7 December 2009
A new report entitled "Knowledge on Fire: Attacks on Education in Afghanistan" recommends using a community-based educational system to prevent education-related violence against girls, teachers, and schools. The study was conducted by CARE, the World Bank, and the Afghan government. According to the report, more than 670 education-related attacks occurred in Afghanistan in 2008. The vast majority of the violence is targeted at girls who attend school.
The report found that education-related violence occurs less frequently in communities that have control over their local schools. Based on field research and interviews with local education officials, the report recommends increasing local awareness about the value of education, training community leaders on strategies for reducing the risk of education-related violence, building new schools in safe locations, and implementing school security policies tailored to individual communities.
Compiled from: "Report Finds Girls' Schools in Afghanistan Face Highest Risk of Violence; Suggests Steps for Preventing Attacks," CARE (23 November 2009).