UNESCO is focusing on the growing number of targeted military and political attacks on education. Violence affects students, teachers, education staff, officials and institutions. Have you heard that targeted attacks on education hit 32 member states of the United Nation between January 2007 and June 2009? Did you know that the number of child soldiers is estimated at around 250 000 worldwide? Are you aware of the fact that nearly 300 schools were reportedly blown up by Maoist rebels in India during the past three years? How would you assess that the number of attacks on schools, students and staff nearly tripled in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008, up from 242 to 670?

Two studies have been published simultaneously on assessing the present situation, calling for action by raising awareness on targeted attacks in the field of education. “Education under Attack 2010” focusses on the systematic nature of the crimes, its motives and purposes, as well as the effects and consequences of attacks in a wide social, economic and political context. “Protecting Education from Attack” deals with international law, interventions, prevention and response, taking a critical point of view.

Although the worst-affected countries are Afghanistan, Colombia, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Nepal, the Palestinian Autonomous Territories, Thailand and Zimbabwe, the attacks can increase in Europe and other parts of the globalised world. Both reports intend to explore inevitable topics and highlight current and extremely serious issues which should be much more intensively dealt with.

The PDF versions of the publications can be downloaded via UNESCO website.

UNESCO

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