Humanitarian Talk 3: Integrated Approaches to Education in Times of Crisis: Ensuring Protection, Building Resilience, Inspiring Hope

Over 234 million children in crisis-affected contexts require urgent support to access quality education, with over 85 million currently out of school. Escalating conflicts, displacement, climate-related disasters and widespread fragility are straining education systems, disrupting learning and exposing children to key protection concerns.

This panel will focus on the importance of coordinated, integrated, risk-informed, and playful approaches to rapid education response in fragile contexts, also considering Nexus approaches that bridge immediate humanitarian response with longer-term development and peacebuilding goals. It will explore how ensuring learning, wellbeing and protection outcomes are central to holistically support children's resilience in times of crisis. The discussion will highlight the critical role of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Child Protection in building resilience among children, safeguarding their wellbeing and safety, and enhancing their ability to continue learning even in crisis and fragile contexts.

Children themselves will inform the discussion by sharing their views on the importance of supporting learning, protection and wellbeing during crises as well as their recommendations.

The session will also present lessons from ongoing projects in the Sahel, the West Bank and Nigeria showcasing how integrated approaches to rapid response have been critical to maintaining education continuity and supporting children’s wellbeing, while also highlighting the value of community-based interventions in strengthening protective learning environments.

This talk will bring together education experts, field practitioners and member states to explore concrete actions to build child-centred, risk-informed and community-driven education interventions in crisis and fragile contexts.