India: With UNODC’s RiseUp4Peace, educators and young people join hands to champion education for peace, lawfulness and inclusion

New Delhi, India/31 December 2024: Young people today face mounting challenges like mental health struggles, cyber risks, substance abuse, and violence. Addressing these issues in classrooms is an urgent priority, as highlighted by India’s NEP 2020 and NCF 2023, which emphasize nurturing responsible citizens. However, realising this vision calls for reimagining educational interventions in classrooms beyond traditional approaches.

UNODC’s RiseUp4Peace initiative is a step in this direction, empowering young people to resist risky behaviours and negative influences, and promote a culture of peace, lawfulness, inclusion and integrity through education. The initiative has directly engaged over 6,800 educators and 27,000 students across 14 states and UTs through capacity building, classroom engagements, school-led innovations, and creative interventions in arts, tech, and sports.

With support of diverse partners—including public, private and rural schools, educator networks, NCERT, DERT Meghalaya, Raipur Police and others—the initiative has been highly consultative and collaborative, bridging theory with practice.

Equipped with trainings, tools, monthly activity plans and continuous cross-learning, a growing number of educators are integrating important themes pertaining to SDG16 in classroom programs with RiseUp4Peace. Schools are leading change with creative outputs with street plays, music, art, AI-tools and school-wide projects on anti-bullying, cyber safety, drug use prevention and gender equality.

The result? Young learners are resonating with a theme, identifying solutions and responses, sharpening their own unique skills and developing a sense of empathy, leadership and social responsibility.

With students confronting unprecedented pressures, creating safe, inclusive, and values-driven learning environments has become a pressing priority. RiseUp4Peace aligns seamlessly with this vision, making a profound impact through participatory, hands-on approaches that empower stakeholders.

One example is the collaboration between UNODC’s RiseUp4Peace initiative and the Raipur Police’s Nijaat campaign, focused on drug use prevention. This partnership engaged over 2,000 educators, students, and community members in Chhattisgarh through workshops and sensitization drives.

Senior Superintendent of Police Dr. Santosh Singh highlighted the significance of such initiatives, saying, “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.”

Educators have embraced this transformative approach, integrating critical themes in classrooms with customized training, activity plans, and opportunities for cross-learning. Focus areas include drug use prevention, cybersecurity, gender equality, mental health, peace and lawfulness, and more. Capacity boosting efforts have been led by UNODC’s Communications Officer for South Asia Mr. Samarth Pathak and Associate Professor of NCERT Dr. Satya Bhushan--with former Joint Commissioner of the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samity Mr. AN Ramachandra and veteran educationalists Dr. Ashok Pandey and Ms. Paramjeet Dhillon. Principals and teachers participating in these workshops describe the experience as a reconnection with their core mission, building not just academically proficient students but ethical, compassionate individuals. “The focus is not just on awareness but on solutions,” said Ms. Alka Kumar, a teacher from Haryana.

The impact of this initiative is visible in student-led projects. Young learners are using creative outlets to raise awareness and drive change. They are leading peer discussions, creating art and social media campaigns, and developing actionable responses to real-life issues. This participatory approach has enabled students to strengthen skills like leadership, teamwork, and public speaking while fostering empathy and social responsibility.

The initiative’s inclusivity is another defining feature. Young champions have been instrumental in sensitizing educators and peers about disability rights and inclusive education. “Education should nurture a generation that truly understands and values disability inclusion. RiseUp4Peace has given me a platform to advocate for this vision,” said Ms. Aarushi Gambhir, founder of youth-led Enable Education. Ms. Alviya Haider, a visual arts communicator added, “As someone who has faced discrimination, I feel empowered to help create a future where diversity is celebrated.”

Teachers, too, have found new purpose in their roles. “In villages, students often lack exposure to conversations about inclusion and lawfulness. RiseUp4Peace has opened a new world for them—and for us as educators. We’re now equipped to teach in ways that are practical, relevant, and inspiring,” said Ms. Jaimala Shukla Tewari, an educator from Uttar Pradesh. Ms. Laila Kharkongor, an educator from Meghalaya, added, “Today’s students face challenges we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago—cyberbullying, drugs, and the pressures of social media. RiseUp4Peace is a timely intervention because it empowers educators to address these issues head-on.”

Voicing their support in video messages, Indian Actor Mr. Suniel Shetty and Badminton Icon Ms. Saina Nehwal emphasised why such efforts matter. “We need responsible citizens, people who understand the importance of peace and the rule of law,” said Shetty. "Badminton teaches us about ethics, rules, and fairness. These are the same values behind a just and inclusive society," said Nehwal.

By leveraging local leadership, the initiative has ensured meaningful impact while remaining cost-effective. This decentralized model has amplified the reach of RiseUp4Peace, with ideas and activities spreading organically through educator networks. Schools have served as hubs of activity, with partner institutions taking the lead in convening workshops and sharing good practices. Recent efforts include Synergy, a special event on SDG16 held by the Salwan Junior School Naraina, classroom activities spearheaded by the Birla Vidya Niketan New Delhi, and interactive students-focused engagement conducted at the DNS Wahlang Memorial Higher Secondary School Shillong.

This approach promotes continuity and collaboration, moving beyond one-time events to sustained engagement that is welcomed by students. As a young participant highlighted, “We felt like our voices mattered. More programs like this are needed where we’re not just an audience but active contributors.”

This activity contributes to SDG 4, SDG5, SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/

 

Read the RiseUp4Peace Impact Report (2024): https://www.unodc.org/documents/southasia//publications/RU4P_Impact_Report_Digital_Version.pdf