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A child’s right to education cannot be safeguarded in conflict zones without education itself being protected. Education can be a lifesaver. Out of school, children are easy targets of abuse, exploitation and recruitment by armed forces and groups. In 2020, there was an increase of 17 per cent on attacks on schools compared to 2019. The International Day to Protect Education from Attack (9 September) brings attention to the importance of safeguarding schools as places of protection and safety for students and educators and the need to keep education at the top of the public agenda.

More than 14,000 displaced people live in camps in Bambari, most of them women and girls – besides barriers to health care and food, documents sexual violence used as a weapon of war.

Engaging young people in peace efforts provides an opportunity to constructively influence areas that directly impact their lives. This year’s International Day of �山����Peacekeepers (29 May): “The road to a lasting peace: Leveraging the power of youth for peace and security,” recognizes the significant role of youth in shaping and sustaining peace efforts. Today, tens of thousands of young peacekeepers (between the ages of 18 and 29 years) are deployed around the world and play a major role in helping the missions including in the protection of civilians. #YouthPeaceSecurity #Youth4Peace

An estimated 160,000 people in Gaza now face going hungry as the escalation of violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and across the border into Israel, continues into its second week, the �山����World Food Programme () said on Tuesday.

In addition to seeing that they get enough to eat, another priority for the agency’s Country Director in Palestine, Samer AbdelJaber, is making sure that his aid team stays safe, as he explains to ’s Daniel Johnson.

The United Nations declared 8 & 9 May as a time of remembrance and reconciliation to pay tribute to the millions of people who lost their lives in the Second World War, and to remember their sacrifices. As part of the legacy of this historic event, the �山����was created to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Since then, the United Nations continues to play a central role in efforts to settle disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations. The protection of international peace and security remains one of the main pillars of the Organization.

“I returned from Bangladesh...and sent all of my dresses for dry cleaning. I have not worn these dresses again. I can't wear them. There's too much pain...because I came out and I was wet with all the women crying. I like to open the wardrobe and remind myself of the survivors at all times. They are my moral compass and I have to keep fighting for them. This is what keeps me going.”

In this episode of Awake at night, we meet Pramila Patten, the Secretary General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict whose work aims to end rape as a weapon of war, making it a crime that is both preventable and punishable. Pramila travels the world to meet survivors, carrying back the harrowing stories they entrust her to retell. She then advocates tirelessly on their behalf for accountability and justice.

"When you talk to Yazidi women, they tell you they want justice and reparations, in addition to support services [...] Whether it is Iraq [...] Nigeria [...] Somalia or Sudan, they tell you they want to have their day in court. And for me, that is very frustrating that so far, for example, where sexual violence is used as a tactic of terrorism, no single person belonging to Boko Haram or ISIS has been prosecuted for sexual violence. They are getting prosecuted under the counter terrorism legislation, but not for sexual violence. And that is a frustration."

In war-torn Yemen, women are often the first victims

Angam, 7, has six brothers and sisters. She stopped going to school, because her family cannot afford schoolbooks, bags and uniforms. This was photographed in south Yemen in late 2020 by photographer Giles Clarke. It is the result of years of work documenting Yemen and the lives of those affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis. It highlights the resilience, strength and hope of the Yemeni people. They fled violence in search of safety. They lost their homes, family members, friends, neighbours. They live in makeshift shelters, not knowing when they'll be able to return home.

Ten crises to watch in 2021

For 20 years, UN special political missions in Guinea-Bissau contributed to national efforts for peace and democratic consolidation, effective rule of law, the promotion and protection of human rights and gender mainstreaming, as well as the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime. Now, that phase of �山����support is in transition. The �山����Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau () held a ceremony in Bissau on 11 December 2020 to mark the closure of the mission. Shown is a mural in the old town of Bafata, Guinea-Bissau. 

On March 23rd, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued an urgent appeal for a global ceasefire to all corners of the world to focus together on defeating COVID-19. He repeated the call at the start of the 75th �山����General Assembly session in September, to achieve the ceasefire by the end of the year. Since March, some 180 countries, the Security Council, regional organizations, civil society groups, peace advocates and millions of global citizens have endorsed the Secretary-General’s call. The clock is ticking and there is no time to waste. 

The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare (30 November) provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of the  to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism. During the ceremony–at which representatives of the victims’ associations participate as guests of honour–the OPCW Member States renew their resolve to achieve a world truly free of chemical weapons.