Equitable Access to Quality Education for Internally Displaced Children

The exact number of children living in internal displacement worldwide is unknown, but there were estimated to be over 17 million at the end of 2018, as a result of conflict and violence, and millions more due to disasters. Five million youth, aged between 18 and 24, were also living in internal displacement. Too many internally displaced children grow up deprived of an education and the long term opportunities it affords.

A lack of capacity, resources and persistent insecurity, social tensions and discrimination are all significant barriers to education in many displacement situations. Internal displacement often places huge strains on already inadequate educational infrastructure, and when displaced children do attend school in many cases it is through parallel systems. These tend not to have qualified teachers or offer certified examinations, and risk having their funding cut at short notice.

This report aims to highlight the challenges that internally displaced children face in the effort to access quality education, and offers recommendations for how education can adapt to meet their needs through supporting national education systems, while improving social cohesion.