Government security forces and non-state armed groups are often attracted by the location, solid structure, and ready facilities found in schools, universities, and other education institutions. They have used these sites in a variety of ways, including as military bases, shelters, weapons caches, and outposts, with their use lasting weeks, months, and even years. Such military use not only seriously disrupts students’ education, it also provokes attacks from opposing forces.

Between 2006 and 2010, armed forces used, including completely occupying, education institutions in Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad,  Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Georgia, India, Iraq, Libya, Nepal,  Occupied Palestinian Territories/Israel, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Uganda, Yemen.

Such use can result in the following:

• Long-term school closures
• Displacement of students to schools away from their home communities
• Declines in student attendance, enrollment, and transitions to higher levels
• Declines in availability of teachers
• Attacks by opposing parties and destruction and damage of education infrastructure
• Psychosocial impacts on students, teachers, and communities
• Disproportional impacts on marginalized groups

Restricting the use of education institutions by militaries and armed groups is critical for ensuring that education continues during and after conflict. The initiative is intended to restrict, in both policy and practice, use of education institutions by military and other armed actors during conflict and insecurity.

In order to develop evidenced-based advocacy and identify best practices in programming, protection, and legal work, the initiative will promote the following:

• Building knowledge around and facilitating information exchange about the use of education institutions by armed forces
• Ensuring collaboration among multiple and diverse stakeholders, including those engaged in research and field operations
• Initiating advocacy that applies the research toward developing domestic and international policies and programs aimed at restricting use of education institutions by armed forces.

For further information please see GCPEA's 2012 study: Lessons in War: Military Use of Schools and Other Education Institutions during Conflict