The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 27 January 2026
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43:33
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MP4
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2.7 GB
UN INFORMATION SERVICE GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
27 January 2026
UNICEF: ‘Back to Learning’ for Hundreds of Thousands of Children in Gaza
James Elder, for the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), said that in one of the largest emergency learning efforts anywhere in the world, UNICEF would now expand its “Back to Learning” programme to include some 336,000 children in Gaza.
Before the war, Palestinians in Gaza had some of the highest literacy rates in the world. Today, that legacy was under attack: schools, universities, and libraries had been destroyed, and years of progress erased. An entire generation was at risk, with 60 percent of school-aged children in Gaza having no access to in-person learning. Rebuilding Gaza's schools, its education facilities and universities must sit at the very top of Gaza's recovery agenda. In this context, UNICEF, together with education partners in Gaza and the Palestinian Ministry of Education, was launching its “Back to Learning” programme to restore access to education for hundreds of thousands of children, so that they could return to a safe learning environment as soon as possible.
UNICEF had been very much engaged, in the last few months, in the delivery of thermal blankets and winter clothing kits for children; it also had opened more than 70 nutrition centres across Gaza, and its work to get water and water treatment plants back up and running remained a flagship intervention. Now, since “learning was lifesaving”, the Fund was also focusing on education. To this effect, UNICEF would expand its 100 temporary Learning Spaces – which were now providing some 136,000 children with safe spaces, health, nutrition and protection services, vital information, as well as a sense of routine – to accommodate 335,000 children. These spaces also had proper toilets and places to wash hands, some of the basics that many children in shelters did not have.
As the world talked about how Gaza would recover and rebuild, UNICEF was clear: with almost half of Gaza’s population being under 18, children had to be at the heart of every plan. Getting one child into a UNICEF Learning Centre cost just about USD 280 for a year, including mental health support. To reach 336,000 school-age children for the rest of this year, UNICEF urgently needed USD 86 million.
Answering questions from journalists, Mr. Elder stressed that UNWRA staff were a backbone of the health and education systems, and that they would remain so. Out of some 700,000 school-aged children in Gaza, about half had previously attended UNRWA-organized onsite and online learning; these children remained a priority for the Agency. UNICEF, for its part, was focusing on the other half, some 350,000 pupils aged 5 to 18.
As regards schools in Gaza, of which 90 percent had been destroyed or damaged, communities were utilising any facility – a majority being tents – that could function. UNICEF would make sure that hand washing and toilets were available. Many volunteers were going through basic training to complement existing teachers.
Palestinians had done everything they could to keep the education system going. But it had been under an unprecedented assault. Now UNICEF had good news: it had got in and, in the last days, passed on thousands of recreational kits and hundreds of “school-in-a-carton” kits, containing the most basic education supplies for children that UNICEF had been prevented from bringing in for more than two years.
There was no more excuse for Rafah not to reopen, Mr. Elder also remarked, answering another question. He stressed the importance of allowing passage so that families could finally reunite.
UNICEF, in meetings with Israeli authorities, would insist, time and again, on the criticality of education in rebuilding Gaza and on allowing school supplies in. The Secretary-General and the Resident Coordinator on the ground, whenever they had access to major players in the Board of Peace, also relayed this message.
Mr. Gómez, for the UN Information Service, added that the Secretary-General continued to urge all parties to facilitate sustained and unhindered humanitarian access, including through the Rafah Crossing, which was a very important lifeline.
IOM: Deadly Shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean
Answering other questions from journalists quoting a press release issued on 26 January, Omondi Okoth, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said he would provide updates on the number of victims of recent shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean.
Announcements
David Hirsch, for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), said the International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit 2026 would take place in Porto (Portugal) on 2-3 February. The event would bring together governments, regulators, industry representatives and other experts to strengthen technical collaboration on submarine cable resilience. Among the technical issues to be discussed would be the timely deployment and repair of cables, as submarine cables, which carried more than 99 percent of international data traffic, were subject to about 150 to 200 faults each year, 80 percent coming from human activities such as fishing. [Reporters can request event accreditation at pressreg@itu.int; a webcast will be available.]
Mr. Gómez, for the UN Information Service, said the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) would mark today, at 1 p.m. in Room XVI, the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, 81 years since the liberation of the concentration camps. This was an annual occurrence, mandated by the General Assembly. Messages and remarks by, among others, the UN Secretary-General and Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of UNOG, would be read, before a keynote address by and interview with Leonie de Picciotto, a Holocaust survivor.
