Protection of Civilians: Stefanile (Italy), “attacks on schools must stop”

NEW YORK, MAY 28 – In the framework of the Week for the Protection of Civilians underway at the United Nations, Italy addressed today at a high-level event on the protection of schools from attacks. The meeting was organized by Norway, Argentina, Nigeria, Qatar, Spain, Uruguay and by Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack.

“In conflict areas, schools continue to be exposed to the risk of attacks and/or are used for military purposes, while children, also because of the pandemic, are unable to attend lessons and are therefore even more exposed to violence, abuse and marginalization. The commitment to access to education and to the protection of schools therefore assumes particular relevance in the context of humanitarian emergency situations such as the one we are facing”, the the Italian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Stefano Stefanile, told the meeting.

On the occasion of the Fifth Anniversary of the Safe Schools Declaration, Stefanile recalled Italy’s support to this important document, as well as to the two Additional Protocols to the Convention International on the Rights of the Child dedicated to children and armed conflicts.

The Ambassador strongly condemned the attacks on populations and civil infrastructures, including schools, highlighting Italy’s commitment, also in the context of his last mandate in the Security Council in 2017, to encourage the implementation and full respect of the relevant instruments of international law and to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on access to education.

Today the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 74/275 entitled “International Day to Protect Education from Attack”. The resolution proclaims 9^th of  September as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. It reaffirms the right to education for all and the importance of ensuring safe and enabling learning environments in humanitarian emergencies.

To read the text of Ambassador Stefanile’s speech, please click here. (@OnuItalia)