"Excellencies … good afternoon.
"Thank you to Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman (Permanent Representative of Somalia) for convening today's Arria-formula meeting, and to Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for co-sponsoring this important discussion.
"Excellencies …
"We meet today against the backdrop of a devastating conflict that has now entered its fourth year. A conflict where children's education continues to be under attack. In my remarks today, I will focus on three things: the challenges of children and education in Sudan; how progress is possible when resources and political will are available; and what you as member states can do to protect children and education in Sudan.
"Since the Security Council adopted Resolution 2736 in 2024 calling - among others- for the protection of civilians and for compliance by all parties to conflict with international law, the United Nations has verified across Sudan more than 67 attacks on schools, while over 154 instances of military use of schools in Sudan have been reported. These figures represent only documented incidents, while the true scale of attacks on schools is undoubtedly much greater.
"Darfur alone has seen nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of its schools damaged, destroyed or otherwise rendered non-functional since the onset of the conflict in April 2023.
"The use of explosive weapons by parties to the conflict in populated areas remains a leading cause of damage to and destruction of schools. In Sudan, armed drones have emerged as a major means of deploying explosive weapons, causing extensive damage to schools and inflicting grave harm on children.
"During the first four months of this year, nearly 80 per cent of reported child casualties were attributed to attacks involving armed drones. At the same time, shelling and airstrikes continued to damage schools and endanger children, while incidents of looting and arson of schools- as well as threats against educational personnel- have been extensively reported.
"Since the outbreak of the war, Sudan consistently ranks as the country with the highest number of out-of-school children in the world. Today, at least eight million school-aged children remain out of school, including approximately 4.1 million girls, with a disproportionate impact on millions of displaced children, notably those seeking refuge outside of Sudan. Further, nearly half of Sudan's school buildings can no longer function as classrooms. In addition to the widespread displacement of education personnel, the conflict has halted the salaries of many teachers, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, thereby severely affecting their livelihood and the continuity of learning.
"Children's access to education is not only threatened by direct attacks on schools or education personnel, but by the secondary impact on education from the collapse of the infrastructure that keeps schools running.
"For instance, a school relies on access to electricity, water, sanitation, and hygiene to function.
"Last year, a strike on energy infrastructure in the White Nile State cut off the electricity needed to operate a major water treatment facility. As a result, schools lost access to both energy and water, forcing their closure, with tens of thousands of students losing access to education
"Attacks against schools are not only grave violations against children; they are frontal assaults on children's safety, dignity, and futures.
"When schools are attacked, occupied, or rendered unsafe, children lose far more than learning opportunities.
"They lose protective spaces, opportunities to develop socially with their peers, and access to essential services such as school feeding programmes, health care, and mental health support.
"Their vulnerabilities also surge when they miss out on lifesaving information taught within the classroom. For example, in Sudan, learning about the risks posed by explosive remnants of war are a lifeline that teachers provide.
"Children who are out of school also face significantly heightened protection risks, including exploitation, child labor, child marriage, trafficking, and recruitment into armed forces and armed groups.
"Excellencies …
"Education is both lifesaving and life-changing. Despite the challenges outlined above, progress is also still possible with adequate resources and political will.
"UNICEF continues to work nationwide to restore safe learning environments, distribute educational supplies, and advocate for unified, accessible national examinations for all students regardless of location.
"Three illustrative initiatives include:
"In May 2026, UNICEF and Save the Children, with support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), launched the Building Resilience to Improve Development and Growth in Education in Sudan (BRIDGES) initiative. The new programme will help more than 328,000 conflict-affected children return to learning across Sudan by restoring access to education in some of the hardest hit areas while supporting longer-term recovery of the national education system. Approximately 850 schools are expected to reopen across seven conflict-affected states.
"Secondly, last year, hundreds of primary schools across Blue Nile State benefited from a UNICEF-led enrollment campaign that also provided essential teaching materials- to enhance lesson delivery and improve learning for displaced and vulnerable children.
"Guided by the principle of leaving no child behind, the all-inclusive approach, with the support of the European Union and other partners, more than 170,000 children across all 418 schools in Blue Nile alone had access to safe, and quality education as part of the program entitled Integration and Mainstreaming of Refuges Children into the Sudan Education System (IRCES).
"The programme succeeded in a major increase in enrollment of displaced children, including refugees, and ensured they learn side by side with children from host communities, thereby fostering social cohesion and healing.
"Third, prolonged disruptions in education have disproportionately affected girls and young women, with many facing barriers to accessing employment. As a result, in White Nile, the PROSPECTS Partnership - a program implemented by ILO, UNHCR and UNICEF - is expanding access to technical and vocational training, apprenticeships and youth engagement programmes and equipping young people with market-relevant skills to shape their futures.
"Beyond vocational training, the programme also strengthens access to rights, supporting inclusive national systems, and helping young people move into education and employment pathways while fostering social cohesion.
"Today, Alsifira village in White Nile is home to hundreds of skilled young people - electricians, tailors, technicians and mechanics, who are now earning an income and contributing to their communities. These are important examples, and much more must be done to reach the millions of children whose rights to education have been denied.
"Excellencies …
"I would like to leave you with four requests:
"First, UNICEF is urging all Member States to demand an immediate ceasefire in Sudan. that all parties to the conflict in Sudan respect international humanitarian law and end and prevent grave violations against children.
"This also includes signing and fully implementing United Nations Children and Armed Conflict Action Plans. Member States should also support Sudan to implement the Safe Schools Declaration, including the adoption of policies that protect schools, learners, and educators, while ensuring accountability for grave rights violations. Education should be systematically integrated into national action plans on children and armed conflict, to reduce exposure of vulnerable children, and to reintegrate affected children during post-conflict recovery.
"Secondly, Member States should also provide sustained and flexible financing to guarantee safe, inclusive, and quality education in Sudan. This supports children affected by armed conflict to continue learning as quickly as possible.
"Third, Member States should call on education in Sudan to remain a neutral space that is protected from politicisation and division. It is essential that all children - whether in areas affected by conflict, displacement settings, or more stable locations - have access to the same nationally recognised examinations. A unified exam helps ensure fairness, protects the value of students' qualifications, and avoids divisions that could limit their future opportunities.
"Excellencies …
"Education protects children today and helps build the foundations for peace tomorrow.
"With that in mind, I would like to close by urging you to unequivocally denounce attacks on education across Sudan… to reaffirm that military use of schools are never acceptable and must never be normalized … to consistently call for accountability when attacks take place… and to use the influence you hold with parties to armed conflict to help protect children's education in Sudan.
"We urgently need your action to end this conflict. Without a political resolution and lasting peace, humanitarian needs, including educational needs, will continue to outpace the response, and children's suffering will deepen.
"Safe education is more than a development investment - it is a vital protection measure, and a cornerstone of sustainable peace.
"It is also a fundamental right that every child in Sudan must enjoy.
"The choices made by this Council can help ensure that children carry books instead of burdens … and hope instead of harm.
"Thank you."
