Those who target schools, children with impunity must be held into account: India tells UNSC

India has called for stronger accountability for attacks on schools and children in conflict zones telling the United Nations Security Council that protecting children is incomplete unless those responsible for such violations are brought to justiceAddressing the UN Security Councils open debate on Strengthening the Prevention of and Protection of Education for Children Affected by Armed Conflict From Normative Commitments to Effective Implementation Indias Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni stressed the importance of safeguarding childrens right to education even during armed conflictsHe said protecting education is essential for ensuring longterm peace and rebuilding societies affected by warIndia calls for accountability for attacks on childrenHighlighting the importance of education during conflict Parvathaneni said Education is a right that should endure in times of conflict It is a right whose fulfilment is among the most powerful contributions to lasting peace India remains unwavering in its commitment to protecting children in armed conflict and to upholding their right to learn to grow and to realise their full potentialHe further emphasised that accountability must accompany efforts to protect childrenProtection without accountability is incomplete Those who target schools and children with impunity must be held to accountIndias intervention came during a Security Council debate focused on strengthening global efforts to protect education in areas affected by armed conflictUN report highlights alarming rise in violationsReferring to the UN SecretaryGenerals latest report on Children and Armed Conflict India noted the sharp rise in violations against children worldwideAccording to the report the United Nations verified 38558 grave violations affecting 24174 children in 2025 the highest number recorded since the reporting mechanism was establishedThe report also noted that the number of children subjected to multiple grave violations increased from 3137 in 2024 to 3176 in 2025It further stated that government forces accounted for the majority of verified grave violations and were the principal perpetrators of the killing and maiming of children attacks on schools and hospitals and denial of humanitarian accessIndia highlights scale of global education crisisCiting the findings of the report Parvathaneni said attacks on educational institutions had risen sharply over the past yearThese figures are a damning verdict on humanitys collective failure to translate commitments into reality on the ground he saidHe pointed out that nearly 473 million childrenmdashmore than one in six globallymdasheither live in or have fled conflict zones while more than 85 million children currently have no access to educationThe ambassador stressed that protecting a childs education is critical to safeguarding the future of societies affected by conflictIndia highlights constitutional commitment to educationParvathaneni said governments bear the primary responsibility for protecting childrens rights and ensuring access to educationHe noted that in India the Right to Education is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution providing free and compulsory education up to the age of 14 yearsHe also highlighted the governments DIKSHA Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing platform saying it has expanded access to quality education through digital content and artificial intelligenceenabled learning tools in multiple languagesDigital learning can bridge disruptions during conflictsHighlighting Indias experience during the COVID19 pandemic Parvathaneni said digital technology can play a vital role in ensuring continuity of education during emergenciesOur domestic commitment to ensure access to affordable and quality education also shapes our engagement on this issue internationally he saidHe added Our experience has convinced us that access to digital learning can be the bridge that helps children access education during conflictsThe ambassador also stressed the importance of investing in education for refugees and displaced communitiesIndia has made sustained investments in facilitating education for refugees and displaced communities from across our neighbourhood recognising that continuity of learning is among the most powerful tools for resilience and recoveryHe noted that India has also supported the rebuilding of schools and vocational training centres in several countries including those in its neighbourhood as part of its broader commitment to strengthening education systems in conflictaffected regionsWith inputs from PTI