Education "is a fundamental right for children that must always be guaranteed and protected," even in armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies, Italy stated on Thursday - UN International Day for the Protection of Education from Armed Attack.
"Schools must be refuges from abuse, violence and recruitment by armed groups and tools to build peaceful and inclusive societies," said a statement by the foreign ministry.
"Italy works in all relevant forums to bring protecting education from armed attacks to the international community's attention," the statement said.
Italy works with UN agencies, with the Red Cross and Red Crescent and with civil society organisations to guarantee the right to education in conflict areas, and continues to promote numerous awareness-raising events within the main UN human rights bodies, the statement underlined.
An Italian initiative to allow children to live in safety and enjoy their rights, including education, during armed conflict, received the largest number of endorsements from other governments and civil society organisations during the Red Cross and Red Crescent Quadrennial Conference (Geneva, 9-12 December 2019).
Italy also worked towards the 2015 Declaration on Safe Schools' to protect students, school staff and buildings in times of war "also given the 4th 'International Conference on Safe Schools' in Abuja on 25-28 October," the statement concluded.
