Education & Child Protection

After the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye, Nazih* and his family moved between temporary settlements while facing ongoing barriers to education. Three years after the earthquakes, during their transition from temporary shelter to urban life, we supported the family in re-establishing a stable and safe living environment with the support of the European Union. Through comprehensive financial, educational, and psychosocial support, alongside child protection services, the children have successfully continued their schooling and are looking ahead with renewed confidence.

PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate ReleaseEuropean Union Provides Additional €3 Million to Strengthen Education Access for Refugee and Host Community Children in UgandaKampala, Uganda – May 22nd, 2026As Europe Day 2026 was celebrated on Saturday, 9 May 2026, and as the European Union marks 50 years of partnership with Uganda since the establishment of the EU Delegation in Kampala in 1976, the European Union, through its humanitarian funding, has provided an additional €3 million to the Building Resilient Inclusive Systems for Locally Led Education and Protection (RISE) Project in Uganda. This additional funding, allocated through the Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) 2026, builds on the EU’s initial €5 million contribution in 2025 and further strengthens efforts to ensure that refugee and Ugandan children affected by displacement can access safe, inclusive, and quality education. The additional funding is accompanied by a project time extension from February 2027 to April 2027, enabling partners to consolidate gains and sustain impact.

Creating meaningful and lasting change for children requires more than policies and programmes. It requires strong partnerships, community leadership, and a genuine commitment to listening to children themselves. These themes stood at the center of the recent visit of Ahmad Alhendawi, Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe (MENAEE) at Save the Children International, to Kosovo, where discussions and field visits highlighted both the progress achieved and the continued need for collective action to protect and advance children’s rights.

Seven-month-old Muskan* from northern Afghanistan received timely treatment for severe acute malnutrition thanks to an IHA MAPLE-funded Save the Children health facility, leading to significant improvement in her health as she continues her recovery.

Save the Children, in partnership with Hewad Vocational and Social Organization (HVSO) distributed school kits to 4,128 students in Kabul Province, helping reduce barriers to education and support continued learning in hub schools.

In a remote village in northern Afghanistan affected by explosive remnants of war, Save the Children, with support from the Security and Rule of Law (NL–SROL) programme, provided mine risk awareness training to children and communities.

Through targeted support to 196 households, Save the Children, with funding from SOS Children on the Move, helped children leave hazardous work, return to learning, and begin building safer and more hopeful futures.

a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } To support children accompanying their families to health facilities, Save the Children established a Mini Child‑Friendly Space (Mini CFS) in the Therapeutic Feeding Unit in Jawzjan, with support from Save the Children Italy.

Through the project “Empowering Persons with Disabilities, with a Special Focus on Children with Disabilities”, Save the Children supported families to turn skills into sustainable livelihoods.

Women in a community in southern Afghanistan now have access to safer, free, and more dignified maternal healthcare through the rehabilitation of a clinic delivery room supported by the Integrated Health Assistance, Maternal and Perinatal Life-Saving Emergencies (IHA MAPLE) project.

Save the Children Türkiye strengthens children’s psychosocial well-being through a child-centred anti-bullying campaign featuring a fairytale written by earthquake affected children in Hatay and adapted into a 2D animated film. The campaign was supported by Save the Children US.

Eight-year-old Ali* and his family were forced to flee their home due to a prolonged drought and conflict. In his new environment, he lost his daily rhythm when he could no longer go to school. The child-friendly space brought security, friends and joy into his life that had long since disappeared.

Raja’s story highlights how timely support can transform the lives of vulnerable girls facing child marriage, early pregnancy, and gender-based violence in Mangalla. Forced out of school at 15, she regained hope after receiving psychosocial care, family counselling, and coordinated health support, enabling her to safely deliver her baby and return to education.

Lead Writer - Ibrahim Lawan

Save the Children expresses deep alarm over the rapidly escalating and increasingly brutal violence against children in Zimbabwe. Recently, social media revealed a shocking rise in cases of children being sexually violated, beaten to death, burned, abducted or kidnapped thereby going missing, often at the hands of caregivers, relatives, community figures, or trusted adults.

