UN Warns Sudan's War Is Robbing an Entire Generation of Education
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed tells the Security Council that over 8 million Sudanese children are out of school as the civil war passes its 1,210th day.
Conversation activity · last 6 days peak 1/2h
Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 3 items across 2 sources · 15h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
At an informal UN Security Council session on education in Sudan, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the three-year civil war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has pushed more than 8 million school-age children out of the classroom, with nearly three-quarters of Darfur's schools damaged or destroyed. The warning comes as commentators, including The Economist, argue a narrow diplomatic window exists for a ceasefire, while criticizing outside powers for fueling or ignoring the conflict.
- More than 8 million school-age children in Sudan are out of the classroom, with nearly three-quarters of Darfur's schools damaged, destroyed or unusable since the war began in April 2023.
- UN documented over 67 attacks on schools and 154 instances of schools used for military purposes since 2024; more than half of teachers remain unpaid.
- The wider crisis includes about 15 million displaced people and nearly 33 million in need of humanitarian aid, over half of them children.
- Commentary from The Economist argues a narrow window exists for a diplomatic ceasefire push, blaming outside actors for either fueling or neglecting the conflict.
How it unfolded
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Analysis Economist podcast revisits 'forgotten war'
The Economist releases an audio version of its analysis on ending what it calls Sudan's 'forgotten war', keeping attention on the conflict's diplomatic prospects.
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The Economist posts that outside actors have shown 'callous indifference' to Sudan's suffering by funding the fighting or ignoring it, suggesting they may now be compelled to seek peace.
“Outsiders have shown callous indifference to the suffering in Sudan, by paying to keep the fighting going or neglecting it. They may finally be compelled to seek peace”
economist.com · Bluesky ↗ -
Al Jazeera publishes the UN's findings that more than 8 million children are out of school and nearly three-quarters of schools have been affected, with more than half of teachers unpaid.
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Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed briefs an informal Security Council session on safeguarding education in Sudan as the war reaches its 1,210th day, warning that the conflict is depriving an 'entire generation' of its future.
“Among everything this war is taking, one of the most significant is the future of Sudan — depriving the education of its children”
Amina Mohammed -
Analysis Economist urges ceasefire push
The Economist argues there is a small but real chance of a ceasefire and that outside diplomatic pressure must be applied now, while a separate piece examines how the battle for the capital has devastated the country.
- 175 weeks quiet
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Event War erupts in Sudan
Fighting breaks out between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, beginning a civil war that has since displaced roughly 15 million people.
What people are saying verbatim
“Among everything this war is taking, one of the most significant is the future of Sudan — depriving the education of its children”
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General · Al Jazeera · Aug 7
“Five children in every six are out of school, and parents will tell you they would rather keep their children at home than send them to a classroom, because home for them is the only place left where they can keep them safe”
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General · Al Jazeera · Aug 7
“Sudan has already lost a generation to its earlier wars, and it is losing another one now”
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General · Al Jazeera · Aug 7
“not just another conflict”
Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights · Al Jazeera · Aug 7
“a human rights catastrophe unfolding in real time”
Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights · Al Jazeera · Aug 7
“Outsiders have shown callous indifference to the suffering in Sudan, by paying to keep the fighting going or neglecting it. They may finally be compelled to seek peace”
@economist.com, News organization, Bluesky post · Bluesky ↗ · Aug 8
“There is a sliver of a chance of a ceasefire. It must be grabbed”
The Economist, Editorial leader · The Economist ↗ · Aug 5
Voices from the web unedited
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Outsiders have shown callous indifference to the suffering in Sudan, by paying to keep the fighting going or neglecting it. They may finally be compelled to seek peace
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The chances of a successful ceasefire in Sudan are small. But the time for a diplomatic push is now. Register for free to read why the next month offers an opportunity