Statement from ICRC President Peter Maurer on the need to protect education from attack during armed conflict and violence.
The humanitarian imperative is clear: children need to be in schools, even during armed conflict. It is crucial to protect education from attack, and it is also possible.
According to international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian objects must be protected from attack. Armed actors must take all feasible precautions to avoid or minimize damage from attacks.
But beyond respect for legal obligations under humanitarian law, protecting education also requires political will. It is about defining policies, creating guidance, and empowering decision-makers to better protect education in the midst of armed conflict and violence.
The ICRC stands ready to support all actors in their efforts to protect education from attack.
