Role of Education in Protecting Children in Conflict

Abstract

Wars deprive millions of children of an education, yet education in emergencies has not traditionally occupied a prominent place in humanitarian thinking. No one dies from not going to school, and other life threatening needs – for food, water, shelter or healthcare – can at first glance seem more pressing. Amid conflict and crisis, education programming has been viewed as a luxury, and a task best left to the development community.

This paper argues for a reappraisal of the position of education in emergency programming. It explores the links between education and the wider protection needs of the children it assists. It suggests that, as protection in conflict emerges more clearly as a legitimate humanitarian concern, so the role of education as a tool of protection must be more clearly understood. How does conflict affect a child 's education, and what impact does this have on an affected individual 's social or cognitive development? In what ways can education enhance the physical and psychosocial protection of children in war-affected or displaced communities? What risks does education programming in these contested environments present, for children and for agencies themselves? What is currently being done, and how could it be done better?

This paper does not offer definitive answers to these questions. Education in emergencies is a young area; the evidence of its impact is often anecdotal, and although its status as a humanitarian concern has gained legitimacy in recent years, it has yet to be accepted across the humanitarian community. Much more needs to be done to enhance our understanding of the links between education and child protection in emergency situations.

The key conclusions of this paper are:

• All children are at risk.
• Education may prevent further risk.
• Education may facilitate the integration of children.
• Organisers and providers of education, such as teachers and youth workers, play an indispensable role in shaping the lives of young people.
• Child protection, while a continuous and ongoing process must constantly be re-evaluated for threats.
• Educational systems and curricula can perpetuate the divisions within a society and fuel a conflict.

Save the Children recommends that:

• Education should be recognised as a core part of child protection.
• Schools and educational facilities should be designated as ‘safe areas'.
• Teachers and organisers of educational activities should be supported in meeting their responsibilities in this area.
• Children should be actors in their own protection.
• Barriers to educational access should be identified and addressed.
• Curricula should encourage peace and respect for human rights.

"Child protection should be an integral part of all emergency education activities, and should be a fundamental criterion in the approval of a programme by NGO staff, host governments and donors. Emergency education is a young and developing field, and there is no consensus among implementing agencies as to what constitutes ‘best practice'. Thus far, there has been little concerted effort to implement education projects which consciously seek to further the aims of child protection. There is a need for in-depth research into education projects that aim to enhance the protection of children. While this paper provides a theoretical overview and a number of examples that illustrate the relationship between sectors, it cannot draw firm conclusions on its own."

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