Conflict Zones – India Urges Global Accountability for Attacks on Children and Schools
Conflict Zones – India has urged the international community to take firm action against those responsible for attacks on children and educational institutions, stressing that protecting young lives requires both immediate safeguards and accountability. Speaking during a United Nations Security Council debate on children and armed conflict, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P. Harish, said the international community must ensure that those who deliberately target schools and children are held responsible for their actions.
India Highlights Rising Threats to Education
Addressing the Security Council, Harish expressed concern over the increasing dangers faced by children living in conflict-affected regions. Referring to the latest report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, he noted that attacks on schools increased by 44 percent during 2025, reflecting a worrying escalation in violence against educational institutions.
He also pointed to the broader humanitarian crisis, stating that nearly 473 million children worldwide are either living in conflict zones or have been displaced by violence. Among them, more than 85 million children currently have no access to education. According to Harish, these figures demonstrate the international community’s inability to transform commitments into meaningful action for vulnerable children.
India Presents DIKSHA as a Digital Learning Solution
Highlighting India’s experience in digital education, Harish said the country’s DIKSHA platform could serve as an effective model for ensuring educational continuity during conflicts and displacement. The platform provides interactive learning resources supported by artificial intelligence and offers educational content in multiple languages, making quality education more accessible.
He said India’s experience has shown that digital learning platforms can help bridge educational gaps when schools are disrupted by armed conflicts or humanitarian emergencies, allowing children to continue their studies despite difficult circumstances.
Continued Support for Refugees and Displaced Communities
Harish reaffirmed India’s long-standing commitment to supporting education for refugee populations and displaced communities across its neighbourhood. He said India has consistently invested in rebuilding educational infrastructure in several countries, including the construction of schools and vocational training centres.
According to him, maintaining uninterrupted access to education plays a vital role in helping children recover from the trauma of war while strengthening resilience within affected communities.
UN Officials Raise Alarm Over Emerging Technologies
During the debate, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that modern warfare is creating additional risks for children. She highlighted the growing use of drones, autonomous weapons, remotely operated systems and artificial intelligence-supported targeting technologies, saying these developments have further increased the dangers faced by children and schools in conflict areas.
Russell stressed that as warfare continues to evolve, the international community must remain committed to strengthening protections for children and ensuring their safety regardless of changing battlefield technologies.
Record Number of Violations Against Children
Vanessa Frazier, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, described 2025 as the most severe year in at least three decades for grave violations against children.
She reported that the United Nations verified 38,558 serious violations involving 24,174 children during the year, the highest number recorded since her office was established 30 years ago. According to Frazier, the largest share of verified violations occurred in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar and Somalia.