British Council safeguarding toolkit targets exploitation and reporting gaps in Ugandan schools

A new, prevention-led implementation resource, developed with UNICEF support and grounded in 15+ years of British Council safeguarding practice across 100+ countries
Built to close the ‘policy on paper’ gap, supporting clearer roles, shared thresholds and consistent escalation routes in day-to-day safeguarding decisions
Rolling out across 24 British Council Partner Schools in Uganda

KAMPALA, Uganda, March 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In Uganda, safeguarding concerns in schools are often shaped by barriers to reporting rather than lack of awareness of risk. Uganda’s Violence Against Children Survey found that three in four young adults experienced some form of violence during childhood, including physical, emotional or sexual abuse¹.

The Uganda Violence Against Children Survey has previously found that a large proportion of children experience some form of physical or emotional violence before the age of 18. Fear of stigma, power dynamics within schools and lack of trusted reporting systems can make it difficult for students to disclose abuse.

Globally, safeguarding risks affecting learners are significant. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million students aged 13 - 15 experience peer-to-peer violence in or around school worldwide, while the International Telecommunication Union reports that one in three internet users globally is a child, increasing exposure to online exploitation and manipulation.

To help schools strengthen safeguarding systems and respond consistently to these risks, the British Council has launched a Global Safeguarding Toolkit, developed with support from UNICEF.

Millicent Mugabi, Country Director, British Council Uganda, said, ‘Every child deserves to feel safe in school. Safeguarding cannot rely on individual vigilance alone - it requires strong, prevention-led systems embedded across the whole school. This Safeguarding Toolkit supports schools to take that step, by establishing clear roles, shared responsibilities and consistent processes for identifying and responding to concerns early.’

Almudena Olaguibel, Child Protection Officer at UNICEF Spain, said, ‘The Safeguarding Toolkit reflects a shared understanding between the British Council and UNICEF that effective protection depends on systems, not improvisation. As safeguarding risks become more complex and less visible, preparation, clarity and shared responsibility across school communities are essential.’

Designed as a practical, role-based implementation resource, the Toolkit supports a whole-school safeguarding approach that clarifies responsibilities, strengthens recording and follow-up systems, and sets out shared thresholds and escalation routes.

As safeguarding concerns increasingly move between online and offline spaces, the Toolkit helps schools respond more consistently to risks including online grooming, harassment, coercion, impersonation and AI-generated sexual imagery, enabling earlier intervention before concerns escalate.

The Toolkit will roll out across 2,500+ British Council Partner Schools worldwide, reaching nearly 1.7 million students, and is designed to be adaptable across local legal contexts while supporting consistency across an international school network.

Toolkit downloads

Short-form toolkit

Long-form toolkit (full version)

About British Council Partner Schools

British Council Partner Schools is a global community of over 2,500 schools, actively supported by the British Council, delivering UK international qualifications such as the International GCSEs, International O Levels, International AS and A Levels.

A trusted education partner, we help improve the quality of education, supporting learners worldwide to achieve their potential through access to life changing UK education and qualifications. We support our Partner Schools in over 40 countries transforming the lives of over 250,000 students every year.

https://internationalschools.britishcouncil.org/

Media Contact

Chenge Mujakachi, Regional Head of Communications - SSA

Email: Chenge.Mujakachi@britishcouncil.org

_______________________

¹ https://www.unicef.org/uganda/press-releases/3-4-young-adults-uganda-experienced-some-form-violence-during-their-childhood

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/999fbe50-d116-4815-8f4e-4580b9535579
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2787049a-bf72-449e-9f53-4100bd4b296f

Safeguarding Toolkit

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.