Paper Shields in Conflict Zones

The global order loves its calendar observances, yet few bring its enforceability gap into clearer focus than the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. The latest figures from the Education Under Attack report reveal that between 2024 and 2025, at least 8,566 incidents of violence targeting educational institutions or military use of schools were documented worldwide. This marks an increase of more than 40 percent compared to the prior reporting window, leaving at least 10,600 students, teachers, and university staff harmed across active combat zones, including Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan.

While international legal protocols theoretically safeguard civilian infrastructure, the report highlights a distinct degradation in compliance. Dr Maleiha Malik, executive director of the Education Above All Foundation, observed that state military forces have increasingly disregarded established boundaries by executing strikes against educational facilities. Citing recent findings from a United Nations report on children and armed conflict, Malik noted that government forces themselves are repeatedly responsible for extreme violence directed at schools.

For international organizations and non-governmental entities, the standard managerial response to disrupted schooling relies on technical fixes: remote instruction and accelerated catch-up curricula. Drawing parallels to methods deployed during the pandemic, experts argue that digital tools can offset temporary academic shortfalls. Yet Malik acknowledged the inherent limitations of such measures, pointing out that accelerated programs cannot fully remediate the deeper structural damage, long-term poverty, or systemic trauma inflicted when education systems collapse.

The instability extends beyond immediate war zones. In Gulf states such as Qatar, military operations in the broader region routinely disrupt daily life through sudden airspace shutdowns, flight groundings, and intermittent school closures, exposing children to persistent psychological stress.

Despite the evident breakdown of international deterrence mechanisms, proponents like Malik contend that the solution lies in doubling down on existing multilateral frameworks rather than discarding them. Whether an international legal regime incapable of enforcing its basic rules can regain authority through renewed declarations remains a central dilemma for institutional reformers.

Written by Sandy van Dongen sandy.vandongen@alpineweekly.com