Mr. Gómez quoted a statement by the Secretary-General before the Security Council on 26 January, in which Mr. Guterres had warned against “the rule of law […] being replaced by the law of the jungle” and “flagrant violations of international law and brazen disregard for the UN charter”. “From Gaza to Ukraine and around the world”, the Secretary-General had also deplored, “the rule of law [was] being treated as an à la carte menu”.
Mr. Gómez said the Committee on the Rights of the Child (100th session, 12-30 January, Palais Wilson) would hold an informal meeting with State parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Thursday, 29 January, starting at 3 p.m. On Friday, the Committed would issue its concluding observations on the seven countries reviewed during the session: Maldives, Ghana, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Colombia, Spain, and Malaysia.
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was continuing its session this week. Saint Kitts and Nevis would be reviewed this morning, Sao Tome and Principe this afternoon. The reports for the following states would all be adopted next Friday: Micronesia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Nauru, Rwanda, Nepal, Saint Lucia, Oman, Austria, Australia, Georgia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Sao Tome and Principe.
The Conference on Disarmament was holding a public meeting this morning at 10 a.m. in Tempus, under the presidency of H.E. Davaasuren Gerelmaa, of Mongolia.
A commemorative ceremony would be held on Thursday, 29 January, at 5:30 p.m., in the International Labor Organization’s parking lot, where a bicycle accident had cost the life of an ILO employee.
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Teleprompter
Good morning everyone.
Thank you for joining us here.
Sorry for the slight delay.
We just a small technical issue, but very pleased to welcome you to this press briefing here at the UN office at Geneva today, the 27th of January.
We have a short but very important briefing.
Very pleased to have with us James Elder of UNICEF, our friend who is going to speak to the situation in Gaza, particularly the UNICEF's education drive.
We also have an announcement from our colleague David from the ITU.
But we're going to go right to you, James, and nice to see you.
Thanks for joining us and you and you.
Good morning, everyone.
Hopefully some good news today.
UNICEF is scaling up learning in Gaza.
In one of the largest emergency learning efforts anywhere in the world.
Our Back to Learning programme is going to expand to include 336,000 children.
Now this is not a nice to have, it's an emergency.
As many of you know, almost 2 1/2 years of attacks on Gaza schooling have left an entire generation at risk.
60% of school aged children currently have no access to in person learning.
Of course, more than 90% of schools have been damaged or destroyed.
Before this war.
Before this war on children, Palestinians in Gaza had some of the highest literacy rates in the world.
Education was a source of pride, resilience and progress for generations.
Today, that legacy is very much under attack.
Schools, universities and libraries have been destroyed and years of progress have been erased.
This isn't just physical destruction, it is an assault on the future itself.
In the aftermath of this brutal war, rebuilding Gaza's schools, their education facilities, and of course, Gaza's universities must sit at the very top of Gaza's recovery agenda.
Restoring education restores possibility.
So today UNICEF with education partners in Gaza at the Palestinian Ministry of Education is launching back to learning to restore access to education for hundreds of thousands of children.
We're working with the PA Ministry of Education, with Ulnar and all those partners to ensure eventually that all children return to safe learning environment as soon as possible.
Now some certainly ask why focus on education when families still struggle for for food, for water, for shelter?
Well, firstly, this is not either or.
UNICEF has, for instance, delivered a million thermal blankets in the last few months, hundreds of thousands of winter clothing kits for children.
We've opened more than 70 nutrition centres across Gaza, whilst our work to get work to get water and water treatment plants back up and running remains a real flagship intervention.
But secondly, because in Gaza, learning is life saving.
These learning centres provide safe spaces in a territory that's often inaccessible and dangerous.
They restore vital information.
They deliver routine for children, they connect girls and boys to health, to nutrition and protection services.
And these UNICEF learning spaces have proper toilets and places to wash hands, some of the basics that many, many children in shelters simply do not have.
[Other language spoken]
I make no mistake, the demand is overwhelming.
Every existing learning centre has long waiting lists.
When I was in Gaza 2 weeks ago, I had dozens of parents outside learning centres pleading for places for their children.
Children often show up any anyway.
So as the world talks about how Gaza is going to recover, how Gaza will will rebuild, UNICEF is very, very clear.
Children have to be at the heart of every plan.
We know that half of the population, or almost half of Gaza's population is under 18.
[Other language spoken]
Getting one child into a UNICEF learning centre costs just around $280 for a year, including mental health support.
So to reach 336,000 children for the rest of this year, UNICEF urgently needs 86 million dollars, $86 million.
To put in some sort of global perspective is roughly what the world spends on coffee in an hour or two.
