It’s now been 11 years of war in Yemen, since March 2015. For many children, that’s an entire childhood shaped by disruption, uncertainty, and missed learning.
It is also years of loss and life in temporary camps, of loved ones gone, homes destroyed, and lives turned upside down. The weight of what children have endured takes a huge toll, with high levels of trauma and anxiety that often go unseen or unsupported.
Now, as tensions rise across the Middle East, there is a growing fear that this crisis could deepen. Yemen risks being pulled into a wider regional conflict, threatening even more instability in a country where children have already lost so much.
For families already living on the brink, this is frightening. It could mean fewer supplies reaching communities, higher prices to meet basic needs, and even less access to the support children rely on. When this happens, education is often one of the first things to go.
On 5 March, the UN warned against any actions that would undermine Yemen’s fragile prospects for peace. After more than a decade of devastating conflict, Yemen cannot afford to once again become an arena for regional power politics to play out.
The scale of need is already staggering. Today, 12.2 million children need humanitarian assistance. 6.6 million children are out of school, with more than 2,300 schools damaged, destroyed, or repurposed.
At the same time, teachers go months without pay. Many are forced to strike or leave their roles - not because they want to, but because they have no choice. When they do, the teaching stops and it's the children that are left behind.
As one of War Child’s Education and Child Protection Officers explains:
“Children in Yemen lack the most basic services needed for a decent life: health and education services have been damaged, the economic situation has deteriorated, and displacement has worsened. Salary disruptions and funding crises in the education sector has resulted in interruptions to education, increasing children's vulnerability and impacting their future opportunities. Rates of malnutrition among children have also risen significantly.”
This isn’t just about missed lessons; it’s about lost opportunities and futures put on hold.
