UN and partner to help meet nutrition and education needs of children

Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait, explained that a school meal might be the only thing a child in a crisis-affected country eats all day.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and a global education fund that supports children in emergency and crisis settings have teamed up to ensure millions of young people do not miss out on school because they are hungry.

The partnership between WFP and NGO Education Cannot Wait, will help meet the nutrition and education needs of children who risk being left behind.

Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait, explained that a school meal might be the only thing a child in a crisis-affected country eats all day. It also could be an incentive for families to send—and keep—their children in school.

Globally, around 73 million children living in extreme poverty are attending school but are missing out on school feeding, health and nutrition programs which are essential to their ability to learn.

Meanwhile, around 75 million children and youth worldwide have had their education interrupted due to armed conflict, forced displacement, natural disasters, and protracted crises. Families caught in these situations often lack the means to feed their children, or to send them to school.