Abshar Atefeha Charity Institute/ HRC 62
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education
Violations of the Right to Education during the United States and Israeli Attacks against Iran since 28 February 2026
This statement is submitted in order to draw the attention of the Human Rights Council to the widespread and systematic violations of the right to education arising from the military attacks carried out by the United States of America and Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran since 28 February 2026. According to multiple international reports, these attacks have resulted in the destruction of schools, universities, and educational infrastructure, and have claimed the lives of numerous children, students, and teachers.
One of the gravest incidents was the strike on the “Shajareh Tayyebeh” primary school in Minab, Hormozgan Province, on 28 February 2026. According to Amnesty International, the attack killed 156 people, including 120 children, and available evidence indicates that the school building itself was directly targeted. [1] Human Rights Watch similarly described the attack as “unlawful” and called for an independent investigation into the possibility that a war crime had been committed. [2]
Amnesty International further reported that by 7 March 2026 at least 66 schools across Iran had been damaged or destroyed as a result of the attacks. [3] Reports published by international media and human rights organizations indicate that attacks on civilian educational infrastructure were not limited to Minab, and that universities and other educational institutions were also endangered.
The right to education is a fundamental and non-derogable human right guaranteed under Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [4] and Articles 13 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.[5] In its General Comment No. 13, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights affirmed that States and all relevant actors must ensure safe, continuous, and non-discriminatory access to education.[6]
In addition to obligations arising under international human rights law, international humanitarian law provides special protection to children and educational institutions. Pursuant to Article 52 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, civilian objects, including schools, must not be the object of attack unless and for such time as they make an effective contribution to military action.[7] The principle of distinction between civilian objects and military objectives, recognized as a cornerstone of customary international humanitarian law, obliges all parties to an armed conflict to distinguish at all times between civilians and combatants and between civilian objects and military targets.[8]
The principle of proportionality, reflected in Article 51(5)(b) of Additional Protocol I, further prohibits attacks expected to cause incidental civilian harm excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage. [9] In the Minab attack, the killing of dozens of primary school children and teachers raises serious concerns regarding compliance with the principle of proportionality and the obligation to take all feasible precautions in attack.
Furthermore, Article 50 of the Fourth Geneva Convention obliges occupying powers and parties to conflict to facilitate the proper functioning of institutions devoted to the care and education of children. [10] Attacks against schools and the creation of an unsafe environment for education constitute a direct violation of these obligations and inflict profound long-term psychological, social, and developmental harm upon future generations.
Children affected by armed conflict are also entitled to special protection under Article 38 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires States to respect and ensure respect for rules of international humanitarian law relevant to children. [11] The Committee on the Rights of the Child has repeatedly emphasized that attacks on schools severely undermine children’s access to education, mental health, and human development.
In this regard, the Safe Schools Declaration likewise underscores the necessity of protecting educational facilities during armed conflict and calls upon the international community to adopt preventive measures. [12]
These attacks are also in direct contradiction with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 4 concerning inclusive, equitable, safe, and quality education for all. [13]
As a non-governmental organization that has been active in Iran for many years, and for which education constitutes an important part of our activities, we urge the Special Rapporteur on the right to education to:
- Conduct an independent and impartial examination of attacks against schools and educational institutions in Iran;
- Call for accountability for those responsible for attacks on schools and students;
- Emphasize the necessity of reparations for victims and their families;
- Urge all States to comply with their obligations to protect education during armed conflict; and
- Condemn attacks against educational institutions as grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
The destruction of schools is not merely the destruction of buildings; it is the destruction of futures, psychological security, and the hopes of generations. When children are killed in classrooms, not only the right to education, but also the foundations of human dignity and the international legal order are undermined. Silence in the face of attacks on schools normalizes impunity and weakens the most universal values of humanity. The Human Rights Council must state clearly and unequivocally that children, classrooms, and the aspiration to learn can never constitute legitimate targets of war.
Footnotes
[1] Amnesty International, “USA/Iran: Those responsible for deadly and unlawful US strike on school that killed over 100 children must be held accountable”, 16 March 2026.
[2] Human Rights Watch, “US/Israel: Investigate Iran School Attack as a War Crime”, 7 March 2026.
[3] Amnesty International, ibid.
[4] Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26.
[5] International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Articles 13 and 14.
[6] CESCR General Comment No. 13 on the Right to Education.
[7] Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Article 52.
[8] ICRC Customary International Humanitarian Law Study, Rule 1.
[9] Additional Protocol I, Article 51(5)(b).
[10] Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 50.
[11] Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 38.
[12] Safe Schools Declaration.
[13] UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.