With that number in mind, let's be clear what's at stake.
Gaza has one of the highest literacy rates in the world.
But the engineers who are rebuilding those water systems right now, the doctors who've been saving lives over 2 years of this horrific war, the teachers who will steady the next generation of children, they all come from a proud culture of learning.
Back to learning, then.
[Other language spoken]
It's about protecting the engine of Gaza's future.
And it's a bridge, not a substitute for the full restoration of Gaza's schools so that every child can return to a formal education in a classroom.
But right now, back to learning is about keeping that flame alive, giving children routine, giving them dignity and direction again.
It's about how hope becomes practical.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Thank you very much, James.
You know, learning is life saving as you said, and it's such a small, small amount really put things in perspective.
86 million is really a small investment for such a worthy cause.
So thank you very, very much for those messages.
[Other language spoken]
We have a few in the room.
We'll start off with Christian DPA, German news agency.
Thank you, James, Good to see you.
Just some housekeeping about the numbers, 336 children out of how many what, what is the total?
And you mentioned 60%, I did not quite understand 60% had no access during these 2 1/2 years or does this represent 60%?
So if you could just be more clear about the numbers and then what kind of schools do you have now?
Is this in tents?
Is this in in ruins or what does that look like?
What about the staff?
Who is who are the teachers?
Are those the teachers from before?
Are they still alive?
Do they have the capacity to teach while they are still struggling to to look after their own families?
What exactly the situation are you bringing in teachers from outside?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Okay, numbers, let me try and work from the top down 700,000 school aged children in Gaza.
Now all that, around half of those attended previously attended on river schools and so they remained a priority for programming for UNRA.
So that's around half and we're looking at the other half.
The other, that's just about 350,000.
UNICEF is aiming to get 336,000 of those into temporary learning spaces.
[Other language spoken]
So we're trying to go from 135,000 about 150% increase to 336,000.
That's then half of all school aged children.
And as I say then the balance there remain a priority for UNRWA programming which includes on site and and online learning.
So hopefully that gives you a sense of, of of the numbers where we are and where we seek to go for UNICEF.
The 135,000 is quite remarkable to have that already, you know, after only three months of a ceasefire.
But the enormity of need is we want to increase that by 150% in the next 12 months.
So it's a mix of where students are, there's a lot of tents, there's a lot of buildings that have been damaged, but not structurally at a point where they're, they're dangerous.
There's any so, and these are not always schools, communities to give use, utilising any facility whatsoever.
They put education as a priority.
So any facility that that can function, then UNICEF will come in and at the same time make sure then that there's some hand washing and toilets.
But tents do make up a huge amount of these classrooms.
So they really are very, very temporary, which means in winter they're cold, which means in summer they'll be scorchingly hot.
So for the majority of tents, a lot of teachers, yes, there are still a lot of teachers, there's a lot of volunteers who are going through some basic training.
So it's a mix of those two things have a lot of community volunteers and and existing teachers at the moment to make up and remembering we're talking for UNICEF getting half of those 700,000 in.
So it's not the full complement.
That will be a much bigger effort over the next year or two.
And I think it's just to say as well that when we look at the type of schools right now, our priority is very much about getting children back in immediately.
But that is often under canvases in community in community centres.
They can't wait for that brick and mortar.
But that's a very important part Christian that that needs to happen.
So this, you know, Phase 2 isn't just a political milestone, it's humanitarian necessity.
So we go beyond humanitarian response, a life saving response.
We go into shelter, we go into large scale improvements into shelter, more durable housing, and we go into schooling as well.
But for right now it's any space we can possibly secure safely for children.
So a very quick clarification.
Do you know anything about the other 350,000 that used to go to unrar schools?
Are they in or out of school?
OK, my understanding is that, but I check with UNRA is and again, lots of numbers, but if you're scribbling them down of that other half of that 700,000, around 145,000 of those are registered for in person learning through UNRA.
But I would defer to UNRA on that one.
[Other language spoken]
We we could double back to them and maybe get clarification on that.
Sorry, go ahead James, I cut you off.
You're going to add something else.
No, not, not at all.
It's a really important one to kind of break down the break down those numbers.
And I think it gives a sense of the enormity of how much we still have to do.
But at the same time, if you've got that many children registered for in person learning through UNRA, UNICEF already managed 135,000.
[Other language spoken]
It does speak again to the the importance of criticality that Palestinians put on education that that they'll do anything.
It's I think one thing that I haven't conveyed very well, Christian, over the last two years of reporting is just how many children are still studying.
