STATEMENT
HRC 61 | Annual Day on the Rights of the Child
JST on the Safe Schools Declaration
Statement by Mr Tormod C. ENDRESEN, Ambassador - Permanent Representative to the UN and other International Organizations Norway
Check against delivery
9 March 2026
I speak on behalf of 63 States that have endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration.
At this Annual Discussion on the Rights of the Child, dedicated to children affected by armed conflict, we reaffirm that the right to education should be realized during armed conflict. Its protection is grounded in international law and a cornerstone of the children and armed conflict agenda.
In 2024, grave violations against children hit unprecedented levels for the third year running.
The tenth anniversary of the Safe Schools Declaration and the Fifth International Conference on the Declaration, hosted by Kenya, reaffirmed that effective tools exist.
Ahead of the Council’s consideration of the resolution on the rights of the child in armed conflict, we urge States to:
- Reaffirm the right to be safe in education in situations of armed conflict;
- Advance universal endorsement of the Safe Schools Declaration;
- Ensure that the military use of schools and universities is avoided, through law, policy and military doctrine, and ensure accountability for violations of international law in this regard;
- Protect and adequately resource monitoring and reporting mechanisms, including through sustained funding; and
- Ensure the safe and meaningful participation of children and affected communities in the design and evaluation of these measures.
Protecting education is not optional. Failure to act is a choice — and its cost is borne by children.
Thank you.
HRC61 JST Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) -63 cosp as of 8 March:
SSD Core Group (29): Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Canada, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Iraq, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia, UK, Uruguay, Vietnam.
Additional support from SSD-endorsing states (34): Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Ukraine.