Timely and accurate monitoring and reporting on attacks on education is crucial for responding to attacks, for holding perpetrators accountable, and for seeking to prevent attacks from occurring in the first place.
Steering Committee
The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack counts among its steering committee members many of the most important international human rights and education organizations in the world. The member organizations contribute unique capacities to GCPEA.
Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA)
An independent international charity that defends and assists persecuted academics to rebuild their lives and careers in safety, CARA supports academics that have fled to the UK and has specific programmes related to Iraq and Zimbabwe. It was founded in 1933 and has assisted 18 Nobel Laureates. On the Steering Committee CARA represents the interests of organizations involved in protecting academics, students, and higher education from attacks.
www.academic-refugees.org
Education Above All
Education Above All is Qatar-based international NGO focused on the protection of education in times of armed conflict and insecurity. A policy research and advocacy organization, it has provided operational funding and expertise and is committed to ongoing support of GCPEA.
Education International
Education International is the world’s largest federation of unions, representing thirty million education employees in about four hundred organizations in one hundred and seventy countries and territories, across the globe. It has the capacity to mobilize support for outreach, networking, and advocacy. Its staff members and consultants participate on GCPEA's working groups.
www.ei-ie.org
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. Its Children’s Rights Division documents attacks on education and advocates for protection. It currently chairs the coalition, houses the GCPEA secretariat, and sponsors internships that serve GCPEA.
www.hrw.org
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. UNHCR contributes expertise in protection and education and access to networks of civil society organizations in affected countries.
www.unhcr.org
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Part of the United Nations System, UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. UNICEF has provided funding for programmatic initiatives in 2011, as well as a global network of program officers involved in working groups and information sharing.
www.unicef.org
Save the Children
An internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, Save the Children provides relief and helps support children in developing countries. It was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts. Some of its staff members are involved in GCPEA working groups.
www.savethechildren.org
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
A specialized agency of the United Nations, UNESCO's stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture. UNESCO furthers universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and the human rights along with fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the UN Charter. UNESCO produced the groundbreaking studies, Education under Attack 2007, Education under Attack 2010, and Protecting Education from Attack: A State-of-the-Art Review 2010. UNESCO provides subject expertise, guidance in research, and staff for GCPEA working groups.
www.unesco.org
Institute of International Education (IIE) (Administrative Partner)
IIE serves as the administrative partner and fiscal agent for GCPEA. It is a private non-profit leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. In collaboration with governments, foundations and other sponsors, IIE creates programs of study and training for students, educators and professionals from all sectors. IIE conducts policy research, provides resources on international exchange opportunities and offers support to scholars in danger.
www.iie.org
Initiatives
In order to protect education from attack, field based practitioners, communities and government education actors in a number of affected countries have developed a range of measures and programs to reduce or prevent attacks on teachers, students and education institutions.
The use of education institutions by militaries and armed groups during situations of conflict and insecurity can disrupt or completely deny education in both the immediate and long terms.