New Report "Last in Line, Last in School" Finds Nearly 1 in 3 Children—40 Million Worldwide—Out of School in War Zones. 

WESTPORT, Conn. (May 26, 2009) — With a global recession threatening to reverse advances in primary education throughout the developing world, Save the Children is calling on governments to prioritize education aid for children in countries affected by conflict and emergencies where worsening economic conditions may hit families the hardest.   

Countries affected by conflict often have the largest percentages of children out of school, the agency notes in its new report, Last in Line, Last in School 2009, part of Save the Children's Rewrite the Future campaign.  According to the report, nearly 1 in 3 children -- 40 million worldwide -- are out of school in conflict-affected fragile states. African leaders have warned the recession could impact these countries the hardest – reducing stability and resulting in even less investment in basic services, including education.

"Although education assistance has been slowly increasing in areas of conflict where millions of children remain out of school, the current global financial crisis may soon reverse these gains," said Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children, based in Westport, CT.  "Education aid should be even more of a priority now. As the global recession worsens, governments in the poorest countries are struggling to provide basic services, such as education, and family budgets are being hit hard."

It is estimated the financial crisis and global recession will see African economies lose up to $49 billion by the end of this year. As families' budgets in the poorest countries are squeezed, parents are being forced to make tough choices for their children. 

Case in Point: Côte d’Ivoire

In Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire, Gbalia Fofana, 33, struggles to keep his three children in school, "I know that education is a right for all children including those in my family and that it should be my highest priority. But because of the situation we are in, I have had to make my family's education my third priority. If the children are hungry, if they are sick or suffering, how can they go to school? I am doing everything I can to ensure that my daughter makes it to college."

MacCormack noted that parents throughout the developing world are facing similar challenges. "In times of crisis parents often have to make a decision between putting food on the table and paying school fees. Even in the midst of a global recession, it is difficult for us to imagine having to make similar decisions here," MacCormack said.

Education can contribute to economic growth, reduce poverty and promote stability. Every additional year of schooling for males can reduce their risk of becoming involved in conflict by 20 percent. Without continued investment in education in countries affected by conflict, there is potential for countries to fall back into a spiral of poverty and conflict.

Rewrite the Future Campaign

Save the Children's Rewrite the Future campaign advocates for the 40 million children who cannot go to school because of conflict in their countries. Launched in 2006, the campaign has assisted over 10 million children in conflict-affected countries and put the issue of education for children in communities affected by conflict on the world's agenda. Save the Children is working in over 20 countries, such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Uganda, to make schools safe and to encourage national governments and international institutions to prioritize quality education.

Learn more about Rewrite the Future.

Save the Children is the leading, independent organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world. For more than 80 years, Save the Children has been helping children survive and thrive by improving their health, education and economic opportunities and, in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid lifesaving assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.