Six child protection NGOs and UNICEF are raising the alarm today in honor of September 9th, the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attack.

According to UNICEF and child protection NGOs, 11,100 schools are shut down in the central Sahel and Lake Chad Basin as a result of violence or threats against staff members and pupils. Thus, this year's start of school will be denied to hundreds of thousands of kids. In response to this, the seven organizations are urging the Sahelian governments, ECOWAS, and the African Union (AU) to take immediate action, such as passing a resolution prohibiting the use of schools for military purposes or putting the Declaration on School Safety into practice.

"Avoid and take action"
The Safe Schools Declaration is a political, non-binding statement that is supported by practically all Sahelian nations "Emmanuel Dori, Save the Children's regional advocate for human rights in West and Central Africa, says. The execution of this proclamation, which in theory should enable us to take action against the numerous attacks on education and ensure that kids may complete their education in peace, is what we are most looking forward to today. On this ninth of September, we'd like to suggest that putting money into education during times of crisis can help stop the cycle of violence and foster lasting peace. We urge the international community, as well as the African Union and ECOWAS, to devote the resources into providing children whose schools are closed with access to other educational options.

MamP's

© Photo Credits : Journée de Chambly