KO Bullying – Mexico

Since its creation, the World Boxing Council has been committed itself not only to sport and boxers, but also a dedication to society, highlighting cultural and social issues.

At the WBC we have always supported the fight for human rights, inclusion and the eradication of discrimination. Sports as a means to promote social change, community development, to encourage equity and foster peace and understanding using the core values and decency with which Don José Sulaiman always conducted himself.

In this sense, the fight against bullying has proved one of the most vitally important social projects and priorities of the WBC. It is a blight, which directly and cruelly impacts thousands of children and young people around the world. To combat, confront, confound and defeat it, WBC allies and ambassadors have emerged and they have united.

Bullying festers in school environments, affecting both girls, boys and adolescents regardless of age, ethnicity or socio-economic level.

Whether it involves physical or psychological violence, or both, bullying has a significant short, medium, and long-term impact on the lives of the children and adolescents involved, whether as aggressors, victims, or bystanders.

This type of violence is corrosive because it negatively affects the victim, lowering self-esteem and confidence, which can lead to frequent states of anxiety, depression, self-harm, even descending into suicide.

Bullying prevents children and adolescents who suffer this abuse, from exercising their fundamental rights and enjoying enriching experiences of education, social interaction, development and free expression of personality, participation and feeling safe at school as a place from where it is possible to build more just and peaceful societies.

Understanding the sheer magnitude and depth  of this problem, WBC ambassador Beka Romero, a psychologist, joined the “KO al Bullying” project to direct this program in Mexico; which consists of gauging, understanding and effectively tackling this serious social problem.

Beka has been given the task of visiting dozens of schools in CDMX and the metropolitan area, accompanied by world champions, in order to empower young people in the region and help understand the importance of psychological intervention as a means of preventing bullying and address cases in a timely and humane manner.

In this way coping strategies and tools are provided for the school community, parents, students and all those who are involved in the psycho-emotional development of boys, girls and teenagers.

Last Friday, Beka attended the WBC offices to talk to us about the project, inform staff members of the main ways to identify bullying and, above all, to make the WBC Family aware of the risks that exist if bullying is not dealt with in a timely manner.

We are especially grateful for the work and effort that our caring ambassador is carrying out against BULLYING.