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“Since wars are born in the hearts of men, it is in their hearts that the fortress of peace must be built” – these are the founding statutes of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) drawn up in 1945. States put the issue of education and conflict in its true context, a message that concerns the whole world, meaning that only through education can peace be promoted, thus achieving stability and development, which confirms the importance of education. Always strengthening international awareness and understanding and spreading tolerance, work and recognition of human rights, including education, in times of peace, before, during and after conflicts and wars.
Through education, all the risks, damage and threats that occur in its absence can be restored and overcome, especially since many countries and regions in the world today are experiencing situations of instability, conflict and challenges, so it is necessary to recognize the need to protect education from attacks that lead to the closure of schools, suspension of learning, attacks on students and teachers and their displacement, but it not only destroys these institutions but also provides housing and shelter for those fleeing conflicts, which is what we are unfortunately witnessing in parts of the Arab region.
Education, its continuity and protection during conflict, is therefore one of the most important global sustainable development goals and agendas for 2030, especially since around 50% of children deprived of education around the world live in areas of conflict and armed unrest.
Nevertheless, protecting education from attacks is of paramount importance to the State of Qatar under the wise leadership of the country’s Emir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, “May God protect and preserve him”, and the directives of His Highness the Wise Qatar, especially for Qatar to act as a neutral and reliable mediator in various disputes. In addition, Qatar has always made investing in quality education one of its top priorities at both the national and international levels.
As the protection of education from attacks and conflict zones is an issue of great importance to the State of Qatar, it has given it great importance from the outset and made it one of its top priorities, and was launched in 2010 with the support and guidance of the State of Qatar. His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Education Above All Foundation, issued a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly on “The Right to Education”, which led to Qatar taking the lead in issuing a groundbreaking UN resolution on the right to education in emergencies, as a large proportion of the world’s out-of-school children live in conflict-affected areas.
The resolution, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly, recognizes the human right to education and access to education during crises and conflicts and urges States to support this right as an integral part of humanitarian assistance and response and to comply with their obligations under international law to respect civilians and civilian objects and to refrain from targeting teachers, students and educational facilities.
Every year on September 9, the world celebrates the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, which was established based on a draft resolution submitted by the State of Qatar to the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which was unanimously adopted and approved in 2017. In May 2020, entitled “International Day to Protect Educational Institutions from Attack”, it stipulates that September 9 of each year will be the “International Day to Protect Educational Institutions from Attack” and urges the international community to alleviate the plight of students affected by armed conflicts.
The world still remembers with pride and fondness the announcement by the country’s Emir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in September 2018, of the State of Qatar’s commitment to provide quality education to one million girls by 2021, a milestone in the history of international development initiatives, on … Providing quality education for girls and women in developing countries.
Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Education Above All Foundation, also played a prominent and pioneering role in the approval of the World Day for the Protection of Education by the United Nations General Assembly, which is a testament to the country’s commitment to affirming the right of all to quality education, working to ensure the well-being of millions of children and making education a top priority to ensure the safety and protection of educational institutions and access to quality education for people in conflict areas.
The adoption of the Qatar draft resolution, celebrated for the fourth time this year in a row by the world, represents recognition of the importance of ensuring quality education at all levels and of ensuring a safe learning environment in emergencies and armed conflict.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, stressed that the State of Qatar attaches great importance to quality education not only at the national level but also at the international level. Many initiatives launched by Qatar in this context, especially in protecting education from attacks and conflict zones, have been accepted and praised around the world.
Nuaimi appreciated the efforts and initiatives of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in the field of education and in protecting education from attacks worldwide, especially in conflict zones, and the broad international education was welcomed and praised as it meets the educational needs and aspirations of millions of children and youth who have been deprived of educational opportunities due to armed conflicts around the world, which in turn contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.
His Excellency pointed out that the Education Above All Foundation and its various programmes, such as Educate a Child, are considered a model to be emulated at the international level due to their recognized role in disseminating learning and knowledge and achieving educational goals for groups disenfranchised and marginalized by conflict, which is also considered an investment in the human factor and awareness-raising, which in turn can avoid conflicts, tensions and poverty, and promote development.
He praised the existing cooperation between Qatar and UNESCO in these areas and the partnership between them in support of education and everything related to the Organization’s mission and work.
Among Qatar’s educational initiatives in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, international institutions stand out, headed by the Education Above All Foundation, launched in 2012 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser, under whose umbrella several international projects are carried out such as /Educate Children, Al Fakhoora and Protecting Education in Conflict Conditions and Asia/Rota Lack of Security and Good Help.
