ReliefWeb

Summary

This case study highlights some of the effects of violence on education in Palestine between January 2019 and September 2021, based on an analysis of Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt) Education Cluster data. For example, teargas and other weapons firing injured at least 480 students and teaching staff and affected at least 9,650 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during that time-period. Furthermore, explosive weapons affected at least 305 schools and kindergartens in Palestine between January 2019 and September 2021. During an escalation of hostilities in May 2021, around a quarter of all schools in Gaza were damaged due to air-launched or ground-launched bombardments.

This case study also highlights how oPt Education Cluster partners utilized data on attacks on education for a timely and holistic response to such attacks. These approaches may be adapted to similar contexts of violent attacks on students, teachers, and education facilities.

Recommendations

• Parties to the conflict should protect the civilian character of schools and universities and cease attacks and threats of attacks against students, teachers, and educational facilities, including by implementing the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict.

• Encourage cooperation between government and humanitarian and development partners on collecting and reporting data on attacks on education.

• Integrate needs assessments and incident-level data into humanitarian planning and programs at all stages.

• “Build back better” after attacks on education and ensure funding not only to repair but to improve schools and make them safer and more inclusive to all students and educators.

• Avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas, including near schools or universities or along routes to or from them, and develop operational policy based on a presumption against such use.

• Use GCPEA’s Toolkit for Collecting and Analyzing Data on Attacks on Education to strengthen information gathering and sharing on attacks on education, including attacks with explosive weapons.