We Want Safe Schools: A child-led research study in Mali

This field research was led by Malian child researchers in Mopti town, Mopti region, in Central Mali. It captures children’s views on attacks on their education, why education is deliberately attacked, and the impact of these attacks on children and their schooling in Mali. Among other findings, the children found that school children, teachers & other staff experienced signs of distress – fear, shock, grief & struggling to cope and that the disruption of schooling & other educational activities led many school children to be forced into child labour and/or child or forced marriage. They have called for a strategy to decrease the chances of recruiting school children into armed groups and participate in conflict that inflicts deep emotional pain.