20 September 2022 – Save the Children is horrified by reports that at least 11 children have been killed and 17 others injured in an attack on a school in Myanmar on 16 September.

We condemn the attack in Depayin, Sagaing Region, in the strongest possible terms.

We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families who have lost children and loved ones in this attack.

We call for International Humanitarian Law to be upheld and that children and schools must be off-limits from attacks.

Yet again we are seeing children bear the brunt of conflict. We once again call for this violence to end immediately and for children and civilians to be kept out of harm’s way.

Hassan Noor, Save the Children’s Asia Regional Director, said: 

“The heads of governments from around the world meet in New York this week for the UN General Assembly. They must condemn this attack and do everything in their power to hold perpetrators of such crimes to account. We ask for the UN Security Council to urgently hold an open meeting on Myanmar and to pass a resolution to protect the rights of children in Myanmar, including their right to a safe education. We ask ASEAN to step up and take action. How many more incidents like this need to take place before action is taken?”  

Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995, providing life-saving healthcare, food, education and child protection programmes with more than 50 partners. We are actively engaging with our partners and with Myanmar communities in protecting children and responding to their needs in this time of crisis.

ENDS  

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