The Universal Periodic Review and Protecting Education in Conflict – Side event to the 57th HRC session

The right to education is a fundamental human right and indispensable for the exercise of other human rights. Yet, around the world, children and other learners living in conflict zones are being continuously denied this right. Students and education personnel are increasingly exposed to grave human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity. These include indiscriminate attacks on schools, arbitrary killing of students and education personnel, sexual and gender-based violence, and recruitment of children by armed forces or armed groups. Girls and persons with disabilities are uniquely impacted by attacks. The need for better protection of education in conflict is, unfortunately, more pressing than ever.

This HRC 57^th session side event aims to highlight the role that the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process can play in strengthening the protection of education in conflict, for example, through the inclusion in UPR recommendations on the endorsement or implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration and Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict. It also aims to raise awareness on the need for more synergies on the protection of education in conflict across UN Treaty Bodies and UPR.

---