Between 2022 and 2023, more than 10,000 students were killed, kidnapped, arrested, or injured in attacks on educational institutions, the United Nations (UN) denounced today.
According to the organization, the highest number of grave violations occurred in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (8,554), and the numbers are increasing at an alarming rate.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ 2024 report on Children and Armed Conflict notes that 41,370 such incidents occurred worldwide, the highest number in nearly 30 years.
Furthermore, he denounced that the use of educational centers for military purposes increased by 20 percent, attacks on schools increased by 44 percent, and sexual violence increased by 34 percent.
In a message released on the official UN website, Guterres warned that by 2025, violence against children living in zones of armed conflict will reach unprecedented levels, and education will once again be caught in the crossfire.
Each violation has serious consequences, not only for teachers and young students, but also for the future of entire communities and countries, he asserted.
He also assured that the UN is working tirelessly to stop this tragedy and ensure that all children can exercise their fundamental right to education, even in the most dangerous contexts.
We cannot do this alone. States must invest in education systems that reach all children, fully endorse the Safe Schools Declaration, and put it into practice, he stated.
I also urge all parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations under international law, respect schools as safe spaces, and hold those who commit these attacks accountable, he added.
With information from Prensa Latina
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