6 Şubat 2023’te meydana gelen 7,7 ve 7,6 büyüklüğündeki depremlerin üzerinden üç yıl geçerken, afetten etkilenen bölgelerde çocuklar ve aileler için ihtiyaçlar devam ediyor. Depremler, 2,5 milyonu çocuk ve 1,7 milyonu mülteci olmak üzere toplam 9,1 milyon insanı doğrudan etkileyen büyük ölçekli bir insani krize yol açtı. 50 binden fazla insan yaşamını yitirdi, 2,7 milyon kişi yerinden edildi ve temel hizmetler aksadı.

As three years have passed since the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes that struck on February 6, 2023, the needs of children and families in the affected regions continue. The earthquakes triggered a large-scale humanitarian crisis, directly affecting 9.1 million people, including 2.5 million children and 1.7 million refugees. More than 50,000 lives were lost, 2.7 million people were displaced, and essential services were severely disrupted.

Senior government officials, development partners, and education stakeholders convened in Dhaka today to launch coordination under the Climate Smart Education Systems Initiative (CSESI), a national effort to strengthen Bangladesh’s education system against the growing impacts of climate change. Bangladesh faced extended closures last year, keeping children out of school for longer periods and resulting in learning loss. Supported by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), CSESI aims to integrate climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability into education sector plans, budgets, and strategies to mitigate these challenges.

Between 2014 and 2022, Nigeria recorded 70 school attacks, 1,683 learners abducted, 184 killed, and 25 buildings destroyed – Save the Children10.5 million primary school-age children (25.6%) are not enrolled in school, with girls accounting for 60% of out-of-school children – UNICEFNigeria’s secondary school gross enrolment rate stands at 42% – WorldMetrics Nigeria Education Report (2025)

Two one-year-old twin girls are still missing at sea and an adult man died after 61 people disembarked on Thursday in Lampedusa.

About 20,000 children in displacement camps and in facilities referred to as “rehabilitation” centres in northeastern Syria are at heightened risk as fighting intensifies and the situation remains fluid, with limited clarity on the security conditions affecting children and families.

Millions of children in Sudan have missed nearly 500 days of learning since the war started in April 2023 in what has become one of the world’s longest school closures, surpassing the worst shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Save the Children Türkiye, with the financial support of the European Union and in cooperation with Pikolo Association, we are launching a comprehensive support programme for Syrian families in Adıyaman whose need for assistance has increased following the impacts of the earthquake and the closure of temporary container settlements. The project aims to provide integrated solutions across cash assistance, child protection, and education, reaching more than 2,000 individuals in total.

The armed conflict in Northern Mozambique has triggered a severe child rights crisis, leaving 441,721 children and 5,365 teachers in urgent need of humanitarian education support, with 138 schools closed and 82,800 children having their learning interrupted. Despite the critical scale of this emergency, humanitarian education funding has alarmingly declined over the past four years, dropping from 37.5% coverage in 2022 to just 5.1% in 2025, marking the lowest funding level across all humanitarian clusters. Save the Children, alongside its allies, is therefore demanding urgent action from donors, UN agencies, and government stakeholders to demonstrate their duty of care and commitment to reverse this situation, protect the right of conflict-affected children to safe and uninterrupted learning, and prevent long-term, intergenerational impacts resulting from a lack of education.

In collaboration with National Human Rights Commission (NCHR), we reaffirm children's rights to dignity, protection, and opportunity in Mozambique. Save the Children and NCHR co-hosted the 4th Regional Conference of National Human Rights Institutions in Southern Africa, addressing priorities like ending early and forced unions, strengthening child protection systems, and safeguarding children in humanitarian and climate crises, while highlighting challenges in weak law implementation and limited child participation.

Israel’s aid restrictions mean that severe winter weather is cutting children in Gaza off from much-needed child protection and psychosocial support services, Save the Children said, as storms began again today

From safe schools to ending child marriage to cleaning up the oceans, children across the globe used their voices for their rights

Syrians returning home full of hope in the year since the conflict ended said they are struggling to rebuild their lives amid destroyed infrastructure, limited access to schools and healthcare, and a collapsing economy, Save the Children said.