So you go into tents and they explain what their day is, waking up often cold, going in search of water.
But then how often there's one child out of three who are still doing in person learning.
And so in the evening, the others take on all the duties.
So for that particular child, that 14 year old girl or 16 year old boy, so they can study in some way.
It's been one of the many frustrations about the most basic sense of getting in solar lights.
If you ask any Palestinian what they need, just as a family, it's often like a light so we can so we can study at night time and and vitamins for children.
So they've done everything and children have been still doing those exams.
When I was at Al Shifa Hospital 2 weeks ago, a few days earlier, there had been a graduation ceremony, the first since since the attacks on Gaza.
So we were talking hundreds of doctors in the outside, you know, the backdrop of the ruins of Al Shifa who had graduated, who'd done their years of, of university and then done their two years during that war, two years of, you know, in, in placement in hospitals.
So Palestinians have done everything they can to keep it going.
But it is, it is, it has been under an unprecedented assault, both in terms of devastation to systems and just blockades.
Now we have very good news.
Now we have got in, I'll get you the numbers, but we have now in the last days got in thousands of recreational kits, hundreds of school and a carton kits.
We're looking at getting 2 1/2 thousand more school and a carton kits in in the next week because they've been approved.
That's all in the last week.
That's on the back of enormous amounts of private advocacy and on the back of media making it clear for two years education materials have been blocked.
We hope that's the end of that.
But it's been a long two years for for children and for organisations like UNICEF to try and do that education without those materials.
It looks like we're finally seeing a real change.
[Other language spoken]
Thanks very much, James.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
What's going to happen to the remaining 14,000 children out of that 350,000?
You said you're aiming to reach 336,000.
Is there a reason why 14,000 are missing from that figure?
Do you have any figures on the number of destroyers, sorry, number of schools that were destroyed during the war?
But also it would be helpful to have a sense of geographical scale of where you're scaling up.
Is it mainly in the South?
Are you having more issues trying to reestablish learning in the north of Gaza, namely, for example, Gaza City, safety of children getting to school?
There have been a number of children killed since the ceasefire.
Perhaps actually you have an updated figure on that that you might be able to share with us.
But any concern on ensuring that children can actually access education safely?
And finally, on the school kits you're mentioning, could you just explain exactly what they are, what they contain?
Do they include, like, for example, books and pencils, which I know had been previously blocked in in some cases?
And you're saying that, you know, now they're finally getting through.
Is, is that through?
[Other language spoken]
If you could say what through which crossing and any more figures you have on that would be, would be great.
[Other language spoken]
OK, so I think I got, I think I missed the second one, but so I wouldn't get stuck on the I don't think there are 14, but I don't think the aim is that the 14,000 would miss out.
I know that what we've, when we've looked at spaces and where we can be, the aim is a realistic and it's a big push to go from zero, you know, a number of months ago to 336,000.
And then of course, remembering what a programmatic priority this is.
This is for UNRWA.
So I think between US and certainly under the guidance of the Palestinian Authorities, Ministry of Education, the target is all 700,000.
There is, there is, there is no doubt on that one.
Now come back on the second one because I did, I did miss it.
The bulk of the population for the third question, Olivia, the bulk of the population, yes, still sits in that central southern area.
It is very difficult still in the North, made consistently so by the yellow line and by continuation of children, as you say, being killed or wounded.
That hasn't stopped.
So the north is harder, the north is more remote, the north is much less services.
I saw a temporary learning space that we had just set up a couple of weeks ago next door to a Primary Health care clinic.
It's the only one in the north.
It's a magnet for people.
There's immense amount of gratitude that they are there.
But it's very, very hard for people to to access if they're the only services.
So the majority are central and South.
[Other language spoken]
In terms of, yeah, it's more than 100 children killed or wounded.
[Other language spoken]
I know that certainly there was, there was a substantial number in the last week and I, it was 2 weeks ago that I briefed on that to give you a sense of what's in these kits.
So in a, you know, in a school, in a box, you're talking about, you know, materials to play with, cubes, woods, plastic scissors, crayons, packs, pencils, pens, tapes, flip charts, markers, chalk, brushes, paint, boards, compasses, pencils.
You can see I'm reading this out.
I can send this around to everyone if you need erasers.
All so all the basics, exercise books, ballpoint pens and so on and so on.
All the things that we have been prevented from bringing in for more than two years that are the most basic education supplies for a child.
And that segues into that.
Now we are in phase two.
We certainly also need to look at things that should have been allowed in the last two years.
