Statement by H.E. Mher Margaryan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, at the UN Security Council Arria Formula Meeting “Protection of Education in Conflict”

06 December, 2021

Madam Chair,

We thank the delegations of Norway and Niger for convening this meeting on a very pertinent topic. We highly appreciate the presence of HRH Crown Prince of Norway, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Gamba and other briefers for sharing their perspectives on addressing the complex challenges related to the protection of education from attack in conflict situations.

Protection of children’s right to education is a long-standing priority for Armenia, as reflected in our national policies, as well as within the framework of our international cooperation aimed at the implementation of the commitments under the Safe Schools Declaration. Among the number of areas of our partnership with the ICRC is the creation of shelters and safe rooms in schools and kindergartens, training of children and education personnel on the risk awareness and safer behavior and providing of psychosocial support to help them deal with stress and trauma.

Despite the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Secretary-General’s appeal for an immediate global ceasefire, last year was marked by escalation of violence and hostilities, accompanied with attacks on schools and hospitals, which aggravated existing vulnerabilities of the children trapped in conflict and negatively affected their human rights, including the right to education.

Madam Chair,

In our region, the violence unleashed amidst the global pandemic with the involvement of mercenaries and terrorists from the Middle East has caused immense suffering, destruction and displacement of thousands of people. Targeted attacks on the educational institutions led to the destruction of 18 schools and 6 kindergardens in Nagorno-Karabakh, depriving 28 thousand children of their right to education.

The obstruction and denial of safe and unhindered humanitarian access to the conflict zone grossly undermines the efforts of international community aimed at comprehensive assessment of the humanitarian and protection needs and the human rights situation of the Nagorno-Karabakh population.

The continuous attacks and infiltration by the neighboring country into the territory of Armenia since May this year have disrupted the normal life in the border communities, having severely undermined the security of the civilian population and the realization of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right of children to receive education in a safe and secure environment.

As a co-sponsor of the Security Council Resolution 2601 adopted in October this year, Armenia reiterates the imperative to safeguard, protect and promote the right to education, including in armed conflict, and urges Member States to ensure that attacks and threats of attacks against schools and educational facilities are investigated and those responsible are duly prosecuted, as highlighted in the resolution 2601.

Madam Chair,

Armenia reiterates its strong commitment to protect the education from attack, in line with the Safe Schools Declaration, as well as the provisions outlined in the Paris Principles and the Vancouver Principles, which our country has endorsed.

We support the efforts of the Special Representative to create synergy among the UN agencies, regional organizations, and international human rights bodies in streamlining and integrating the activities of the international community around the crucial goal of protecting children and ensuring their inalienable right to education.

I thank you.

The statement is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jRo8H-UEBc.

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