Safe Schools Declaration

Since it was opened for endorsement at the Oslo Conference on Safe Schools in May 2015, 87 countries around the world have signed the Safe Schools Declaration, signaling their commitment to protect students, teachers, schools, and universities from the worst effects of war. The Declaration was developed through consultations with states in a process led by Norway and Argentina in Geneva in early 2015.

The Safe Schools Declaration is an inter-governmental political commitment that provides countries the opportunity to express support for protecting education from attack during times of armed conflict; the importance of the continuation of education during war; and the implementation of concrete measures to deter the military use of schools.

When they endorse the Declaration, states commit to undertake several common-sense steps to make it less likely that students, teachers, schools, and universities will be attacked, and to mitigate the negative consequences when such attacks occur.