Education is not only a fundamental right. It is an enabling right with direct impacts on the realization of other human rights.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, children around the world have been affected by the largest education disruption in history. COVID-19 led to closures of schools and other learning spaces that impacted 94% of the world's student population. This crisis has worsened pre-existing education disparities by reducing opportunities for many of the world's most vulnerable children.
UNICEF strives to ensure that children in emergency conditions have the same rights to survival, protection and development as other children. UNICEF provides immediate humanitarian assistance to children and families in crisis and supports long-term development to help children and families better withstand future crises. In 2021, UNICEF will provide an estimated 93.3 million emergency-affected children with access to an education.
A key priority in any emergency is ensuring uninterrupted learning for every child. Examples of UNICEF Education in Emergencies programming include:
• Remote Learning Strategies: UNICEF is developing remote learning strategies to ensure the continuity of learning during school closures. In 2020, UNICEF distributed 10,000 solar-powered ratios to vulnerable children in Kenya to support their distance learning needs.
• Creating Safe Spaces: UNICEF has created a framework for reopening schools that contains practical guidance on how to ensure that schools are safe spaces for learning.
• Alternative Learning Opportunities: These flexible models provide learning opportunities for children to continue learning regardless of their circumstances.
Your support will help UNICEF reach vulnerable children around the world who have been affected by the worst humanitarian crises of our time. UNICEF's programming is vital for families who have been impacted by conflicts, disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. By investing in education in emergencies, thousands of children who have had their lives upended have been given a second chance to access stability, protection and gain critical knowledge and skills.
