UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo noted in her speech that one in five children on the planet — 473 million children — is living in a conflict zone or fleeing from war.
She also emphasized that the number of armed conflicts in the world has reached a record level since World War II. According to the UN, the number of serious violations of children's rights increased by 25% in 2023-2024.
DiCarlo stated that in recent days, schools in Israel, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman have been closed and switched to remote learning due to military actions. There were also reports of possible deaths of dozens of children as a result of a strike on an elementary school in the Iranian city of Minab.
Education as a Key to Salvation
Schools often become the only safe place for children in situations of violence. Education helps protect children from recruitment, human trafficking, and exploitation, as well as providing access to hygiene, psychosocial support, and essential services.In 2024, the UN recorded 2,374 attacks on educational and medical institutions, with the highest number of such incidents occurring in Ukraine, Israel, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Haiti.
The Deputy Secretary-General also reminded of Security Council Resolution 2601 (2021), which calls on conflict parties to immediately cease attacks on educational institutions, children, and teachers, and to respect the right to education under international humanitarian law.
DiCarlo highlighted the contribution of the First Lady of the United States in raising awareness of children's issues in conflict situations and her active involvement in reuniting Ukrainian children with their families.
Technology as a Means of Education
In the context of destroyed infrastructure and a shortage of teachers, with a deficit of 44 million in conflict zones, digital technologies can play an important role in ensuring continuous access to learning.DiCarlo cited examples of initiatives by the UN and its partners. For instance, the "Student Passport," created by UNICEF in collaboration with Microsoft, provides 10 million children in 47 countries access to a mobile educational platform.
Additionally, a program implemented by the Vodafone Foundation in collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency provides access to digital educational content for displaced persons and teachers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. In Afghanistan, UNESCO is using digital technologies to organize home and community-based learning, where 2.2 million girls are excluded from the education system.
Risks in the Digital Space
However, DiCarlo warned about the risks associated with technology. Children in conflict situations are particularly vulnerable to online threats — exploitation, human trafficking, radicalization, recruitment into armed groups, and cyberbullying.She called for strengthening legal and political mechanisms to protect children's rights in the digital space in accordance with international law and emphasized the responsibility of technology companies for the safety of users, especially children and youth.
Preventing Conflicts is the Best Way to Protect
Reducing funding raises additional concerns: the amount of funding for education in emergencies has decreased by 24%, despite growing needs. DiCarlo noted that the most effective way to protect children is to prevent and end wars.Building peace is the primary goal of the United Nations. We must work together to achieve this goal.
Melania Trump Calls for Peace through Education and Technology
In her speech at the UN Security Council meeting, Melania Trump urged world leaders to prioritize education and access to technology as a means to achieve sustainable peace and global security.She began her speech by expressing condolences to families who have lost loved ones due to conflicts, showing solidarity with the affected and emphasizing support for children impacted by war.
The United States supports all children around the world.Melania Trump stressed that sustainable peace depends on education and mutual understanding, warning that societies that restrict access to education risk facing instability and conflict. She noted that education is a fundamental human right and that the lack of opportunities to learn incurs high costs for society.
She also highlighted the role of artificial intelligence and digital access in expanding knowledge and urged countries to bridge technological divides.
“The path to peace begins with empowering our children through education and technology,” she concluded.
Photo on the homepage: UN / M. Elias (Melania Trump at the UN Security Council meeting).
