On this International Day to Protect Education from Attack, UNESCO underlines its deep concern about the 44% increase in attacks on educational facilities in 2024.

Today, 85 million children living in crisis situations do not attend school. In areas of armed conflict, attacks on schools have reached alarming levels, brutally jeopardising the future of hundreds of thousands of children and young people.

The worrying trends observed by UNESCO in the field are echoed in the latest United Nations report on children and conflict. In 2024, 41 370 serious violations against children in armed conflict were recorded – an unprecedented level in 30 years.

And schools, the very places that international humanitarian law requires to be protected in all circumstances, are on the front line: attacks on 1,265 schools were recorded in 2024, a dramatic increase of 44% compared to 2023. The use of schools for military purposes, contrary to international humanitarian law, is also becoming increasingly common. 

While these blatant violations against education affect all regions of the world, they are of particular concern in areas currently experiencing armed conflict and prolonged crises, primarily in Ukraine, the Middle East and in particular Gaza, Myanmar, Haiti and Afghanistan. 

In response to this alarming situation, UNESCO has stepped up its efforts worldwide to address threats to education in crisis situations and to support the continuity of learning at all levels.

UNESCO is mobilizing its partners on the ground to provide concrete educational solutions in 31 crisis-affected countries, as well as material and psychosocial support to tens of thousands of students and teachers, particularly in Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan, Syria and Ukraine.

The Organization is currently developing an action plan to provide its Member States with a roadmap for supporting education and expanding access to alternative forms of learning in times of crisis.

While these actions have the merit of contributing to the resilience of education systems, UNESCO reiterates that nothing can replace the obligation to comply with international humanitarian law.

In accordance with its mandate, UNESCO urges all parties involved in conflicts to strictly comply with Resolution 2601 adopted in 2021 by the United Nations Security Council, as well as the  Safe Schools Declaration adopted ten years ago.

International Day to Protect Education from Attack

Attacks on education deprive students of their fundamental right to quality education and impede teachers’ ability to carry out their work. Yet, attacks on educational institutions, students, and teachers are occurring at an alarming rate globally, particularly in contexts of armed conflict, depriving them of a crucial lifeline, lifesaving knowledge and skills and hope for the future.

On May 28 2020, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 74/275  establishing September 9 as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.  This landmark Resolution highlights the urgent need to safeguard education in times of conflict.  UNESCO and UNICEF are designated co-facilitators of the annual observance, which serves as an opportunity to raise awareness and inspire action for the protection of education and the provision of support for students, teachers, and education communities in conflict zones.

----This article is reprinted from the official website of UNESCO