On 9th September we marked the International Day to Protect Education from Attack with an Online Seminar Protecting Education: Exploring Tools and Actions for Safer Schools on the Comprehensive School Safety Framework, the Safe Schools Declaration, and with insights from the practice.
The International Day to Protect Education from Attack raises awareness about the millions of children and learners whose education is disrupted by conflict and violence and underscores the urgent need for increased efforts and funding to create safe school environments in humanitarian emergencies.
At our seminar, global experts from GADRRRES (Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector), Concern Worldwide, Plan International Ireland and Plan International Cameroon joined us to explore these critical tools to protect education and share their experiences from practice.
We had an exciting speaker line-up and agenda:
- School Safety – Introducing the Comprehensive School Safety Framework & Policy Survey by Anja Nielsen, GADRRRES Advocacy Working Group Co-Chair and Senior Education Policy and Advocacy Adviser at Save the Children UK – Download Presentation
- A Political Commitment to Protect Schools – Introducing the Save Schools Declaration by Renna Bazlen, Education Officer at Concern Worldwide – Download Presentation
- Practical Insights from Cameroon: Education in Emergencies by Kiye Dendi, National Emergency Response Manager at Plan International Cameroon – Download Presentation
- After an attack: Playful Minds for Wellbeing – An MHPSS approach to deal with trauma and restore education by Cristian De Luca, Education in Emergencies Advisor at Plan International Ireland – Download Presentation.
Today, we’re delighted to share with you the recording of the seminar as well as the presentations and talking points of the speakers:
Anja Nielsen and Renna Bazlen offered in-depth introductions to the two tools and the advocacy efforts supporting them.
As our speakers emphasised during the seminar, advocacy remains crucial to urging governments to endorse and implement these important tools. One of the next opportunities is the Africa Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction this October 2024.
Some additional information on the Comprehensive Safe School Framework and the Safe Schools Declaration can be found here:
- Comprehensive Safe School Framework (CSSF)
- Endorsements of the CSSF
- How to endorse the CSSF – for governments and for organisations
- CSS Policy Survey: The policy survey is still running. Each participating country requires a voluntary national survey facilitator (NSF), who will convene school safety stakeholders, support their completion of the survey, and submit responses. Colleagues can reach out to Matteo Valenza if they would like more information on the opportunity to become an NSF.
- About GADRRRES
- How to join GADRRRES
- Save Schools Declaration (SSD)
- Endorsements of the SSD
Kije Dendi and Cristian De Luca, both currently working in Cameroon, demonstrated how these tools impact their on-the-ground work and highlighted the tangible effects of the significant advocacy efforts by GADRRRES, Concern Worldwide, Plan International, and other partner organisations. Their experience shows the real-life impact when governments endorse the framework and declaration and commit to their implementation.
They shared examples of how government forces were trained using these tools and sensitised to the importance of protecting schools from military use. They also provided insights into the tools they develop to provide support to learners, children, and educators to cope with the additional psychological consequences of attacks, fostering resilience and helping to prevent deep trauma.
We would like to extend our deep gratitude to the excellent speakers and for their insightful contributions, wishing all involved all the best in your important work ahead!
And we call on all our supporters and allies to join us and them in championing safe and resilient learning spaces for all learners and educators and to advocate with governments to endorse and implement the CSSF and SSD!
