Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, addressed the Security Council on Friday, August 7th, 2026, highlighting the devastating impact of the ongoing war in Sudan on children’s education and safety. Speaking during an informal meeting focused on safeguarding education in Sudan, she emphasized that the conflict has deprived the country’s children of their future by denying them access to schooling.

At least eight million school-aged children remain out of the classroom, with displaced children, including those who have fled abroad, disproportionately affected. In Darfur alone, nearly 75% of schools have been damaged, destroyed, or rendered non-functional since fighting began in April 2023. Mohammed noted that five out of every six children are out of school, with many parents preferring to keep their children at home for safety reasons.

Since 2024, the UN has verified over 67 attacks on schools and more than 154 instances of military use of educational facilities across Sudan, though the actual numbers are believed to be higher. Mohammed described these attacks as “frontal assaults on children’s safety and their dignity,” as they lose protective environments and access to essential services such as school feeding programs, healthcare, and mental health support.

Despite efforts this year by the UN and partners to reintegrate more than one million Sudanese children into some form of learning, Mohammed stressed that this is insufficient. “Sudan’s children have waited 1,210 days for the war to end,” she said. “They should not have to wait any longer.”

The Deputy Secretary-General called for renewed international action to end the conflict and protect the rights and futures of Sudan’s children.

Sources