Somalia convened an Arria-formula meeting at UN Headquarters titled “Safeguarding Education in Sudan: Investing in Peace, Recovery and Stability,” addressing a crisis where UNICEF describes the country as housing the world’s largest education emergency. Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman of Somalia and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed delivered opening remarks for the session, which focused on the collapse of learning infrastructure since the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces entered active hostilities.
The Scale of the Sudan Education Crisis
According to UNICEF figures, approximately 17.3 million children require humanitarian assistance in Sudan, with children accounting for three in five internally displaced people. The conflict has directly impacted learning environments across multiple regions. A June update from Education Cannot Wait noted that more than 12 million children are currently out of school due to the ongoing fighting. Schools have sustained heavy damage from bombardments, while others remain closed, occupied by armed actors, or repurposed as emergency shelters for displaced families.
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Management Hannan Sulieman briefed members that almost half of Sudan’s school buildings can no longer function as classrooms. The Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict documented 41 attacks on schools in Sudan and four instances of military use of schools, with three incidents attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces and one to the Rapid Support Forces. Sulieman highlighted that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas remains the leading cause of school destruction, noting that drones have emerged as a major delivery method. UNICEF reported that drone strikes accounted for roughly 60 percent of child casualties during the first half of the year, with Darfur and Kordofan recording the highest tolls.
Long-Term Risks and Workforce Shortages
Somalia’s concept note for the Arria-formula session warned that the destruction extends far beyond immediate learning loss. Continued disruption to education risks creating severe, long-term shortages in the skilled workforce required to restore public institutions, rebuild essential services, and support national recovery. Executive Director of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack Lisa Chung Bender briefed participants on how protracted school closures damage Sudan’s future economic trajectory and leave children exposed to extreme vulnerabilities.
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UNICEF projects that 4.2 million children will experience acute malnutrition in Sudan by 2026. This figure includes more than 825,000 children expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, marking a 13.5 percent increase compared to 2025.
Without safe learning spaces, children face heightened risks of recruitment into armed groups, child labor, and trafficking. Girls face distinct threats of child marriage and sexual violence. Sulieman emphasized that schools often function as vital entry points for humanitarians to deliver food assistance, healthcare, and mental health services to vulnerable populations.
National actors have also raised concerns over administrative divides. Earlier this year, the Rapid Support Forces announced plans to administer secondary school certificate exams independently in regions under their control. Local observers warned that parallel testing systems risk deepening educational fragmentation and politicizing the national curriculum, preventing equal opportunities for students nationwide.
Security Council Divisions on Accountability
While Council members broadly agree on the need for ceasefires, humanitarian access, and civilian protection, divisions persist over accountability measures. China, Pakistan, and Russia emphasize the sovereignty and authority of the government led by Sudanese Armed Forces General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Conversely, the P3 nations—France, the UK, and the US—maintain a critical stance toward both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, holding both factions responsible for atrocities.
Speakers during recent meetings urged parties to comply with international humanitarian law and adopt action plans with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. Some members reiterated calls to expand the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, which currently covers Darfur under resolution 1593, to the entirety of Sudan. Proposals were also floated to designate additional individuals under the Security Council’s 1591 Sudan sanctions regime for violations against children and educational facilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Sudan considered the world’s largest education emergency?
According to UNICEF, nearly half of Sudan’s school buildings are no longer functional, leaving over 12 million children out of school due to ongoing conflict and infrastructure destruction.
How are schools being damaged in the conflict?
Schools have been damaged or destroyed during the fighting, while others have been closed, occupied by armed actors, or repurposed as shelters for IDPs.
What is the Safe Schools Declaration?
The Safe Schools Declaration is an intergovernmental political commitment adopted in 2015 to protect education during armed conflict. Sudan endorsed the declaration the same year.
What are the risks of prolonged school closures for children in Sudan?
Disrupted schooling increases children’s vulnerability to recruitment by armed groups, child labor, trafficking, child marriage, and sexual violence, while also depriving them of access to humanitarian health and nutrition services.
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