulness and drug use prevention, bringing together over 2,000 educators, educational leaders, young people, community groups and law enforcement officials from Raipur. Together, they ideated and developed joint responses to cultivate a culture of peace, integrity, and resilience among students with education.

“Education is a powerful tool in preventing crime. By equipping our youth with knowledge and values, we’re not only helping them make better choices but also creating a safer, more responsible community. Initiatives like RiseUp4Peace and Nijaat Campaign are crucial in guiding our students towards a positive path,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr. Santosh Singh, emphasizing the role of education in crime prevention.

Over 150 educators from public, private and government schools engaged in intensive discussions on the vulnerabilities young people face and good practices in advancing SDG16 education at a RiseUp4Peace capacity boosting workshop, held in collaboration with the NH Goel World School. Educators exchanged insights on incorporating crucial themes—peace, gender equality and integrity--in classroom lesson plans, in discussions with UNODC’s Mr. Samarth Pathak, NCERT’s Dr. Satya Bhushan and veteran educationalist Dr. Ashok Pandey.

“The workshop was instrumental in helping me understand how we can address students’ vulnerabilities and risky behaviors more effectively,” an educator said, highlighting the need for sustained capacity building in this direction as envisaged in India’s National Education Policy 2020.  “Interacting with educators has provided me with valuable insights into the psychological and emotional challenges students face, which may lead to problematic behaviours,” a senior police official added.

Educators were introduced to UNODC’s educational tools such as the YEA Framework and activity handbooks as well as linkages with India’s National Education Policy 2020. Special messages by Indian Actor Suniel Shetty and Badminton Icon Saina Nehwal reinforced the importance of collective action for RiseUp4Peace.

The impact of the initiative extended beyond the educators to the students themselves. Over 150 students took part in interactive sessions focused on cyber safety, anti-corruption, access to justice, mental health, and gender equality. “I’ve learned so much about the importance of staying safe online and standing up against corruption,” shared a student. “It feels empowering to be part of something that’s making a real difference.”

The culmination of the initiative was a grand awareness event held in collaboration with the Raipur Police’s anti-drugs Nijaat campaign. Over 1500 students, educators, and community members, including young people with hearing disabilities, joined the program.

Discussions focused on the need for collective efforts against the drug challenge, and positive community-focused actions. State lawmakers, including Members of Legislative Assembly Mr. Purandar Mishra and Mr. Anuj Sharma shared their insights and engaged young people to resist negative influences.

"By focusing on SDG16 in our education system, we are not only preparing students to confront today's challenges but also empowering them to be champions of a just and peaceful society. RiseUp4Peace is leading the way in making this vision a reality," said UNODC Communications Officer Mr. Samarth Pathak.

RiseUp4Peace is an initiative dedicated to embedding the values of peace, integrity, and the rule of law into education, empowering students to become proactive advocates for a more just society. Through innovative workshops and engagement, it equips educators and young minds with the tools to drive meaningful social change.

The activity contributed to SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/