Attacks on education during the first 100 days of war in Ukraine show why the world needs to act in holding those accountable
The war in Ukraine turns 100 days this week. Throughout the course of the last three months, attacks targeting civilian populations and infrastructure have become a recurring theme.
The Ukrainian government says that least 1,888 educational spaces, including nurseries, schools and universities, have been damaged or destroyed in the last 100 days alone, killing many and leaving millions of children and youth unable to continue learning.
While such attacks usually make headlines, their longer-term impact on students, educators and communities often takes its toll long after the conflict fades from the spotlight. The impact ripples through society and threatens the education and development of an entire generation in Ukraine.
We must not allow this to happen for Ukraine, or anywhere else. We cannot allow attacks on education to become a routine and normalised part of conflict. We must work together to stop attacks on education.
Education Above All calls on the international community to come together and hold responsible the perpetrators of these attacks. The international community united when Member States unanimously passed United Nation Security Council Resolution 2601 that condemns attacks against schools, children and teachers and calls on national state authorities to take action by creating legal measures in their own countries to protect education from attack.
Now is the time to build on that momentum. Now is the time to act.
Education is a fundamental human right, and children and youth must always be able to access learning, irrespective of their circumstances. EAA believes that only way to ensure children and young people are able to exercise this right in times of conflict is if the international is unified and takes action to hold those who attack education accountable under the law.
For media inquiries please contact:
Carly Walsh
Media Specialist
Education Above All
Email: cwalsh@eaa.org.qa
Mobile: +974 6602 5166