These programs work to ensure that all children in developing countries, especially those who are not in school, benefit from the right to education and address education issues through capacity building, resource allocation, and special efforts to reach the world’s most vulnerable groups. Mobilize and build multi-sectoral alliances and partnerships.
In a related context, it is important to note that Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Education Above All Foundation, signed an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris in February 2018 to provide education to more than 150,000 children who are not in school in the Middle East and Asia, as well as other important related agreements to provide education to millions of children, thus expanding the partnership between the State of Qatar and the Organization to cover many regions. As well as the many important strategic initiatives and partnerships launched by the State of Qatar in this regard.
The Education Above All Foundation has educated 15 million children to date, surpassing its 2018 goal of educating 10 million children, and continues to highlight the need for innovative solutions to the crisis where education is under attack.
The Education Above All Foundation works with its partners to achieve its goals. Currently, 67 million children are out of school, meaning that one in six primary school-age children worldwide are deprived of their right to an education due to poverty, conflict, displacement, discrimination, disability and other barriers.
Everyone around the world knows the Foundation’s pioneering role in the global movement to stop attacks on education and protect education as a human right in times of conflict, with a focus on conflict-affected and marginalized communities.
In addition to managing the Global Innovation Program and the Together project in Qatar, the Foundation works with about 100 partners through the four projects mentioned above, while developing and supporting emergency curricula specifically designed for children whose lives have been disrupted by conflict and displacement, ensuring access to quality, equitable and comprehensive education for all, especially for societies experiencing armed conflict and insecurity, advocating to ensure accountability and end the culture of impunity for attacks on education, and empowering rights holders. In addition to psychological and social reading skills, the knowledge and skills needed to defend the right to education also contribute to building more peaceful, equitable and prosperous societies.
As for the Educate a Child program, a successful example and outstanding partnership between the Foundation and the United Nations, the program was established in 2012 to reduce the number of children around the world who lack basic education. Ten years later, the program has supported more than 15 million children worldwide, contributing to significant and real change, thus helping to strengthen societies and build a more sustainable world for children who do not have access to primary education.
The strategy of the initiative is to work with global partners to develop strategic partnerships and create innovative solutions to remove barriers that prevent them from obtaining quality education, in addition to providing basic needs for students, such as comprehensive vaccination programs and the provision of meals and water, through the Vaccine Alliance and food security programs.
These successes achieved by the Education Above All Foundation through the Educate Children program have encouraged the launch of a new strategy called Zero Child Out of School, which aims to reduce the percentage of children out of school to zero in several countries, and the program is currently working with several governments to achieve this goal.
Education itself is a fundamental human right that must be enjoyed by all people at all times, especially in emergencies where education is seen as a lifeline for those caught in conflict zones or displaced in remote displaced persons and refugee camps.
In recognition of this fundamental principle, the State of Qatar has been and remains one of the main supporters and proponents of the Safe Schools Declaration since it was launched in 2015, knowing that this can only be achieved by ending armed conflict, and that to achieve this goal, everyone must take concrete steps to ensure the safety of students and teachers and provide all support for the transformation of education in a changing world characterized by instability in many regions, and adopt a multidimensional approach that puts education first in terms of policy formulation, financing, allocation, provision of aid, protection of schools, universities and all educational facilities from attacks, and recognition of their civilian nature, to ensure that they always remain safe havens that promote peace, development and stability.
In this context, the State of Qatar has established partnerships with regional organizations and many international partners to strengthen the protection of children affected by conflict and prevent any violations against them, and has taken other relevant initiatives to recognize the attention of Qatar and the international community to armed conflicts. Prolonged conflicts pose many devastating obstacles to learning, especially today, and have a negative impact on the future of entire generations, especially children and the most vulnerable, which requires everyone to respect, support and enjoy the right to education, especially in situations of armed conflict and insecurity.
Nevertheless, the importance of the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attack, observed every September 9, has become apparent as a result of Qatar’s efforts to raise awareness of the suffering of millions of children affected by conflict zones and the situations they face. Support is urgently needed in the field of education, while confirming the commitment to protect the right to education in times of conflict, as well as to protect education from the effects of persistent deliberate attacks and widespread armed violence to which children are subjected in different regions of the world. It also requires strengthening joint action to create a more sustainable and just future for a generation that has access to education and knowledge without discrimination in times of peace and conflict.
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