But now other things, all those dual, dual use items that are so important for more durable temporary housing, I think are very important.
The these are still come through Karam Shalom, but we hope to see many, many more crossings Open Access as you rightly say, part of it is part of the they're also dangerous with unexploded ordinances and part of what temporary learning spaces can offer is education around that and some mental health support.
So these are these are critically important in terms of safety of children getting to schools or getting anywhere in the Gaza Strip.
The onus is very clear.
[Other language spoken]
It's incredulous that 100 children or more than 100 children have been killed.
We, we can only hope and keep making those demands that that number does not increase by another single child now that we're in phase two.
But we shouldn't have had to say that during Phase 1.
So Olivia, it's only your second question in between where children are and the the 14,000.
I think if I'm not mistaken, it was about the number of schools destroyed.
Is that right?
And, and James, in terms of school kits, any, anything you could share with us that we can even link to in the summary to illustrate the important of material that are in those school kits?
But on the number of schools destroyed, that would be helpful.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
When I send this around, I will send a whole list of what's in those education and recreation kits.
I mean, recreation kits, Olivia, I think are one of the best things I've seen, you know, in my 2 decades with UNICEF, any community from, you know, Southern Africa to East Asia because they're just play.
So they can be coloured pencils, but they're a ball, they're a pump.
They're, they're bibs, you know, for, for children to wear.
There's Nets.
So sports for girls, sports for boys.
And again, the idea and what, what an immense thing that these can now, we can now get these by the thousands into Gaza.
But one has to ask for this, you know, for almost 2 1/2 years, why on earth were these possibly banned?
I don't know the number of schools.
It's one for honour, but I can certainly search it.
And I will come back to you, Olivia, on that devastating a number that speaks to the the level of devastation of education facilities.
[Other language spoken]
And we can also seek some clarity from honour as well.
[Other language spoken]
OK, we are Alexander then Anadolu from AFP.
Yeah, thank you for taking my question.
Just wondering first, how about those three 336,000 children, what is the age range please?
And also we're wondering you were talking about how are they able to to help you with with this given the different assaults Israel gave against the agency?
And lastly, we're also wondering given the situation right now with the ceasefire, are you able to to get enough supplies in?
And can you tell us also if anything comes through?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So school aged children, so 5 ages of 5 to 18.
And it's an important point you raised because also, you know, the the world has learned over 20 years of the criticality of early childhood education as well.
[Other language spoken]
We are talking his school age, but there are just over 300,000 children who would fit into that early childhood development, which is so it's another critical cohort your your second one around around on you.
Yes, as everyone has made clear for such a long time that you know, the the 1012 thousand Palestinian UNRA staff are are a backbone of a health system, backbone of an education system.
So they they remain that and I think that UNRA does a huge amount of online learning and as I say, it will definitely, I understand very much part of their programming to get in person learning at a very large scale again.
So this is a a complementary effort.
I just can't speak to to their to their actual numbers, but certainly in terms of their ability to function, they still have thousands and thousands of those teachers and health workers across the Gaza Strip, many of whom will be will be supporting in this initiative.
And your last one was on Rafa.
Yes, Alex, is that right?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
In the last week, our deputy, one of our deputy executive directors met with Israeli authorities again, asked them to open more routes for humanitarian and commercial supplies.
That's really critical.
I think UNICEF and WFP have been responsible for around 80% of humanitarian supplies since the ceasefire, but we still know it's not enough.
So the ask was very clear.
It was to allow people to move in and out safely for medical care.
Medical evacuations are still the lack of medical evacuations are still costing lives on pretty much a daily basis.
So allow that free movement of people for medical evacuations, for family reunification and and for essential services.
And he made that call again for the Rafa corridor to be open for for two way traffic, as it's, you know, as it's been announced.
But again, so we can have that so populations can move.
So it can be yet another entry point of which there's several others that need to be opening as well, but with a heavy emphasis because Rafa really was that lifeline until it was closed midway in 2024 for children and civilians who require urgent medical evacuation.
[Other language spoken]
And Needless to say, the Secretary General continues to urge all parties to facilitate sustained and unhindered humanitarian access, including through the Rafa crossing, which, as James has meant, is indeed a very important lifeline.
So let's take another question in the room, Beza Anadolu.
Thank you, Orlando.
Thank you, James, for the briefing.
I would like to ask about you, about the remarks of the Israeli Prime Minister.
He said yesterday the next phase of the ceasefire will not be about reconstruction, but it's going to focus on demilitarising Gaza.
And as you said, 90% of the schools have been damaged.
