(UN News Centre) 21 May 2014 — Every child has a right to education and health, the United Nations today said launching a guidance note to assist the people monitoring, reporting and working to prevent attacks against schools and hospitals.
“We see that attacks on schools, hospitals and associated staff have become an all-too-familiar aspect of today’s conflicts,” the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui said at today’s launch.
“We have seen it, we know what it is, and now we have to stop it.”
The Guidance Note on Attacks against Schools and Hospitals provides practical information for the UN and its partners on how to implement aspects of Security Council resolution 1998. Adopted in 2011, the resolution gives the UN a mandate to identify and list the armed forces and groups who attack schools or hospitals, or protected persons in relation to schools and hospitals.
The publication of this guidance is the first step in a program of training and technical accompaniment by all agencies and organizations present with us today, Ms. Zerrougui said referring to partners who helped to draft the guide the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
The document spells out how these UN agencies and partners can assist parties to conflict to more fully respect children’s rights to education and health care with practical activities. It also provides examples of good practices, which may be followed in strengthening Government response.
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