Vjollca Obërtinca is a 46-year-old woman from Fushë Kosovë who lives with her husband and three children. Being deaf, she has faced many challenges over the years, including limited access to professional training opportunities and barriers to formal employment. Despite these obstacles, Vjollca has always remained determined to support her family and build a better future for her children.

Between 10 and 14 November 2025, Save the Children held a workshop based on the 'Girls Decide' approach as part of the ECHO CP project to empower girls in migration and displacement contexts. The event trained participants to promote mental resilience, practical skills, and community support, addressing critical protection issues such as GBV and CPI in northern Mozambique, and highlighting the importance of Safeguarding and PSEA.

Lead Writer - Mogbonjubade AdesulureOnce struggling to read even simple words, Haruna and his younger brother Hussaini are now topping their classes, with support of a community-based Catch-Up Club supported by Save the Children. With dreams of becoming a president and a doctor, these two brothers are proving that with the right support, no dream is too big.Discover how a literacy program made a difference in their academics.

Nearly two-thirds of South Sudanese children surveyed aged between 5 and 17 years are engaged in the worst form of child labour, with rates soaring to as high as 90% in the worst hit regions, according to a new report by the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare.

From destroyed homes and playgrounds to dreams of becoming doctors, writers, and fashion designers, children in Gaza have expressed how two years of war have reshaped their lives and risk shattering their dreams in a series of drawings released today by Save the Children

6 Şubat 2023’te meydana gelen depremler yalnızca binaları değil, duyguları da derinden sarstı. Bu süreçte 12 yaşındaki Mert* de Adıyaman’da depremlerden sonra ailesiyle birlikte bir konteyner kente taşındı. Yeni yaşam koşulları onu içine kapanmasına neden oldu; sessizleşti ve çevresiyle bağ kurmakta zorlandı. Save the Children Türkiye desteğiyle Gökkuşağı Derneği ortaklığında yürütülen Psikososyal Destek (MHPSS) faaliyetlerine düzenli katılım gösteren Mert, zamanla kendine güvenini yeniden kazandı ve duygularını ifade etmeyi öğrendi.

The earthquakes that struck on February 6, 2023, shook not only buildings but also emotions. In the aftermath, 12-year-old Mert* and his family relocated to a container settlement in Adıyaman. The new living conditions left Mert withdrawn, quiet, and struggling to connect with others. With support from Save the Children Türkiye and in partnership with Gökkuşağı Association, Mert began regularly attending Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) activities. Over time, he regained his self-confidence and learned to express his emotions.

Safeguarding the well-being of children and vulnerable adults is one of the most pressing challenges facing Kosovo today. Despite progress in policy and law, too many children continue to experience risks of neglect, violence, and exploitation in their homes, schools, and communities. Strengthening safeguarding is not only a legal duty under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Kosovo’s Child Protection Law, but also a moral responsibility shared by all sectors of society.It was against this backdrop that Save the Children Kosova/o, in collaboration with the University of Prishtina and with support from Sida, convened the Safeguarding Symposium on 17 September 2025 in Prishtina. The event brought together government representatives, academics, civil society, international experts, and most importantly the voices of children, to exchange experiences, explore solutions, and chart practical steps toward safer, more inclusive systems in Kosovo.

Launched in 2022 by Sierra Leone's Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education, the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Education Outcomes Fund, SLEIC aimed to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for 134,000 children in 325 public primary schools across all districts of Sierra Leone

In the Vocational Education and Training Centre in Prizren, Besa Shehu and Habibe Elshani are more than trainers—they are changemakers. Supported by Save the Children Kosova/o, these two women have transformed their classrooms into spaces of opportunity and inclusion.

On the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attack, the safety and protection of children and education personnel in schools in Mozambique remain a national priority in the face of ongoing conflicts and the increasing impact of climate change. Based on IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix data, over 600,000 people have been displaced due to conflict in Northern Mozambique, including more than 320,000 children, making the urgency for a collective and robust response greater than ever. Data estimates show that over 110,000 children are not attending school, highlighting the serious threats to their fundamental right to education. The challenges are compounded by frequent cyclical natural disasters, which further disrupt learning.

Children in frontline areas of Ukraine have lost 25% more days of learning due to the war than the world’s longest COVID-19 school closures, as a lack of bomb shelters means it is still too dangerous to for children to attend class, Save the Children said today.

