The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that armed conflicts across the Middle East and North Africa are increasingly threatening children’s right to education, as schools are damaged or destroyed, families are displaced and thousands of students face prolonged disruption to their learning.
UNICEF said ongoing violence has led to the bombing and destruction of schools, while some educational facilities have been converted into shelters for displaced families or used for military purposes, depriving children of access to safe and stable learning environments.
In other areas, schools have been left without students as families flee violence, while many children are unable to reach their classrooms or have been forced to abandon their education altogether.
The consequences of school closures and destruction extend beyond lost learning, UNICEF said, warning that children are also deprived of the safety, stability and sense of routine that schools can provide, while facing lasting psychological and social consequences from conflict.
“Education should not be another victim of conflict,” the agency said, affirming that access to education is a fundamental right that must be protected and ensured even during wars and humanitarian crises.
UNICEF called for greater protection of schools and children from the impact of armed conflict, urging all parties to prevent educational facilities from being used for military purposes and to ensure that students can continue learning in safe environments.
The agency said protecting children’s right to education was a shared responsibility, warning that prolonged conflict and the disruption of schooling could have lasting consequences for both children and the wider societies in which they live.
