Education in crisis: is the world abandoning its children?

Interview with Arielle Goubert, Inclusion Advocacy Officer at HI:

What is Education Cannot Wait ?

It is the United Nations' global fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises. Its annual report, “Global Estimates” sets out the clearest facts and figures on the situation of children caught up in conflicts, climate crises, and other emergencies, and the disruptions they face in continuing their schooling. 
What are the most striking findings of this latest report?

I would highlight three points.

Armed conflict, forced displacement, and climate crises are disrupting the schooling of around 258 million school-age children and adolescents in crisis-affected countries (a total of 87 countries worldwide). They are losing years of schooling and opportunities for the future.

Funding for education in humanitarian settings has fallen sharply since 2025. These funding cuts are worsening exclusion from school and affecting a growing number of children and young people, further deepening inequalities.

Another striking point concerns the burden and stigma of disability among children. When a child has a disability, their chances of accessing education drop sharply… and this is even more true when they are caught up in a crisis. Among those affected by a crisis who have not been displaced, 31% of children without disabilities are out of school, compared with 43% of children with disabilities – a 12-point gap observed regardless of the severity of the crisis.

How many children are completely out of school?

Around 93.2 million crisis-affected children are completely out of school (51% of them girls). This estimate represents an increase of more than 8 million compared to 2024.

Millions of other children remain in school, but under conditions that undermine their progress and increase the risk of dropping out. For many, sitting in a classroom does not guarantee a genuine education.

The situation is even worse for children with disabilities: nearly half of crisis-affected children with disabilities worldwide are no longer in school. Crises also increase the prevalence of disability, whether physical or mental…

Are there countries that are particularly affected?

Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Palestine, Chad, Lebanon, and Syria are some examples of crisis-affected regions and countries where the education system has been severely impacted. 
Education needs are increasingly concentrated in the world's most severe crisis contexts. Of the 182 million crisis-affected children worldwide, a growing share now live in the 20 most severe crisis contexts.

What is Handicap International doing for education in crisis settings?

Today, Handicap International is running 28 inclusive education projects in 20 countries, including in crisis settings such as Mali, Chad, and Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Uganda, among others. Some of these have been supported by Education Cannot Wait, the fund behind the report we have just discussed.

Beyond its operational work, HI advocates for concrete commitments to guarantee quality education for children and young people with disabilities. We support other organizations in their efforts to expand access to education, to help ensure they include children with disabilities.

As funding for education in humanitarian settings declines, the mobilization of HI and its partners, particularly organizations of persons with disabilities, is more essential than ever to ensure that the most marginalized children are not left behind.