New Handbook Launched in New York
From left to right: John Gregg (Director of EAA), Fatou Bensouda (Prosecutor of ICC), Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser (Chair of EAA), Robert McCorquodale (Director of BIICL) and Ivan Å imonoviÄ(Assistant Secretary-General of OHCHR).
Protecting Education in Insecurity and Armed Conflict: An International Law Handbook, authored by Kristin Hausler, Nicole Urban and Robert McCorquodale of the Institute, was formally launched on 21 September 2012 in New York City. The event launching the Handbook was organized by Education Above All (EAA), a Qatar-based policy research and advocacy body concerned with the protection of education in insecurity and conflict. Chaired by Professor McCorquodale, the Institute's Director, the meeting gathered many high level representatives of governments, UN bodies and international NGOs to identify opportunities and priorities for enhanced communication, engagement, and collaboration between a range of actors for whom the protection of education is of concern. In particular, the discussion focused on three core themes derived from the Handbook's conclusion: the need for increased implementation of relevant international law, for strengthened co-ordination and coherence within and between each legal regime and associated supervisory and/or monitoring mechanisms, and for appropriate remedies for violation of that law. The discussion panel included Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chair of EAA, Fatou Bensouda, the International Criminal Court Prosecutor, and Ivan Å imonoviÄ, the Assistant Secretary-General of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Handbook, widely applauded by participants of the event, is a significant step within the longer process towards ensuring the protection of education during insecurity and armed conflict. Dame Rosalyn Higgins DBE, QC considers this publication to be "an unusual and important Handbook ... [offering] depth and conceptual clarity". This new publication fills a gap in the legal literature through examination of how international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law intersect to protect education during situations of insecurity and armed conflict. In so doing, it also highlights how other provisions of international law protect students and educational staff, as well as educational facilities. EAA and BIICL hope that this publication will be widely utilised by those in the legal community with an interest in protecting against education-related violations of international law.
The Handbook is accompanied by a concise Summary written specifically for non-legal audiences. Electronic and downloadable copies (in PDF) of the Handbook and the Summary are available on our website at: /research/education/, as well as on EAA's website at: http://www.educationaboveall.org/legalresources.