Save the Children Tanzania, in partnership with the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, has launched an innovative and scalable solution: “Adopt a Child Care Centre”This public-private partnership calls upon visionary businesses, philanthropists, faith-based organizations, diaspora members, and individuals to sponsor and sustain Child Care Centres across Zanzibar. These centres serve as safe, nurturing spaces where children can learn through play, receive nutritious meals, access early health screening, and benefit from the care of trained professionals all aligned with the globally recognized Nurturing Care Framework.

Save the Children, in partnership with the Provincial Directorate of Education of Nampula, held the Provincial Meeting of the Inclusion Network in the district of Meconta. Created in 2023, the Network's mission is to ensure that children, young people, and adults with disabilities or special educational needs have access to inclusive, quality education with dignity.

On 1st August 2025, Save the Children participated in a round table on Public-Private Partnerships for the Sustainability of the National School Feeding Programme in Mozambique. The event was organised by CARE and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a consortium that is implementing the project titled “Catalysing Political Actions for Health and Resilient Dietary” – CASCADE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture.

In Ozdrim, near Peja, Save the Children’s Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Centre, opened in January 2023, has transformed the lives of children and families. Gentiana, a working mother, shares how the centre supported her son Malti, who struggled with shyness and socialization after the pandemic. With guidance from his educator, Malti developed confidence, social skills, and learning abilities, preparing him for preschool and beyond. The centre not only benefits children but also reassures parents through education sessions, proving the vital role of early childhood programs in rural communities.

On the north coast of Mozambique, the village of Pangane, in Macomia district, is known for the tranquillity of its beaches and the simplicity of its people. However, in recent years, the region has been marked by scarce opportunities and constant fear due to attacks by non-state armed groups, which have already forced thousands of families to abandon their homes and lose their livelihoods.

Decades of repeated armed conflict since the early 1960s have left behind a deadly legacy of explosive ordnance in Yemen

One in 5 young people in Spain said images of them naked created with Artificial Intelligence were shared online without their consent when they were under 18 and nearly all reported sexual violence of some kind online, according to a Save the Children study.

Save the Children has handed over its coastal resilience project to 12 communities in Pujehun and Bonthe. The project improved livelihoods, protected mangroves, and empowered locals through VSLAs, eco-friendly ovens, and training. Communities now lead the way forward.

I used to feel really scared about telling my mom and dad. I used to worry about anything that might get me into trouble, because I thought they would punish me for it, and that scared me even more! So sometimes, I would keep things to myself even if I really wanted to share them with my parents.

Huma* (10), who was born with albinism, and her family were among the many affected by the devastating 2023 earthquakes in Hatay, Türkiye. Alongside the widespread destruction, Huma also faced daily challenges due to her visual impairment and the bullying she endured because of her appearance. With the holistic and child-centered support of Save the Children, Huma and her family have not only rebuilt their lives but also regained a sense of safety. Her story highlights the life-changing impact of inclusive humanitarian aid that recognizes and responds to the unique needs of every child.

Hatay’da yaşayan doğuştan albinizmli olan 10 yaşındaki Huma* ve ailesi, 2023 yılında Türkiye’de meydana gelen yıkıcı depremlerin ardından birçok aile gibi hayatlarını yeniden kurmak için büyük zorluklar yaşadı. Huma görme engelinin getirdiği zorlukların yanı sıra, dış görünüşü nedeniyle sürekli olarak zorbalığa maruz kaldı. Tüm bu zorluklara rağmen, onun hikayesi güç, dayanıklılık ve kapsamlı bir insani yardım müdahalesinin dönüştürücü gücünü yansıtıyor. Save the Children’ın ihtiyaçlarına özel olarak sunduğu destekler sayesinde, Huma ve ailesi hayatlarında yeniden bir istikrar ve güven duygusu kazanabildi.

The world as we know it is rapidly evolving. Every half second a child makes their first click online and one in three internet users is now under the age of 18. Read from our expert Rebecca Smith on what Netflix’s Adolescence tells us about children’s online safety, the risks to children online and what we can do about it.

Children living in the open in Myanmar after being forced from their homes by the deadly earthquake are at additional risk of heat related illnesses as temperatures in parts of the country climb to 40°C (104 F), Save the Children said.

