UNESCO / GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT

UNESCO's 2011 Global Monitoring Report to be released tomorrow warns that armed conflict is robbing 28 million children of an education by exposing them to widespread rape and other sexual violence, targeted attacks on schools and other human rights abuses. The report cautions that the world is not on track to achieve by 2015 the six ‘Education for All' goals that over 160 countries signed up to in 2000. UNESCO

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:03
• Production Date: 28 February 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION - UNESCO
• Subject Topical: EDUCATION; EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS
• MAMS Id: U110228h

Description

STORY: UNESCO / GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT
TRT: 2:03
SOURCE: UNESCO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: FEBRUARY 2011, PARIS, FRANCE / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – 2011, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

1. Various shots, displaced population
2. Various shots, displaced children in classroom

FEBRUARY 2011, PARIS, FRANCE

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kevin Watkins, Director, Education for all Global Monitoring Report, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization:
“We document one country after another; the Sudan, Chad, Centre Africa Republic, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan where armed groups are acting with impunity in carrying out acts rapes and sexual violence against children; this is a criminal act. There are clear violation of the international responsibility on governments and non-government actors to protect children. And so we call in the report on governments to act to defend Human Rights.”

FILE – 2011, JORDAN

4. Various shots, refugee children and Jordanian children in a public school

FEBRUARY 2011, PARIS, FRANCE

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kevin Watkins, Director, Education for all Global Monitoring Report, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization:
“In research we carried out of the report we interviewed parents and children in conflict affected countries that are making the most extraordinary, heroic, efforts to get their children in education. These families who have lost everything, who are living in camps for displaced people, who are living on river banks, who are trying to recreate schools, these families who are giving their best shot; you couldn’t say the same for the International aid community. Education gets something like two percent in total of humanitarian aid. No sector has a bigger shortfall between requests of humanitarian aid and the delivery of humanitarian aid. That is an indefensible position so we call for major increase in humanitarian aid for education.”

FILE – 2011, COLOMBIA

6. Various shots, displaced children in public school

Storyline

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) latest report warned that armed conflict is robbing 28 million children of an education by exposing them to widespread rape and other sexual violence, targeted attacks on schools and other human rights abuses.

The report, which is called “The hidden crisis: Armed conflict and education” cautioned that the world is not on track to achieve the six Education for All goals by 2015. In 2000, over 160 countries signed up to achieve the goals and although there has been progress in many areas, most of the goals will be missed by a wide margin especially in regions riven by conflict.

Kevin Watkins from UNESCO said that the report calls on government “to act to defend human rights” especially in countries like Sudan, Chad, Centre Africa Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan “where armed groups are acting with impunity in carrying out acts rapes and sexual violence against children.”

Thirty-five countries were affected by armed conflict from 1999 to 2008. Children and schools are on the front line of these conflicts, with classrooms, teachers and pupils seen as legitimate targets.

In Afghanistan, at least 613 attacks on schools were recorded in 2009, up from 347 in 2008. Insurgents in north-western Pakistan have made numerous attacks on girls’ schools including one in which 95 girls were injured. In Northern Yemen, 220 schools were destroyed, damaged or looted during fighting in 2009 and 2010 between government and rebel forces.

The report sets out a comprehensive agenda for change, including tougher action against human rights violations, an overhaul of global aid priorities, strengthened rights for displaced people and more attention to the ways education failures can increase the risk of conflict.

Watkins said research carried out with “parents and children in conflict affected countries” showed that many “are making the most extraordinary, heroic, efforts to get their children in education.”

He said that “you couldn’t say the same for the international aid community” adding that “education gets something like two percent in total of humanitarian aid.”

The report also warned that the humanitarian aid system is failing children, and called for a major overhaul in aid to education in conflict-affected countries. Financing for humanitarian pooled funds must be increased to USD2 billion to cover shortfalls in education financing.