Attacks on Education: The Impact of Conflict and Grave Violations on Children’s Futures
Author: Elin Martinez with research support from Kate Kenny and Will Paxton
Published by: Save the Children, c2013
This report looks at a comparatively ignored effect of conflict: attacks on education. The number of recorded attacks on education – whether on students, teachers and other staff, or on school buildings – has increased in recent years, directly and indirectly affecting the education of millions of children.
The report examines the different types of attacks on schools, what motivates attacks and their impact on children. Country case studies are included, looking at attacks on education in Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, Pakistan and Syria.
Despite the impact of conflict on education, very low levels of humanitarian funding are provided for education. This prevents the education sector from responding swiftly to needs after periods of intense conflict – including responding to the effects of attacks on education and restoring schooling. This report sets out how education can be better protected from attacks and how the international community can support ways of restoring education when it has been affected by ¾ conflict. It makes recommendations to governments, the UN, and humanitarian donors and agencies