Media Conference on Protecting Schools, 29 July 2018, Kabul Afghanistan.

Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief and Development (ACBAR) with technical support of ANEC, Save the Children, Swedish Committee for Afghanistan and other CSOs conducted the conference to highlight the importance of protecting education facilities by government and civilians. The joint press release highlights the problems as well as recommendations to stackholders.

The NGO community is concerned about a recent increase in attacks against schools and education personnel in parts of the country.

This works against 18 years of progress that has been made in developing education in Afghanistan, as it endangers the lives and safety of Afghan children and their teachers, and undermines citizens trust and faith in their education system.

Education is highly affected in conflict areas throughout the country. Also, there is a significant increase of election-related violence as 60% of all designated voter registration centers and polling stations are located in schools.

Therefore we recommend that: 

• The Afghan government should implement the Oslo Safe Schools Declaration (2015);
• International Development Partners should prioritize education as part of their humanitarian response;
• The Afghan government and its national and international development partners should increase investments towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, ensuring that all Afghan boys and girls can complete primary education of good quality by 2030;
• Relationships between communities and schools are strengthened through targeted government action – this will help to protect schools and make them more resilient in the face of attacks;
• The Afghan government should reform the Election Law (2016) and not designate schools and clinics for voter registration and polling;
• The Afghan government should address citizenship education, dialogue, peace-building and conflict transformation in school curricula violence in schools and their communities to break the circle of violence within and between Afghan communities.

Education Under Attack Report 2018

ENGLISH ACBAR Press Release Protecting Education 29 July 2018_IK and TMW1

Safe Schools Declaration