Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, has issued the following statement:
“On the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, the EU recalls that attacks on education deprive children of their fundamental right to learn, impact their immediate and long-term development and deprive them from a better and more peaceful future.
Attacks on schools and their military use place children, in particular girls and children with disabilities, at particular risk of harm, making them more vulnerable to other grave violations.
Tragically, there has been a significant increase of attacks against schools and education facilities, which constitute violations of International Humanitarian Law.
The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack identified around 6,000 attacks on students, educators, schools, and universities, which took place in 2022 and 2023. This means an average of 8 attacks per day and a nearly 20% increase compared with the previous 2 years.
More than 10,000 students and educators were reportedly killed, injured, abducted, arrested, or otherwise harmed by attacks on education in 2022 and 2023.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has devastated schools and kindergartens throughout the country. Since February 2022, over 3,790 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed.
In Gaza, over 92% of all school buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Every university in Gaza has been destroyed. This is why, in June 2024, the EU – jointly with the Missions of Jordan and Belgium – launched a Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza to raise awareness and increase humanitarian support.
The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to continue promoting and protecting the right of every child to grow in a safe environment, to have access to education, as required by international law and in line with the in UN Security Council Resolution 2601.
The EU continues, in line with the recently revised EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict, to provide comprehensive child protection measures, to safeguard education for children in armed conflict areas and to support the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration commitments, being it in Ukraine, Palestine, Mozambique, Niger, South Sudan, Colombia or other countries in conflict.
Last year, the EU invested over €162 million for education in emergencies projects providing access to safe and quality learning, and psycho-social support. The EU dedicated as well an estimated €142 million to child protection activities, which constituted nearly 42% of the total protection budget within EU’s humanitarian aid.
All must protect education from attack and address the impact of armed conflict and violence on children’s education is an urgent necessity. The right to an education free from violence must be respected and fulfilled for every child, everywhere.”
