Policy Panel: Tuesday, 10 February
Research Workshop: Tuesday, 10 February - Wednesday, 11 February
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Day 1: February 10, 2026
9:00-9:30 AM | Registration and Breakfast |
9:30-11:00 AM | Welcome RemarksGabriela Smarrelli, Senior Research Associate, Center for Global Development Session 1: What Works to Prevent Violence in and Around Schools? Part 1
Moderator: Maria Fernanda Prada Parino, Senior Specialist in Education, Inter-American Development Bank |
11:00-11:30 AM | Coffee Break |
11:30 AM –12:45 PM | Session 2: Data, Measurement, and Safeguarding
Moderator: Lelys Dinarte, Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank |
12:45-2:15 PM | Lunch |
2:15-3:30 PM | Session 3: Norms and Perceptions of Violence in and Around Schools
Moderator: Dipak Naker, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Coalition for Good Schools |
3:30-4:00 PM | Coffee Break |
4:00-5:15 PM | Policy Panel: What Can We Do to Prevent Violence In and Around Schools?Welcoming Remarks Rachel Glennerster, President, Center for Global Development Panelists:
Moderator: David Evans, Director of Education and Child Wellbeing, Center for Global Development |
5:15-6:30 PM | Reception |
Day 2: February 11, 2026
9:15-9:35 AM | Registration and Breakfast |
9:35-11:05 AM | Session 4: Diverse Aspects of the Challenge
Moderator: Gemma Wilson-Clark, Head of the Safe to Learn Initiative, UNICEF |
11:05-11:25 AM | Coffee Break |
11:25 AM-12:55 PM | Session 5: What Works to Prevent Violence In and Around Schools? Part 2
Moderator: Luis Benveniste, Global Director for Education and Skills, World Bank |
12:55-1:20 PM | Closing RemarksDavid Evans, Director of Education and Child Well-being, Center for Global Development |
1:20-2:20 PM | Lunch |
What Can We Do to Prevent Violence In and Around Schools?
School-related violence remains a major barrier to children’s development, learning, and well-being. Evidence increasingly shows that violence in and around schools is preventable, but we still need to understand what works at scale and how to translate research into effective and lasting policy. This panel will bring together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to share the latest evidence on preventing school-related violence. The discussion will reflect on:
- What works to prevent violence in and around schools?
- What have we learned about scaling and integrating safety programs within government systems?
- Where does violence prevention fit within the education sector’s current funding priorities?
By fostering dialogue to connect research to practice, this event will propose next steps toward ending violence in, around, and through schools to ensure safe and inclusive learning environments for all children.
More Information
Date: February 10, 2026, 4:00—5:15 PM ET | 9:00—10:15 PM GMT
Panelists
Karen Devries, Professor of Social Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Maria Mercedes Mateo-Berganza Diaz, Chief of the Education Division, Inter-American Development Bank
Laura Savage, Executive Director, International Education Funders Group
Hope Wambi, Coordinator, Violence Against Children Prevention, Raising Voices
Moderator
David Evans, Director of Education and Child Wellbeing, CGD
Schools should provide a safe and nurturing environment where children are able to learn and thrive. Yet high rates of girls and boys continue to experience violence in and around schools. Such exposure not only violates children’s right to a safe education, but also prevents them from fully benefiting from it. A growing body of evidence shows that school-related violence has adverse and lasting consequences for children’s learning, mental health, and future employment prospects. Emerging research is identifying promising pathways to reduce such violence. However, important knowledge gaps remain—limiting practitioners’ ability to respond effectively and sustainably reduce its prevalence and impact.
On February 10-11, 2026, CGD will host a one-and-a-half-day in-person workshop at the CGD offices in Washington, D.C., to examine the drivers, consequences, and pathways to preventing school-related violence in low- and middle-income countries.
The workshop will provide an opportunity for economists, public health specialists, and education experts from diverse institutions and countries to present research, exchange ideas, build relationships, and shape a future research agenda that informs policymaking to end violence in and around schools.
Submissions
Submissions for this workshop have now closed.
Notifications of acceptance
Notifications of acceptance will be circulated by December 1st, 2025.
Funding
There is no fee to attend the workshop. There are limited resources to finance conference travel for a handful of presenters based in low- and middle-income countries and/or graduate student presenters. As funding is limited, we encourage participants with access to research or institutional funds to use them. If you would like to be considered for travel funding, please indicate that on your cover page when submitting the paper. Presenters selected for travel and accommodation support will be notified at the time of notification of paper acceptance.
Scientific Committee
Sofia Amaral, Economist, South Asia Region Gender Innovation Lab, World Bank
Lelys Dinarte-Diaz, Economist, Development Research Group, World Bank
David Evans, Director, Global Education and Child Well-Being Program and Senior Fellow, CGD
Jenny Parkes, Professor, University College London
Gabriela Smarrelli, Senior Research Associate, CGD
