Zambia among 15 safe schools endorsers

Zambia is among 15 African countries that have endorsed the safe schools declaration.

Other countries that have endorsed the declaration are central Africa republic ,Chad ,Cote D’ivoire, Kenya,Liberia,Madagascar,Mozambique ,Niger,Nigeria,Serria leone,Somalia,South Africa, South Sudan and Sudan.

The Safe Schools Declaration is a political and practical initiative to reduce the impact of conflict on education. It was first endorsed by governments at the Oslo conference on safe schools convened by the Norwegian ministry of foreign affairs in May 2015.

Speaking during a side event organized by Save the Children international ahead of the African Union peace and security council meeting, permanent representative to the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Ambassador Susan sikaneta who chaired the meeting said the impact of armed conflict on education presents urgent humanitarian and wider social challenges, therefore Zambia saw it prudent to endorse the declaration.

Ambassador Sikaneta says it is important for member states and other stakeholders to advocate for the endorsement of the Safe Schools Declaration in order to promote and protect the right to education and facilitate the continuation of education in situations of armed conflicts.

She noted that the continuation of education could provide life-saving information as well as advice on specific risks in societies facing armed conflict.

Meanwhile, Save the Children international African Union and Pan African office representative Doris Mpoumou commended the work of the united nations security council on promoting the rights and welfare of children during armed conflict and acknowledged the importance of the monitoring and reporting mechanisms that seek to address grave violations against children in armed conflict.

This is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian embassy in Ethiopia Naomi Chulu.