Emergency grant expands mental health and education services for Gaza’s children

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) will expand its Better Learning Programme in Gaza, thanks to a $2 million First Emergency Response grant from Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations.

 The funding will provide essential mental health services and educational opportunities to children in Gaza, severely affected by the ongoing conflict.

This 12-month grant will focus on improving learning conditions and offering mental health and psychosocial support to the youth in Gaza. Since October 2023, 625,000 children in Gaza have been unable to attend school due to the destruction of more than 370 educational facilities, as reported by the United Nations.

ECW has been actively funding education initiatives in Palestine since 2019, including a $10 million First Emergency Response announced in November 2023. The organisation supports educational outcomes for refugee, internally displaced, and other crisis-affected children and youth, striving to leave no one behind.

Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, emphasised the dire situation: 

"2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza are in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe, facing inhumane conditions. There is unprecedented violence in modern times, starvation, famine and disease. Desperation and scarcity have led to a total breakdown of the lives of children and adolescents.

“Today, we are calling on world leaders to support diplomatic efforts to ensure the unconditional release of all hostages now, create a lasting humanitarian ceasefire, provide safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid, ensure full adherence to international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict, and a realisation of a political and peaceful solution.

“Meanwhile, by investing in a minimum continuation of learning, and mental health and psychosocial support for the children and adolescents of Gaza, we are trying to do what we possibly can to mitigate their suffering and bring whatever hope we can to these young people,"

The United Nations has highlighted severe human rights and humanitarian law violations against children in Gaza, with reports indicating that hundreds of children are killed or injured daily. UNICEF has declared Gaza as the most dangerous place in the world for a child.

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the NRC, described the plight of Gaza’s children: 

"The children of Gaza continue to face unimaginable horrors. It has taken an appalling toll on young people, many of whom have lived through numerous previous conflicts, many thousands dead, injured and orphaned. This grant from ECW will enable the first steps in restoring mental health and learning services. But it represents a drop in an ocean of needs in Gaza.

“The children and young people who have suffered during this unprecedented conflict must not be forgotten – they will need sustained support for years to come, and NRC will do all it can to provide this. We call on funders to prioritise children in Gaza in order to protect their futures."