India has called for accountability for those who attack schools and children in conflict situations, asserting that protection must be coupled with responsibility. During a recent open debate at the UN Security Council focused on the safeguarding of education for children affected by armed conflict, Indian representatives emphasised that education should be secure, even in times of war.

Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, articulated that education is an inherent right that should persist during conflicts. He voiced that fulfilling this right contributes significantly to establishing lasting peace. India’s resolve to protect children in armed conflict encompasses ensuring their right to learn, grow, and achieve their full potential.

Statistics Highlighting the Issue

In his address, Parvathaneni referred to the UN Secretary-General’s forthcoming 2025 Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict. This report is expected to reveal disturbing trends, including a 44 per cent increase in attacks on educational institutions within a single year. The Secretary-General’s latest findings documented an unprecedented number of children impacted by violations in armed conflict.

The report details that there were 38,558 grave violations against children, affecting 24,174 individuals, comprising 15,493 boys and 7,990 girls, alongside 691 whose gender remains unspecified. Furthermore, the count of children encountering multiple grave violations increased from 3,137 in 2024 to 3,176 in 2025. These figures illustrate the catastrophic humanitarian impact of armed conflict on the young population.

The UN report further indicated that parties engaged in conflict often disregarded their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws. Government forces were noted as the primary violators, responsible for a substantial number of serious violations, including attacks on schools and hospitals.

India’s Commitment to Education

Parvathaneni highlighted that an estimated 473 million children globally are living in or fleeing conflict regions, with more than 85 million lacking access to education. He labelled these statistics as a grave indictment of the international community’s inability to act on commitments to protect children’s rights. He stressed that safeguarding a child’s education equates to securing a nation’s future and that governments must prioritise the protection and promotion of children’s rights.

In the context of India, the Right to Education is enshrined as a fundamental right in the Constitution, ensuring free and compulsory education for children up to the age of 14. To improve access to quality education, India has launched DIKSHA, a national digital platform designed to enhance learning through interactive content and AI tools in various languages.

India’s efforts to ensure accessible and quality education domestically inform its international engagements. The nation has leveraged digital technology as a crucial means of facilitating education, particularly during disruptions such as the Covid pandemic. Parvathaneni mentioned that digital learning can effectively bridge the gap for children during conflicts.

He further observed that consistent investment in education for those most adversely affected by conflict is vital. India has dedicated resources to support educational initiatives for refugees and displaced populations from neighbouring countries, recognising the importance of continuity in learning as a key mechanism for resilience and recovery. Additionally, India has made efforts to rebuild educational infrastructure, such as schools and vocational training centres, in various nations, including those nearby.

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