While all adolescents and young people need life-saving skills to deal with gender-based violence, unintended pregnancy or HIV, this is all the more true for those in emergency situations. In response, UNESCO has launched on October 10 a series of webinars aimed at building capacity and fostering knowledge exchange on the critical topic of Education for health and well-being in emergencies. Organized by the Dakar Office and the Section for Migration, Displacement, Emergencies and Education (EME) at HQ, the first webinar brought together participants from 14 countries across sub-Saharan Africa and their national experts on education in emergencies (EIE). It laid the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the global frameworks and principles guiding education in times of crisis. Organised as part of the Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) programme, the discussions centred on how education for health and well-being can be adapted to emergency contexts to ensure continued access to comprehensive education and information programmes. Countries also shared their national experiences and highlighted the challenges and successes in integrating EiE frameworks into their education systems.

EiE plays a critical role in providing quality learning opportunities to people affected by conflicts, prolonged crises, forced displacement, natural disasters, and public health emergencies. As emphasized by UNESCO, EiE is not just about maintaining access to education but also about protecting children and youth in dangerous environments, offering physical, psychosocial, and cognitive support that can save lives and foster resilience in communities.

EiE is grounded in global standards and frameworks, such as the INEE Minimum Standards for Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. These rights-based standards, inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, aim to ensure that all children have access to safe, equitable, and continuous education, even in the most challenging circumstances. Safe learning spaces, psychosocial support, and the engagement of parents and communities are critical pillars for maintaining education continuity in emergencies.

A highlight of the webinar was the presentation of UNESCO's O3 programme, which is now in its second phase. The programme aims to reduce HIV infections, early and unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence, and child marriages, while increasing school enrolment and completion rates across sub-Saharan Africa. It also supports countries in implementing comprehensive information and education programmes, equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health, well-being, and social relationships. The O3 programme emphasizes the importance of building young people's agency, teacher training, the use of digital tools, and ensuring accessibility to all youth, both in and out of school including those in humanitarian and crisis contexts.

Participants from Malawi, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali, and South Sudan shared their experiences on how ongoing crises have impacted their national education systems, focusing on the key effects of conflict, displacement, and other emergencies. In each country, the displacement of large populations has created significant disruptions, forcing many schools to close or relocate. It was reported that WCA alone has more than 7.5 million people who are displaced just from six countries; Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, Nigeria (3 States) and Cameroon, and approximately 80 percent of them are women and children, most of which excluded from life-saving comprehensive education and information programmes.

Governments are responding by implementing alternative solutions such as community-based education, distance learning, and catch-up programs to ensure continued access to education for displaced populations. The discussions also emphasized the importance of addressing health and well-being within the education sector during emergencies, with critical areas including mental health support, healthcare access for students and teachers and protection from violence. While some countries shared effective practices, such as embedding psychosocial support into daily school routines, challenges remain, particularly around resource limitations, trained personnel shortages, and inter-ministerial coordination in crisis-affected areas.

This first webinar set the stage for further dialogue and collaboration, with participants looking forward to the next session, which will delve deeper into practical strategies for strengthening education systems in emergency settings. The goal remains clear: to unite forces and protect the future of education for all, even in the most challenging circumstances.