The programme aims to respond to a stark reality.
The ongoing armed conflict in Sudan has displaced nearly 14 million people inside Sudan and across its borders, leaving millions of children without access to education.
The conflict has also driven gender-based violence to alarming levels, with sexual violence against women and girls reported as systematic and often used as a tactic of war. The United Nations has documented widespread rape, including against children, as well as abductions of women and girls. With medical, legal and protection systems collapsing, survivors face immense barriers to safety, care and justice, while women and children continue to bear the heaviest burden of the crisis.
As refugees, many Sudanese girls face additional barriers to education, with fewer than half enrolled in formal programmes. In Uganda, where many Sudanese refugees have sought refuge, these challenges are amplified by limited resources and educational opportunities.
On top of direct support to those left furthest behind in Sudan, to date, ECW has provided more than US$20 million in response to the regional refugee education needs, with grants announced in Uganda, the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya and South Sudan.
By integrating legal and human rights education, advocacy skills, mental health support and pathways back to learning, this initiative in Uganda seeks to break cycles of exclusion and silence. Through advocacy and outreach programmes, support from local educators and referral pathways with education in emergencies actors, participants of the programme will also be provided with support to access formal and non-formal education programmes in Uganda.