1. REPORTING ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN GEORGIA BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS Maya Kurtsikidze July 2013

2. UNICEF

3. Background – KAP Study 2012 60% of population believes that using forceful methods of punishment in child upbringing is more effective than non-violent methods. the majority of people believe that family’s internal affairs are its own business, and should not be interfered with by others. UNICEF

4. Context A national child protection referral and response mechanism since 2010 Professionals obliged to report believe that family matter is sensitive and it is better not to get involved The Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence New draft law obliging reporting under deliberation

5. Critical Evaluation of the work so far It is not the legal norm but social norms and beliefs that prevent individuals from reporting on violence when they witness it. Change of the existing social norm of reporting - essential in making the institutional mechanism to work properly. UNICEF

6. Social Norm Analysis Empirical expectation - people do nothing when they witness violence against children. Social norm - So, not only everyone thinks one should not interfere within families, which is personal normative belief but also everyone thinks others believe one shouldn’t interfere, that constitutes normative expectation. UNICEF

7. good parenting is using harsh disciplining corporal punishment is not perceived as violence Schema good parent punishes a child in case of disobedience Script UNICEF Change the schema through schema Conversion Model which means that sufficient disconfirmation leads to a sudden change

8. Pluralistic ignorance Majority of people thinks that violence generally is bad but if I react on other cases (neighbours e.g.) my behaviour will largely be disapproved. So, everyone thinks violence is bad but everyone think that everyone else think violence can be accepted. UNICEF

9. Reference Network UNICEF Core group- trendsetters Parents Orthodox Church Anti- Violence Network Profession als

10. What to change? What we propose it to abandon the existing social norm and promote new behaviour that people inform authorities (local or national) in case they witness violence against children. UNICEF

11. Strategy sanctions for certain group of professionals whose duty is to report Sanctions highlight inconsistency between the practiced social norm that reporting in not accepted and core value/belief that violence is harmful highlight the harmful effects of violence against children and at the same time show that most people dislike this Civic responsibility to promote active citizenship Value deliberation Media, social media, bloggers, round table discussions incentivize reporting cases Enough people are changing Organized diffusion

12. Harmonizing Norms UNICEF Legal Non-reporting is punished Corporal punishment is prohibited Moral Violence against children is bad Social In case of witnessing the violence you have to report in order to protect a child - sustainability

13. Change… UNICEF By harmonizing legal, moral and social norms and by changing the schema that a good citizen is the one who reports and uses positive parenting we will create normative expectation that one should not harm a child and lead to a norm shift that one should report when witnesses the violence against a child.

14. Thank you... UNICEF