New York, 1 December 2022 – The number of attacks against schools and education personnel has seen an increase this year, according to preliminary data from the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for children and armed conflict. The most recent one took place today in the northern city of Aybak in Afghanistan, where several children have been reported killed and injured. 

This worrying trend, particularly visible in Afghanistan, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Myanmar, the Sahel Region, South Sudan, and Ukraine, takes place only a year after the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2601 condemning attacks against schools, school children, and teachers. Unanimously adopted on 29 October 2021, UNSCR 2601 was the first resolution of its kind with the specific goal of safeguarding the right to education. 

“Resolution 2601 was a strong call to safeguard the right to education of all children, including those affected by armed conflict, as it can contribute to peace and security. A year later, it is appalling to see the little respect shown for education, schools, personnel and schoolchildren, as reflected in the numbers of attacks against schools and threats of attacks in contravention of international humanitarian law,” the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, said.  

In Afghanistan, more than 50 child casualties resulted from three attacks on schools, including attacks specifically targeting minorities such as the Hazaras. Schools were also attacked in South Sudan, resulting in education facilities being destroyed, including by airstrikes, and looted. One shocking attack targeted internally displaced persons, who sought refuge at a school. In Myanmar, the Secretary-General condemned the killing of children during an attack by the Myanmar armed forces on a school in Sagaing Region. A devastatingly high number of attacks against schools leading to them being damaged, destroyed and/or looted has further been verified in Ukraine. In Mali, in Douentza region, armed individuals from a group designated as terrorist by the United Nations burned down a school, damaging its archives, premises and equipment. In the DRC, while the vast majority of attacks on schools were committed by armed groups, particularly CODECO, Mai-Mai factions and ADF; government forces were also responsible for attacks on schools. Education facilities were either destroyed, looted, burned or bombed, and some education personnel were attacked. In Cameroon North-West and South-West regions, teachers and students continued to be targeted, including killed, maimed, kidnapped and intimidated for the sole reason of wanting to receive or provide an education.  

“Attacks on schools don’t only deprive children of education and violate the rights of the child but also increase the risk for children to be exposed to other grave violations such as recruitment and use, killing and maiming, abduction and sexual violence,” the Special Representative emphasized.

She further highlighted the important role played by international tools such as the Safe Schools Declaration in protecting education from attacks, signed by 116 countries including recently by Colombia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ms. Gamba added that access to education for children from birth to 18 years of age benefits long-term peace and stability, including by breaking ongoing cycles of violence, and is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

“States must do more to protect education. Even in times of armed conflict, schools must remain areas in which children are granted protection and a safe place to learn. I urge all parties to conflict to immediately cease such attacks and threats of attacks and to refrain from actions that impede children’s access to education, such as their military use. I further call on Member States to develop effective measures to prevent and address attacks and threats of attacks against schools and education personnel,” she said.

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For additional information, please contact:

Fabienne Vinet, Communications Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict

+1-212-963-5986 (office) / +1-917-288-5791 (mobile) / vinet@un.org

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