e-7466 (Foreign affairs)

Petition to the House of Commons

• Druze students in Suwayda, Syria are being prevented from safely accessing or completing their examinations and education. Access to education is recognized internationally as a fundamental human right under instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child;
• Members of the Druze community in Suwayda have been constantly living in a humanitarian crisis over the past year. The city of Suwayda has been under siege meaning the route between Damascus and Suwayda is dangerous with constant kidnappings and shooting incidents;
• A month before final exams, the Syrian government announced that the thousands of middle school and high school Druze students have to travel to Damascus to take their final exams;
• Forcing thousands of students to travel an unsafe route to take their final exams without providing any assistance with the logistics involved or guaranteeing their safety is an unrealistic imposition done in bad faith;
• Interrupting or restricting access to examinations and education can severely affect the future, mental well-being, and opportunities of young people; and
• Canada has historically supported the protection of human rights, minority communities, and access to education for civilians affected by conflict and political instability.