278 million children denied right to education because of war, other factors, Vatican newspaper laments
September 05, 2026
In its September 4 edition, L’Osservatore Romano devoted a prominent front-page article and a special section to children denied their right to an education because of war and other factors.
“There can be no future without education,” the front-page article began. “In many parts of the world, September marks the reopening of schools. Yet, in many countries scarred by war, violence, climate change, and humanitarian emergencies, this moment of resuming normal life cannot be taken for granted. Instead, securing what is a fundamental human right, enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, proves to be an obstacle course.”
The article continued:
The situation ranges from Gaza, where the UN estimates that over 90 percent of schools have been damaged or destroyed by the war, to Ukraine, where schools are reopening even as bombs continue to fall, often forcing lessons to continue in air-raid shelters. UNESCO estimates that 278 million people worldwide are excluded from schooling.
Prolonged conflicts, such as the one tearing Sudan apart since 2023 ,play a significant role, as do the chronic insecurity and violence threatening the daily lives of many, for instance in Nigeria. In Afghanistan, the ruling Taliban deny education to all girls at the secondary school and university levels; meanwhile, in many countries from Latin America to Asia, the effects of climate change also make the path to education arduous.
The newspaper’s special section included articles on the challenges faced by schools in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Holy Land, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Cuba.
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