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Military Use of Schools


Military Use of Schools is a term used to refer to the various activities that national armed forces and non-state armed groups carry out in and around schools, universities, and other education facilities, in support of their military effort. Examples of this include using a school or a university as barracks or bases, for offensive or defensive deployments, for storage of weapons or ammunition, for military training of soldiers, as observation posts, and as a detention facility.

The United Nations Security Council has encouraged all "Member States to take concrete measures to deter such use of schools by armed forces and armed groups."

According to the UN Secretary-General: "The use of schools for military purposes puts children at risk of attack and hampers children’s right to education... Such use of schools not only results in reduced enrolment and high drop out rates, especially among girls, but also may lead to schools being considered legitimate targets for attack."

According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, between 2005 and 2015 there were instances of military use of schools in Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

The 2016 UN Secretary-General’s Children and Armed Conflict report documented military use of schools in 14 countries by at least 10 national armed forces and multiple armed groups. According to the report, the following groups used schools for military purposes during 2015: Afghan National Defence and Security Forces as well as the Taliban and an ISIL-affiliated group in Afghanistan; former Séléka factions in the Central African Republic; the Colombian military and the FARC-EP in Colombia; the Congolese armed forces and armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the Iraqi security forces and ISIL in Iraq; the Darnah Mujahideen Shura Council in Libya; armed groups in Mali; the Tatmadaw (government armed forces) in Myanmar; the Nigerian security forces and Boko Haram in Nigeria; the Armed Forces of the Philippines and paramilitary groups, and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the Philippines; the Somali National Army in Somalia; the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and other government forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition in South Sudan; government forces in Syria; Houthi forces, popular committees, and unknown armed groups in Yemen.


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