Education Above All Foundation Marks International Day to Protect Education from Attack
This year’s observance comes amid a worsening global education crisis. As of early 2025, 85 million children affected by wars, armed conflict, and emergencies are entirely out of school—a staggering rise from the 72 million reported in 2023. Among these children, 52% are girls, over 20% are children with disabilities (more than 17 million), and approximately 17% (15 million) are forcibly displaced, either as refugees or internally displaced persons. This educational catastrophe is not confined to a few regions—nearly half of all these out of school children are found in just five protracted crisis zones: Sudan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Pakistan. The deliberate targeting and disruption of education systems, from bombing schools to displacing families, are not only violating children's rights but also inflicting enduring damage on societal stability. Without urgent investment in education, these lost years will echo through generations, undermining peace, resilience, and the future of affected communities.
At the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, the EAA Foundation and QatarDebate hosted a special Youth Hub dialogue in Geneva under the theme “Words Uniting Worlds: Action for Education.” The session opened with remarks by Maryam Al Attiyah, Chairperson of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee, and Nada Al Nashif, the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, alongside Patricia Danzi, a senior Swiss official. Moderated by Jennifer Vaughan, spokesperson for the UN Special Envoy for Syria, the dialogue featured youth advocates Noor Al Thani and Ahmad Al Naimi from QatarDebate, as well as Randa Al-Dawoudi and Manveer Singh Sandhu from the EAA–OHCHR Youth Rights Academy. The discussion highlighted how young people worldwide are confronting the growing threats to education in conflict-affected contexts and calling for stronger global accountability to safeguard the right to learn.
The EAA Foundation also unveiled “Reshaping Action”, a powerful multi-format exhibition that confronts the devastating impact of war on education. Through striking photojournalism, immersive installations, and reflective art, the exhibition highlighted the resilience of children and teachers striving to learn amid bombed schools in Gaza and Sudan, underground lessons in Ukraine, and makeshift classrooms in Rohingya refugee camps. More than a showcase of images, Reshaping Action served as a global call to defend the right to learn, urging leaders and the international community to #UniteToProtect education in times of crisis and to stand with the more than 222 million children worldwide whose futures are threatened by conflict and displacement.
The UN International Day to Protect Education from Attack was established through a resolution spearheaded by the State of Qatar and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2020. Supported by 62 countries, the resolution declared 9 September as the UN International Day to Protect Education from Attack, a day dedicated to acknowledging and addressing the global need to safeguard education in conflict zones and against other barriers.
According to the Education Under Attack 2024 report by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), approximately 6,000 attacks on educational institutions occurred worldwide during 2022–2023, marking a 20% increase from the previous two years. These brutal incidents harmed over 10,000 students, teachers, and academic staff, with explosive weapons used in about one-third of these attacks. The most heavily affected nations include Palestine, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Myanmar, while attacks escalated in Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria, and Ukraine and declined in CAR, Libya, Mali, and Mozambique. Broader data from the Trace Portal indicates that from 2020 to 2023, more than 11,000 attacks were recorded globally, affecting over 19,000 learners and educators across 97 countries, underscoring the escalating global threat to education in conflict zones.
As a centre pillar of its advocacy, the EAA Foundation plays a vital role in safeguarding education during crises, aligning with the State of Qatar’s global leadership in championing education as a fundamental human right. To date EAA Foundation has supported over seven million out of school children affected by conflict across 25 countries, with active projects in Gaza, Ukraine, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan, regions where inequality and insecurity continue to deny children their right to education.
For more information, contact EAA Media Specialists.
