During 2022 and 2023, attacks on schools in Mozambique significantly decreased, according to a report released last week. However, there’s a concerning trend: the military use of schools has increased during this period. The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) documented at least 12 cases where schools were used for military purposes, compared to none in the previous reporting period.
The Situation
Non-state armed groups were responsible for most of the attacks on schools, which included arson, gunfire, and the use of explosive weapons. These attacks have serious consequences for students, denying them access to education and putting them at risk of violence. The Mozambican armed forces and, in one instance, the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), were responsible for using schools for military purposes.
Human Rights Watch Findings
Human Rights Watch has extensively documented attacks by Islamist armed groups in northern Mozambique since 2017. Our research includes cases of women and girls being abducted and boys being used as child soldiers. Government security forces have also been implicated in serious human rights abuses.
Urgent Action Needed
In 2015, Mozambique endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, committing to prevent and respond to attacks on students, teachers, and schools. However, the violence in northern Mozambique shows that schools remain far from safe for many communities. All parties involved in the armed conflict must immediately cease attacks on education and ensure that schools are places for learning, not military camps.
