Children and education in emergencies

Highlights

The Education Crisis in MENA

• At least 30 million children are out of school in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), according to a UNICEF 2025 analysis. This represents around 1 in 3 children across 12 countries, most of which are fragile or conflict affected.
• Globally, 234 million school-aged children living in crisis settings require urgent support to access quality education, including 85 million children who are out of school, according to Education Cannot Wait.
• UNICEF estimates that cuts to aid between 2023 and 2026 are projected to affect education in MENA by a total US$769 million, representing a 26 per cent decline in funding. These cuts place 1.4 million children at risk of dropping out of school. A total of 32 million children risk being affected by weakened education systems and declining quality of learning.