JOHANNESBURG, Aug. – Since October 2023, approximately 625,000 children in Gaza have been deprived of education, with over 370 schools damaged due to ongoing conflict, according to United Nations reports.
In response to this crisis, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has announced a USD 2 million First Emergency Response Grant aimed at enhancing educational opportunities and mental health services for Gaza’s children. This funding is part of a broader initiative to address the severe humanitarian crisis affecting the region.
Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of ECW, emphasized the gravity of the situation: “2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza are enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe marked by extreme violence, starvation, famine, and disease. The relentless turmoil has led to a complete breakdown in the lives of children and adolescents.”
The grant will be administered by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) through its Better Learning Programme in Palestine, which seeks to improve educational conditions for young people in Gaza.
Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the NRC, highlighted the dire impact on Gaza’s youth: “The ongoing conflict has inflicted unspeakable suffering on Gaza’s children, many of whom have already endured multiple conflicts. This grant from ECW will initiate efforts to restore mental health and educational services. However, it is merely a small step towards addressing the overwhelming needs of Gaza’s children, who will require sustained support for years to come.”
The new grant raises ECW’s total funding for Palestine to approximately USD 36 million, including a previous USD 10 million First Emergency Response Grant. Despite this, the needs remain vast; an estimated 800,000 children—three-quarters of Gaza’s child population—were already in need of mental health and psychosocial support before the current conflict intensified.
Sherif stressed the importance of continued support: “Our investment aims to ensure a basic continuation of education and mental health services for Gaza’s children and adolescents, mitigating their suffering and providing hope amidst their despair.”
The UN reports grave human rights violations in Gaza, with daily reports of children being killed or injured. UNICEF has labeled Gaza as the most dangerous place in the world for children.
ECW has been a consistent source of funding for education in Palestine since 2019. Alongside United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, ECW urges donors to increase their support to meet the critical needs of 3.1 million people across Palestine, with a target of USD 3.42 billion in funding.
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