And how you evaluate those remarks, are you concerned what would be the impact of this to the education and for the children if the reconstruction is not being priority anymore in the face too?
And also on the Rafa, I want to build on Alexander's question and ask you or maybe or Chuck can chime in as well.
Any aware of any movement and the Rafa because Israeli side was saying after the return of the last hostage remaining, we would be opening the Rafa.
So are you aware of any movements in the border?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Yeah, I, I, I, I will speak to it.
I'd rather not speak to, to, to in response to any comments made from, from, from officials, but there shouldn't be any need for interpretation.
Phase 2 is, is pretty clear.
As I say, it's not a, it's not a political milestone.
[Other language spoken]
It, it, it enables us to go beyond phase one, which was a life saving response into more durable things, particularly as we say, shelter.
You've all seen it.
I can speak to it time and again that those two year old windswept tents are on beaches that are horrendous for a couple of hours.
It's impossible to know how children get wet and then are able to get warm again.
We've now had at least 10 children confirmed die from hypothermia.
So Phase 2 and that's that wouldn't have happened if we had more durable shelters in.
There's just simply no doubt of that.
So Phase 2 like like all things is welcome, but it comes at a time when we've already had unnecessary child deaths.
So Phase 2 will allow for those large scale improvements into things like shelter and into things like like schooling.
[Other language spoken]
The second part of your question is that I ask about are you aware of any moment in the Rafa because as they said, after the return of the last hostage remaining, they would be opening.
[Other language spoken]
And I have daily contact with Palestinians who are desperate to for that, to open for the reasons that probably don't get spoken about it enough.
How many families have been separated?
How many, how many, you know, dads have been doing a, a WhatsApp video call once a week when connectivity allows for two years for their children, their children who were, you know, 5 and 9 and are now 7:00 and 11:00.
That's, that's happening to, to thousands and thousands.
So there is a great desperation in a personal sense for families beyond the medical evacuation sense.
And the most simple, no, at the moment we haven't.
But certainly Phase 2 means there are no more excuses for Rafa not to open.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you, James, I think we have one further question in the room and that might do it.
So Boris, over to you.
Boris Engels run a free answer in the entire world, the formal standard school system is being questioned and sometimes challenged.
It seemed that only emergency situation is still killing 100% to the traditional 19th century school model.
[Other language spoken]
Help me out for us with the the the the links to historic or the way education is still done, but the the the the link to Gaza library porous.
I have bad hearing, so I'm not sure what you asked me, but we here, we have heard for years now that education cannot wait and that so many millions of children don't have school in emergency situation, Gaza or refugee camps.
But at the same time, the school system in Europe, America and most of the world does not work anymore.
People, teachers, pupil are fed up with that.
Try to find another model, but the only place where apparently informal and new channels of education are not being reflected upon or implemented seem to be where it would be most needed and most easy.
That is emergency situation.
So since I have bad hearing, usually I only hear 1/4 of what experts say.
But in that quarter, I never heard anything about new models of education and schooling in new context, even let's say tragic context.
[Other language spoken]
Look, I think I'm happy to direct your, your question on that historical sense on where education is going, where it should go in, in countries in the northern or Southern hemisphere.
I don't have that expertise, but I very much understand what you're, what you're alluding to.
Gaza is in some ways or always taking on new initiatives.
Gaza, what UNICEF is doing and in terms of our temporary learning spaces is only English, Arabic, maths and science.
But Palestinians, I don't think I've found a single one of the thousands I've spoken to or hundreds I've spoken to who, who questioned that.
So the, the style of learning may still be, you know, old school, pardon the pun, but they, their, their commitment to it and their study for it is why they produce so many engineers and doctors and those STEM, STEM people, they work incredibly hard.
So I don't think at this moment they're questioning that style of education.
They just want access for, to it.
And of course, for industrious young people, if they have an Internet connectivity, if they can go to school for four hours of a day and then they have an Internet connectivity, then they will do their own type of schooling.
As I've met many people there who are creating greenhouses who have learned fluent English or creating solar panel about bicycles all on the back of the Internet.
So I don't I don't think we can understate the ability and inch ingenuity of Palestinians.
But I think you have a fair question and do reach out to me on that historical sense of where where education is going globally.
[Other language spoken]
And I'd always be keen on learning more on that issue.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Boris, Thank you very much, James.
So we have one further question, Nick, New York Times.
Yeah, thanks for taking the question.
[Other language spoken]
Slightly sort of long distance question, but I'm trying to reconcile.
I appreciate your focus is on immediate relief, but I'm trying to reconcile the conditions you're dealing with with the kind of images of Gaza shared by Jared Kushner at Davos.
