Project: I Protect Myself – Easy Language against violence
I Protect Myself is an award winning, free and inclusive project from Brazil, created in 2020, with easy to understand materials, in a Universal Design for Learning approach, to prevent violence against children and adults with and without disabilities.
Research shows that 1 in 3 children with disabilities in the world has experienced violence (Lancet, 2022).
I Protect Myself started as a booklet for a girl with Down syndrome, to learn how to recognize the risk of and act against abuse. Her Mother, Patricia Almeida, designed it in Easy Language, with simple text, self-explained illustrations, clear background and direct information. It was the applied research for Almeida’s Masters on Disability Studies.
The validation process with the public informed the Guide on how to produce Easy Read materials – Simple as that: communicate with everyone.
50 other collaborators joined forces and the project has grown with music videos, puppet shows, games, literature books, and videos to enable families and educators to prepare children to prevent violence. All materials are free to use. The school book also tackles other difference, gender based violence, racism, and ableism prevention.
I Protect Myself became law to be used by every school in the state of Para, Brazil, and is also being used in other parts of the country. It was presented at the Conference of State Parts of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the UN New York in 2022. It has versions with audiodescription, Brazilian Sign Language, English, Spanish and French.
@eumeprotejobrasil
@eumeprotejobolivia
Booklet in English – I Protect Myself
https://www.eumeprotejo.com/_files/ugd/f04b3c_fa8afe64172d4779beda9a10eae29e92.pdf
Schoolbook in English – I Protec tMyself because my Little Body is Mine
https://www.eumeprotejo.com/_files/ugd/f04b3c_f9295670e14343e0a8976087d8f42660.pdf
Contact:
Collaboration for translation and promotion of the materials are welcome!
