As we transition from the celebration of International Youth Day on August 12 to the initiation of the 500 day countdown until the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals, I would like to call attention to the very current and pressing issue of education in conflict zones.
The world has stirred in support of the Nigerian schoolgirls, kidnapped by insurgent group Boko Haram. Many have tried to call attention to the greater issue at hand: school security. The Safe Schools Initiative was started by A World at School to secure northern Nigerian schools against future attacks, while simultaneously providing resources to the reclamation of the missing girls.
However, it is obvious that no approach targeted at Nigeria was holistic enough: just weeks after this call to action, schools in Gaza - many run by the UN - have been attacked by Israeli forces. Since July 7, 138 schools in Gaza have been bombed or damaged, and 330 children have been killed. It is unclear why these injustices have not sparked a similar global sympathy.
The barrier to change here is not lack of understanding, nor lack of international agreement, but simply lack of accountability. Even though Israel was given the coordinates to schools in Gaza, in the hopes that they would make efforts to avoid their damage, schools have still been bombed. Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy on Education, commented that "just as wars should never be fought through the targeting of hospitals, and they should never be waged through the violation of schools." It is established practice in conflict situations to not attack hospitals, but it is not similarly established that a school, full of children, should not be targeted. I find this discrepancy troubling.
Furthermore, it has been shown with Syrian refugee children that provision of education is possible despite conflict, as long as relevant governments are making it a priority. It is agreed upon that educating children is the surest way to prevent future conflict, and so it seems that in wanting to break a cycle of conflict that exists in any given society, education would be seen as crucial.
When children live in fear of going to school, often they or their parents will understandably decide that they should not go. When a family is forced to choose between education and life, they will choose life. So keeping educational institutions of of the crosshairs is imperative not only for school quality, but for attendance. Achieving MDG 2, universal primary education, requires attention to school safety.
Below is a compiled list of popular recommendations to mitigate the risk for school children in conflict situations:
The world has stirred in support of the Nigerian schoolgirls, kidnapped by insurgent group Boko Haram. Many have tried to call attention to the greater issue at hand: school security. The Safe Schools Initiative was started by A World at School to secure northern Nigerian schools against future attacks, while simultaneously providing resources to the reclamation of the missing girls.
However, it is obvious that no approach targeted at Nigeria was holistic enough: just weeks after this call to action, schools in Gaza - many run by the UN - have been attacked by Israeli forces. Since July 7, 138 schools in Gaza have been bombed or damaged, and 330 children have been killed. It is unclear why these injustices have not sparked a similar global sympathy.
The barrier to change here is not lack of understanding, nor lack of international agreement, but simply lack of accountability. Even though Israel was given the coordinates to schools in Gaza, in the hopes that they would make efforts to avoid their damage, schools have still been bombed. Gordon Brown, United Nations Special Envoy on Education, commented that "just as wars should never be fought through the targeting of hospitals, and they should never be waged through the violation of schools." It is established practice in conflict situations to not attack hospitals, but it is not similarly established that a school, full of children, should not be targeted. I find this discrepancy troubling.
Furthermore, it has been shown with Syrian refugee children that provision of education is possible despite conflict, as long as relevant governments are making it a priority. It is agreed upon that educating children is the surest way to prevent future conflict, and so it seems that in wanting to break a cycle of conflict that exists in any given society, education would be seen as crucial.
When children live in fear of going to school, often they or their parents will understandably decide that they should not go. When a family is forced to choose between education and life, they will choose life. So keeping educational institutions of of the crosshairs is imperative not only for school quality, but for attendance. Achieving MDG 2, universal primary education, requires attention to school safety.
Below is a compiled list of popular recommendations to mitigate the risk for school children in conflict situations:
- Collect and report adequate data. It is important to know which school are potentially unsafe, so that children are not sent into a place at risk.
- Implement physical protection mechanisms. Security guards or even a community/neighborhood watch can provide an extra level of protection in case of attack. However, it is necessary to be cautious that implementation of additional security does not invite attack, and also that students' learning is not impaired by the presence of non-school personnel.
- Implement a youth policy. Having a policy conduit for youth issues can make the implementation of safety regarding youth easier and more effective, and having a youth policy has been shown to be key in the reduction and prevention of future violence.
- Accept the Lucens Guidelines. The Lucens Guidelines were specifically designed to assist a country in developing a strategy to reduce military use of schools. You can add your voice and call on UN Ambassadors to increase adherence to the guidelines here. Alternatively, other relevant legislation, such as that adopted last week in Massachusetts, could be adequate to a given situation.
- Provide psychosocial support when needed. Even if a school is placed in a dangerous situation, it is imperative that damage to the children's development and desire to go to school not be permanently harmed.
- Support educational programs designed to reduce conflict. A leadership program for girls in Nigeria taught them to use the power of words, not fists, when conflict arises, and to accept ideological differences.
- Insist on accountability measures. Without proper accountability, international law or guidelines cannot be effective.
It is important to remember that school is supposed to be a place where a child can feel safe, and a place where he or she can focus on learning and becoming a functioning member of society. This is undoubtedly impossible when a threat of violence looms over what should be a functioning classroom.
For more information on school safety, take a look at the website for the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack.
