Of the total number of primary school age children in the world who are not enrolled in school, over 40% live in countries affected by conflict, according to UNESCO’s 2011 Global Monitoring Report, to be launched on 1 March in New York (United States).

 The report, The hidden crisis: Armed conflict and education, cautions that the world is not on track to achieve by 2015 the six internationally-agreed Education for All goals. Despite much progress, most of the goals will be missed by a wide margin – especially in conflict-affected countries.

Thirty-five countries were affected by armed conflict from 1999 to 2008. Children and schools are on the front line of these conflicts, with classrooms, teachers and pupils seen as legitimate targets.

Source: unesco.org