Save the Children Türkiye, Lale*'nin (12) yaşadığı konteyner kente bir çocuk dostu alan ve sosyal merkez kurarak burada Ruh Sağlığı ve Psikososyal Destek (MHPSS) faaliyetleri yürüttü. Bu faaliyetler kapsamında Lale*, 6-17 yaş arasındaki çocukların haklarını öğrenmelerini, duygusal gelişimlerini desteklemeyi ve topluma katılımlarını teşvik etmeyi amaçlayan Çocuk Komitesi'ne katılıyor. Bu inisiyatif sayesinde çocuklar, güvenlik, duygular ve sorumluluklar hakkında eğlenceli ve interaktif etkinliklerle öğrenim görüyor. Ayrıca grup anlaşmaları oluşturarak ihtiyaçlarını dile getirme ve yaşam alanlarını iyileştirme önerilerinde bulunma fırsatı yakalıyorlar. Toplantılarda, kız ve erkek çocuklar, cinsiyetleri ve milliyetleri ötesinde, birer birey olarak potansiyellerini keşfedip eşit bir şekilde etkileşim kuruyorlar. Lale*, bu komite toplantılarında kendisi gibi olabilmenin güvenini yaşıyor ve ekonomik güçlenme talebini dile getiriyor. Bu adımlar, toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliğini anlamaları için önemli bir temel oluşturuyor.

Save the Children Türkiye established a child friendly space and social center to the container city where Lale* (12) lives and has implemented MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) activities in the child-friendly space. As part of MHPSS activities, Lale* participates in the Children’s Committee, a program for children aged 6-17 that promotes awareness of their rights, emotional development, and community involvement. Through this initiative, children engage in fun, interactive activities to learn about safety, emotions, and responsibilities. They also contribute to creating group agreements, voice their needs, and suggest improvements for their living spaces. In the meetings girls and boys interacted with each other beyond their gender and nationality by recognizing their wholeness and potentials as equal individuals. Lale* feels encouraged to bring her authentic self to the committee meetings and to claim her economic empowerment which are both critical steps to promote the understanding of gender equality.

As part of the implementation of the Support for Education Project, which started on November 1, 2023 to October 31, 2024. After the attacks of March 24, 2021, two years later, the education sector has faced numerous challenges in terms of materials to guarantee the teaching and learning process. It is in this context that the project comes in to support the education sector, with a view to ensuring that the teaching and learning process takes place without leaps and bounds in this atypical environment that is plaguing the province of Cabo Delgado and in particular the district of Palma.

As part of the implementation of the Save the Children Japan's self-fund Project (Support for Education), which began on November 1, 2023 and ends on October 31, 2024. After the attacks of March 24, 2021, two years later, the education sector has faced numerous challenges in terms of materials to guarantee the teaching and learning process and school infrastructures that were also destroyed due to the abandonment of communities in the face of attacks by members of non-state forces. This is where the project comes in to support the education sector, with a view to guaranteeing a safe environment for children so that the teaching and learning process can achieve its objectives.

A pause in hostilities in Gaza will protect children from bombs and bullets for as long as it holds but must be the turning point to secure a definitive ceasefire and to rapidly increase humanitarian aid to children facing malnutrition and disease, said Save the Children.

In the context of implementing the Save the Children Japan's self-fund project (Education Support), which runs from 1st November 2023 to 31st October 2024, significant challenges remain in the education sector two years after the attacks of 24th March 2021. These challenges include a lack of materials necessary to ensure the teaching and learning process. The project aims to support the education sector to guarantee that teaching and learning can continue smoothly despite the atypical environment affecting Cabo Delgado province, particularly Palma district.

Mozambique Takes Another Step Towards Eliminating Child Marriages with a Learning Event Under the Theme “Empowering Girls to Combat Child Marriages”

Almost half of all school aged children in Pakistan – almost 26 million – are out of school until at least the middle of November due to hazardous air pollution.

Across all cultures and ages, children are suspicious of people they don’t know online, and we see them developing strategies to protect themselves. But it shouldn’t be just their responsibility to stay safe online - they need adults, especially their parents and caregivers, to step up and help.