©SERGI CÁMARA

Nearly 120 million people are forced to leave their homes.

It is estimated that this year nearly 120 million people will be forced to flee their homes, the highest number in human history.
Armed conflict, climate change and natural disasters, among other factors, are behind the steady rise in forced displacement.

Armed conflict has a devastating effect on childhood.
  • Murder and mutilation.
  • Abuse and sexual violence, in particular when it comes to girls, who also risk becoming victims of human trafficking.
  • Recruitment by armed groups: in countries with ongoing armed conflicts, many boys and girls are recruited and forced to fight.
  • Serious psychological trauma because of the horrors of war and the loss of family members.
  • The impossibility of accessing education and healthcare. In armed conflicts, schools and hospitals are often military targets and subject to attack, preventing children from continuing with their education and having access to health services.  
  • Famine.

When displaced, they continue to face many of these risks. In situations of emergency, it is crucial to protect the childhoods of girls and boys to ensure they have a safe space – far away from violence – where they can play, learn and grow. 

©FAITH AND JOY COLOMBIA

©MARCO GIARRACA / JRS

©FAITH AND JOY COLOMBIA

Armed conflict, climate change and natural disasters, among other factors, are behind the steady rise in forced displacement.

School
means
protection.

©IRENE GALERA