Education in emergencies that protects. The case of children and adolescents in Ukraine

This report aims to put the spotlight on something which is as obvious as it is forgotten: education. We wanted to do this based on the ideas, proposals, and comments from those who are most affected. At Educo, we know that education is much more than a right. It is the key to returning to a longed-for routine, a place to continue learning, a place to reconnect with classmates, to play, to go back to being a child without any more worries. A place that takes them away from the terrible reality they are living in, that protects them and gives them shelter.

The reality of children in Ukraine is shared by more than 222 million children and adolescents who currently find themselves in crisis contexts all over the world and whose right to education is very much in question. However, unfortunately, this figure could increase. We are entering a world hit by natural disasters, violence and war, crises which are all linked and from which countries will spend years recovering from. Years in which children are left out of the education system, leaving a permanent mark on their future.

Taking both this distressing context and children’s desire to return to the classroom into consideration, at Educo we have decided to analyse whether or not education in emergencies receives the attention it deserves in order to provide the response it needs. To do this, the funds contributed by the international community to this area in Ukraine have been analysed, particularly the Spanish contribution. In July, Spain begins its mandate as President of the European Commission, the perfect opportunity to strengthen its commitment to education in emergencies.