I'm wondering to what extent there has been any engagement with UNICEF that on on Palestinian education in the reconstructed Gaza and what you may be aware of in terms of whether or not there's any space for Palestinian education than the plans that are being developed?
[Other language spoken]
It's thanks very much, Nick.
So as earlier this week, our Deputy Executive director was meeting with Israeli authorities, was at the meeting, at the CMCC meeting a range of Palestinian technocrats as well, making the point time and again on the criticality of education on this initiative on allowing school supplies in.
So we've seen some success there.
There.
You're right in terms of other imagery and so on, we don't see, we don't see the appropriate nod to the criticality of education nor nor to just how embedded in the culture of Gaza it is and how it has enabled them to bounce back so many times.
So I think at all levels from, you know, from the secretary general to the resident coordinator on the ground, whatever access they can possibly have with those major players in the Board of Peace, then that is one of the first messages that we are that we are conveying.
As I say in that brief, it's it's, it's so perfectly clear in Gaza, as is elsewhere that this is a life saving.
This is a life saving response.
Beyond that way above and beyond some of the, as you say, you know, magnificent buildings that we see in some of those PowerPoint presentations, the nuts and bolts for UNICEF is that education is absolutely on the podium of priorities.
Now it's up to us to try and ensure that that message is conveyed to those to those decision makers.
[Other language spoken]
Appreciate that indeed, these are improvements, some some good news, but still amidst A continuing precarious situation.
So thank you very much, James, as always joining us here at this briefing.
So that ends it, I believe, unless no, that's it for for you, James.
[Other language spoken]
We're going to move on then to an announcement from David, who's now on the podium with me.
David Herscher of the International Telecommunication Union has an announcement for us.
[Other language spoken]
The International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit 2026 will take place in Porto, Portugal from the 2nd to the 3rd of February.
The event brings together governments, regulators, industry representatives and other experts to strengthen technical collaboration on submarine cable resilience.
Among the technical issues to be discussed include timely deployment and repair of cables, risk identification, monitoring and medication, and supporting connectivity and geographic diversity.
As a reminder, submarine cables carry more than 99% of international data traffic.
There are about 100 to two 150 to 200 faults each year, with the majority of those faults coming from human activities such as phishing.
The event is organised by ITU and the International Cable Protection Committee, ICPC.
It is hosted by the Government of Portugal, and it follows last year's meeting in Nigeria.
We issued an advisory yesterday.
Reporters can request accreditation at our e-mail press reg@itu.in T and a webcast of the event is also available.
[Other language spoken]
Any questions for David online?
Oh, yes, Catherine, Francois Katz.
[Other language spoken]
David, would it be possible to send us the list of events that are going to take care in 2026?
ITU events?
[Other language spoken]
I'll, I'll, I'll start off, but I think it because it integrates well into what Rolando might have to say on this.
What we do, I think regularly provide a list to this, to the spokesperson's office.
And I, and I don't know if it's already gone out, but I believe you the Rollo's office will put out a list of events.
Not all events are known to us yet, but those that are known and that have are open for, for press coverage, we would certainly make sure we're part of that.
That's right, David, indeed, we do send out at the beginning of the year and I believe we had a hold up because of some uncertainties about some of the human rights treaty bodies in particular.
This rather it's a telegraphic list, but it does list all the key events coming up in the forecast ahead, including ITU events.
So I'll follow up on that and let's make sure you get that for your planning.
[Other language spoken]
Catherine, do you have another question or no?
[Other language spoken]
We could also follow up with you directly if you like.
Jamie, you have a question for David.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
Nice to see you both.
David, my question was just, there have been a number of instances of alleged sabotage or or or or willful attacks on undersea cables.
Wondering if ITU pulls together data on that.
Do you have statistics on suspected cases of that?
[Other language spoken]
From the work that ITU does, we can say that the overwhelming majority of instances where there are these disruptions or faults, 150 to 200 a year on the order of about 3 a week, that those are the majority.
About 80% are from fishing, human activities such as fishing, anchor dragging.
There are other instances such as ageing equipment, equipment faults.
There's also natural hazards, earthquakes, tsunamis that can impact the cables.
ITU does not have the statistics itself with that kind of detail clarity, but we do use industry sources for that and our partner in the summit, the International Cable Protection Committee could be a reliable source for for for data such as that.
[Other language spoken]
Thank you so much, David for the questions for David.
No, that's not the case.
So thanks as always and good luck with the upcoming event.
Just a couple of announcements, colleagues.
