Global

Most people know that you can’t survive without water. But the truth is slightly more nuanced. You need more than just water – you need SAFE water. You also need safe toilets to keep the environment clean, and as well as soap and water to stop the spread of disease. Find out more about why safe water, sanitation and hygiene are so important: 1.…

Climate change threatens the lives, health and well-being of children. They are the most vulnerable to its effects, and those who live in low-income communities are at particularly high risk of harm. To save and protect lives and prevent climate change’s worst impacts on children, we need to act now. There are clear, practical solutions that work…, Paving the way for a climate resilient education system in India, A group of students using polybags from waste and fill them with field soil to grow the saplings for school nursery  during environmental activities session at a school in Maharashtra, India India, 2023. Students use polybags from waste and fill them with field soil to grow saplings for their school nursery as part of an environmental activities…, Early detection of groundwater depletion in Madagascar, The semi-arid southern region of Madagascar has been hit hard by years of severe droughts, which has left more than 4.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The region has the country’s lowest water supply coverage, which is further exacerbated by climate change. The lack of rainfall and other environmental factors have also affected…, Innovations in climate risk reduction in Venezuela, A boy, 10, collects safe water at the UNICEF-installed solar-powered water treatment plant in Venezuela Venezuela, 2023. Dahir Franco, 10,collects safe water at the UNICEF-installed solar-powered water treatment plant in San Francisco de Guayo, Venezuela. Disaster risk reduction is an essential element of responding to climate change as children…, Reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from sanitation in Kampala, Uganda, Two masons construct a new pit latrine with a bathroom in a village in Uganda. Uganda, 2022. Two masons construct a new municipality-approved pit latrine with a bathroom, for a commercial structure in Mukono, Uganda. Climate change and sanitation are intrinsically connected. Poorly managed sanitation emits significant greenhouse gas (GHG)…

All children have the right to safe drinking water and sanitation. These resources are as critical to a child’s survival as food, medical care, and protection. However, from the State of Palestine to Ukraine, to Yemen and beyond, protracted crises and conflict are depriving children of these rights.  In fragile contexts and areas affected by…

The financing for Early Childhood Education (ECE) is quite low. While countries are investing in early years’ education, the contributions are relatively small, inconsistent, and unsustainable. Investment in early years has a far-reaching impact as it contributes towards the child’s development, readiness for primary schooling and is a key…

Despite the transformative role preprimary education can play in addressing gender inequalities and challenging common gender norms and stereotypes while they are being acquired by the youngest learners, boys and girls continue to have different classroom experiences. Gender biases and stereotypes are frequently reproduced in teacher-student…

The global community currently has the extraordinary opportunity to enable another 3 billion people – 40 per cent of the world’s population – to wash their hands at home. Hand hygiene protects us from contracting and transmitting COVID-19, and is also one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in general. To…

As countries make decisions to reopen schools, there are unique considerations related to opening early childhood education (ECE) settings, in order to ensure holistic approaches to nurturing care and learning for young children. Reopening ECE settings can provide children with much-needed emotional support and learning opportunities, and it…

The Sustainable Development Goals highlight the critical importance of pre-primary education and set the broad ambition that by 2030 all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. Today, the world is facing a learning crisis: While millions of…

The world is rapidly urbanising, swelling impoverished urban settlement populations – exacerbating exclusion and inequality in access to WASH services for the poorest and most marginalised children and their families. As of 2018 an estimated 4.2 billion people, or 55 per cent of the global population, were living in urban areas. A third of them…

The learning crisis the world is facing today has its roots in children’s earliest years, when failure to invest in quality early childhood education results in children starting school not ready to learn and succeed. Millions of children are entering education systems already behind in a host of critical skills they need to succeed in primary…

Education systems are complex. Getting all children in school and learning requires alignment across families, educators and decision makers. It requires shared goals, and national policies that put learning at the centre. It also requires data collection and regular monitoring to help policymakers identify what’s working, who’s benefiting, and…, Innovation in education, Innovation in education is about more than new technology. It’s about solving a real problem in a fresh, simple way to promote equity and improve learning. Innovation in education comes in many forms. Programmes, services, processes, products and partnerships can all enhance education outcomes in innovative ways – like customized games on solar-…, UNICEF’s work to strengthen education systems, UNICEF works with communities, schools and Governments to build strong, innovative education systems that enhance learning for all children. We support data collection and analysis to help Governments assess progress across a range of outcomes and strengthen national Education Management Information Systems. We also develop comprehensive…, More from UNICEF, Resources, Education Sector Analysis Guidelines: Volume 1 ( English , French , Spanish , Portuguese and Russian ) These guidelines support ministries of education and their partners in undergoing sector analysis and developing education sector plans. Education Sector Analysis Guidelines: Volume 2 ( English , French , Spanish , Portuguese and Russian ) These…

There are an estimated 240 million children with disabilities worldwide. Like all children, children with disabilities have ambitions and dreams for their futures. Like all children, they need quality education to develop their skills and realize their full potential. Yet, children with disabilities are often overlooked in policymaking, limiting…, Getting all children in school and learning, Inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children a fair chance to go to school, learn and develop the skills they need to thrive. Inclusive education means all children in the same classrooms, in the same schools. It means real learning opportunities for groups who have traditionally been excluded – not only children with…, UNICEF’s work to promote inclusive education, To close the education gap for children with disabilities, UNICEF supports government efforts to foster and monitor inclusive education systems. Our work focuses on four key areas: Advocacy: UNICEF promotes inclusive education in discussions, high-level events and other forms of outreach geared towards policymakers and the general public.…, More from UNICEF, Resources, Fixing the Broken Promise of Education for All This report draws on national studies to examine why millions of children continue to be denied the fundamental right to primary education. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities adopts a broad categorization of persons with…