Securing education

About 230 million children around the world live in regions affected by conflict. In such chaotic situations, children tend to lose out on formal education as it is simply too dangerous for schools to remain open. In fact, 37 million children are currently not receiving a proper education because they live in conflict zones.

As a legacy of its 2012 Nobel Peace Prize, the EU has developed the EU Children of Peace initiative, originally funded with the prize money. The initiative funds humanitarian projects to help children caught up in conflicts receive an education in schools where learning can take place safely. In some projects, training is provided to teachers, and counselling services are offered to children who have suffered loss or trauma.

Tens of thousands of children from countries affected by conflict – such as South Sudan, Syria, Iraq and the Central African Republic – are benefitting annually from the initiative. For instance, in the Central African Republic children are receiving conflict-sensitive education and psychosocial support in a healthy and protective learning environment. In Turkey, the initiative is providing access to schools for thousands of Syrian children living in host communities.