Violence against children transcends boundaries of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, educational background, and socioeconomic status, remaining widespread despite global efforts for recognition, elimination, and prevention (WHO, 2019). Consent and prevention education, as emphasised in the Australian Human Rights Commission's 2017-2018 report, should be introduced early to counteract a culture of (sexual) assault through violence, targeted incapacitation, or coercion.

School-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), well-documented globally, necessitates early preventive measures, highlighting the importance of educators developing competencies to recognize and intervene in SRGBV situations (UNESCO and UN Women, 2016; UNESCO and UNGEI, 2023). The Gender Equality Strategy for 2020-2025 underscores gender-based violence as a significant challenge rooted in gender inequality, emphasizing prevention through early education and collaboration with men and boys in various fields (UN Women).

The concept of 'consent' is defined as respecting one another’s boundaries to be and feel safe, develop healthy relationships, and preserve dignity, requiring respect, communication, freedom, and equality (Casby & Lyons, 2019). Educating children about consent from a young age is crucial for fostering better relationships and instilling an understanding that individuals have the right to decide what happens to their bodies (Quealy-Gainer, 2020). Consent education extends to online interactions and relationships, addressing cyberbullying, a pervasive issue affecting a growing number of young adults (Trucco, et al., 2020; Subaramaniam et al., 2022). Moreover, several studies highlight the importance of educating children about consent as a preventive measure against abuse (Rizos, 2022).
According to the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education (2010) and the Plan of Action for the Fourth Phase of the World Programme on Human Rights Education (2022), Human Rights Education (HRE) is a lifelong process promoting knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours for a universal culture of human rights.

This research paper addresses the urgent need for primary school education on consent as a life skill to fight the widespread issue of violence against children, transcending various demographics. Drawing on the principles of Human Rights Education (HRE) and a multi-country European partnership (https://messageconsent.eu/), the study examines existing policies and practices related to consent in primary teacher education. The methodology involves mapping education policies across Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Türkiye, Spain, Croatia, and Italy, identifying gaps, and developing comprehensive lesson plans and micro-lessons focused on communication skills, setting boundaries, and preventing gender-based violence. The paper aims to deliver research results at the national levels, present developed teaching materials, and offer insights into primary school education and consent issues from a Human Rights Education perspective at the European level.

This paper responds to the evolving education landscape by providing a comprehensive guide, lesson plans, and micro-lessons on teaching consent as a crucial life skill to elementary school teachers and educators. Aligned with HRE principles, the research aims to equip trainers to impart communication skills, address personal boundaries, and prevent gender-based violence by fostering mutual respect and conflict resolution early in education. The paper targets three main objectives: deliver research results at the national level, present developed teaching material, and provide insights on primary school education and consent issues from an HRE perspective at the European level, emphasising collaboration between academic, non-academic and NGOs partners for quality standards and sustainability goals.

Australian Human Rights Commission (2018). Australian Human Rights Commission 2017-18 Complaint statistics. Retrieved from: https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/AHRC_Complaints_AR_Stats_Tables_2017-18.pdf Casby, C., & Lyons, B. (2019). Consent and children. Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine, 20(1), 52-55. Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec. (2010). 7 on the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education. Retrieved from: https://rm.coe.int/16803034e5 Quealy-Gainer, K. (2020). [Review of the book Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of YOU, by Rachel Brian]. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 73(5), 203. doi:10.1353/bcc.2020.0003. Resolution of the Committee of Minister on the youth policy of the Council of Europe, CM/Res (2008)23 United Nations, Plan of Action of the World Programme for Human Rights Education – First phase, Geneva, 2006 Rizos, Th. (2022). The importance of Sexual Education at school and its correlation to sexual assault prevention. (Publication No. 116102434)(Doctoral dissertation, Aegean University), http://hdl.handle.net/11610/24346 Subaramaniam, K., Kolandaisamy, R., Jalil, A. B., & Kolandaisamy, I. (2022). Cyberbullying Challenges on Society: A Review. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 6(2), 2174-2184. Trucco, D., Palma, A., & UNICEF. (2020). Childhood and adolescence in the digital age: A comparative report of the Kids Online surveys on Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica and Uruguay. UNICEF. (2023). A summary of the UN convention on the rights of the child. Retrieved May 04 2023, from https://www.unicef.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UNCRC_summary-1_1.pdf United Nations. (2022). Human Rights Education and Training, Office of the High Commissioner. Retrieved from: https://www.ohchr.org/en/resources/educators/human-rights-education-training United Nations and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2022). Plan of Action for the Fourth Phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/publications/human-rights-education-series/plan-action-fourth-phase-world-programme-human-rights UNESCO and UN Women (2016) ‘Global guidance on addressing school-related gender-based violence’ UNESCO and UNGEI (2023) ‘School violence: Why gender matters and how to measure school related gender based violence (SRGBV) World Health Organization. (2019). RESPECT women: Preventing violence against women. Geneva. Retrieved from: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2019/RESPECT-Women-Preventing-violence-against-women-en.pdf