Just wanted to flag firstly that we shared with you yesterday a statement from the Secretary General that he delivered to the Security Council on the rule of law.
And he notes how the rule of law is being replaced by the rule of the jungle, quote unquote.
He says we see flagrant violations of international law and brazen disregard for the UN Charter.
Secretary General also noted that from Gaza to Ukraine, from the Sahel to Myanmar, and in Venezuela and elsewhere, the rule of law is being treated as an A la carte menu.
It's an important statement, which I would encourage you to read, that we shared with you last night an event taking place here.
I would encourage you to attend, if you can, at 1:00 PM in Room 16 today to mark.
Today is International Day of the Commemoration and Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.
It's 81 years into liberation of the concentration camps and we have an event to mark the this important observance today, the 27th of January at 1:00 PM, Room 16.
Again, this is an annual occurrence which is mandated by the General Assembly.
As you will know, we have a message from Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General, that will be displayed.
We have remarks from the Director General of UNOG, Miss Valavaya, and we also have a keynote address from Miss Leoni Di Picciotto, who's a Holocaust survivor.
As always, this event features an interview with the Holocaust survivor, so I would encourage you to attend if you can.
At 1:00 PM, Room 16, Human rights treaty body meetings.
We have the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which is continuing its work this week.
It will conclude its 100th session this coming Friday, the 30th of January.
Tomorrow, Letia, there is a meeting with states scheduled for Thursday afternoon at at the end of the meeting or at the end of the session rather on Friday, it will issue its concluding observations for the countries it reviewed during this session, namely for Maldives, Ghana, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Colombia, Spain and Malaysia.
And you'll receive those as usual.
[Other language spoken]
UPR Universal Periodic Review also continues its session this week.
We have today the review going on at present.
The Saint Kitts and Nevis review is taking place in this afternoon at Sao Tome in the Principe.
Friday afternoon.
The reports for the remaining states will all be all be adopted by this working group, namely for Micronesia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Nauru, Rwanda, Nepal, St.
Lucia, Oman, Austria, Australia, Georgia, Saint Kitts and Nevis and South Domain.
Principe, did you get all that?
I'm going to ask you if if you remembered that.
Now on on the last note, I wanted to, I wouldn't ask to announce an event that is taking place.
It's more of a memorial event.
And this is a rather sombre note, but I think it's important.
It's it's sort of I feel obligated to say something because I know many of you are bicyclists.
I'm looking at some of you myself.
I'm a biker and there was a tragic incident which took place as you probably heard it is an Aielo, a young woman, 28 year old woman who was killed sadly not far from here and Giuseppe Moto on the 15th of December.
Elizabeth Weathersby's her name and she was an ILO employee.
Now in her memory and to raise awareness about Rd safety in this, the Nacions neighbourhood commemorative ceremony will be held at the site of the accident.
This is this.
So that will be taking place this Thursday the 29th of January at 5:30.
So it's the location is specifically the parking lot of the ITU.
So this is a corner of Mota and Camille Vidal.
So this Thursday at 5:30 for our fallen colleague Elizabeth Wezersby.
Any questions for me before we wrap up?
[Other language spoken]
Sorry, this is actually a question for IOM because I just saw that they are on the call like hopefully still on the call.
Just a question in relation to the number of shipwrecks, concerns about dozens dead or missing following the press release that you put out yesterday.
I was just wondering since then if there's been any further update that you could you can give us.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
I think Kennedy, yeah, there is.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
So far, we haven't had any updates what we had and what we issued yesterday is basically the latest that we have from the incident.
Try and keep track, follow up with our colleagues in the Mediterranean and see whether there's any update of the numbers.
And then I'll, I'll come back to you if I told any.
But so far what we had issued yesterday is the numbers that we currently have.
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
If you can come back to us on any more details, go ahead.
Boris.
Today, from what I read, there is a day study day on the history of multilateralism taking place in relation with the UN Archives League of Nation Archives.
It's not clear if it's at the library.
I don't know if the library is open or a room S5 is.
Will an accredited journalist be allowed to attend?
[Other language spoken]
[Other language spoken]
The library building, as you know, given the ongoing construction works is closed.
The the but they have relocated their archives to a different building and, and the compound.
But let me look into this specific event or maybe afterwards we can liaise and then I could try to get information whether you can attend this event or not.
Thank you very much.
Any further questions, colleagues?
I see a microphone on but not a hand.
So I think that does it.
Thank you very much.
See you this afternoon perhaps and if not this afternoon on Friday.
That's his briefing.
[Other language spoken]