Reports
Theirworld’s mission is to ensure that every child has the best start in life, a safe place to learn, and skills for the future. Our research and reports provide the evidence that helps us set agendas and deliver impact.
Major Reports 2020
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Protecting Children in Armed Conflict
This document summarises the findings of the report Protecting Children in Armed Conflict, led by Shaheed Fatima QC (published in 2018 by Hart/ Bloomsbury), and produced for the Inquiry on Protecting Children in Conflict, chaired by Gordon Brown. Theirworld, Save the Children Fund and the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh have supported the work of the Inquiry.
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The Key
The Key is a comprehensive information toolkit with all of the talking points, pitch decks, facts and infographics you need to make the case for education.
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Finding solutions to Greece’s refugee education crisis
The refugee crisis in the Greek Aegean islands has reached an untenable situation which requires urgent action by the Greek authorities and the international community. This report shows a way forward.
Major Reports 2018 - 2019
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Leaving the Youngest Behind: Declining aid to early childhood education (April 2019)
Around the world rich and poor countries are failing to deliver on the promises made to the world’s youngest children, risking their development and future life chances.
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Safe Schools: The Hidden Crisis (December 2018)
A framework for action to deliver Safe, Non-violent, Inclusive and Effective Learning Environments
Briefing documents
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Left behind from the start: How governments and donors are failing children with disabilities in their early years (July 2018)
This policy brief highlights the needs of children with disabilities in the early years. It then makes a specific case for the promotion of inclusive and equitable pre-primary education as part of a holistic framework of nurturing care support for children with disabilities.
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Safe Schools: An Education Free from Violence (August 2017)
Every child in the world has the right to an education without fear of violence or attack. But every year millions of children and young people have their education disrupted. This Safe Schools briefing outlines the scale and impact of violence and calls for action from governments, donors and the international community.
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#5for5 Brief: Play (June 2017)
Theirworld’s #5for5 campaign focuses on the five elements of quality nurturing care needed by every child under five: health, nutrition, play, learning and protection. Even though the importance of these interventions has been thoroughly proven, investment in the 0 to 5 age group is still far too small.
This briefing explores the issue of play and is part of a series of briefings examining the five key elements of quality nurturing care.
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#5for5 Brief: Nutrition (June 2016)
Theirworld’s #5for5 campaign focuses on the five elements of quality nurturing care needed by every child under five: health, nutrition, play, learning and protection. Even though the importance of these interventions has been thoroughly proven, investment in the 0 to 5 age group is still far too small.
This briefing explores the issue of nutrition and is part of a series of briefings examining the five key elements of quality nurturing care.
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#5for5 Brief: Protection (June 2017)
Theirworld’s #5for5 campaign focuses on the five elements of quality nurturing care needed by every child under five: health, nutrition, play, learning and protection. Even though the importance of these interventions has been thoroughly proven, investment in the 0 to 5 age group is still far too small.
This briefing explores the issue of protection and is part of a series of briefings examining the five key elements of quality nurturing care.
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#5for5 Brief: Learning (June 2017)
Theirworld’s #5for5 campaign focuses on the five elements of quality nurturing care needed by every child under five: health, nutrition, play, learning and protection. Even though the importance of these interventions has been thoroughly proven, investment in the 0 to 5 age group is still far too small.
This briefing explores the issue of learning and is part of a series of briefings examining the five key elements of quality nurturing care.
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#5for5 Brief: Health (June 2017)
Theirworld’s #5for5 campaign focuses on the five elements of quality nurturing care needed by every child under five: health, nutrition, play, learning and protection. Even though the importance of these interventions has been thoroughly proven, investment in the 0 to 5 age group is still far too small.
This briefing explores the issue of health and is part of a series of briefings examining the five key elements of quality nurturing care.
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Safe Spaces Brief: Protecting Brain Development in Emergencies (February 2017)
While humanitarian responses typically focus on the physical needs of children ages 0 to 5, negative experiences caused by crisis can also lead to poor cognitive and socioemotional development, hampering future learning and increasing the risk for long term health and behaviour problems. Early childhood programmes that provide nurturing care, a safe environment to play and learn, and support for caregivers ensure children not only survive, but have the best start for a good future.
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Safe Spaces Brief: Protecting The Most Vulnerable in Emergencies and Disasters (February 2017)
Despite the tremendous need, early childhood development remains seriously under-prioritised in emergency response. This brief outlines the shortfalls in the provision of Safe Spaces for children to grow and thrive in emergency, conflict, or vulnerable environments.
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Neglected Crisis: Poverty, terror and the threat of famine in the Lake Chad Basin (September 2016)
Poverty, terror and threat of famine have forced 2.7 million people to flee and left 9 million in dire need of humanitarian aid in the Lake Chad Basin. A brief by Theirworld says years of violence and displacement against a backdrop of poverty and shrinking economic opportunity in the region have created a humanitarian crisis on a massive scale.
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Building a better future: Syrian girls' education in Turkey (October 2016)
In conflict, natural disasters, and other emergencies, girls face particular vulnerabilities and barriers that can frequently prevent them from realising their right to education. Displacement, poverty and the breakdown of familial and social protection mechanisms can place girls at higher risk of sexual abuse, violence, exploitation and early forced marriage.
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Child labour and education in emergencies (June 2015)
Conflict and emergencies drive children out of education and into work, forced labour and child marriage. But education in emergencies offers a way to break the cycle of poverty for these children and their families.
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Early Childhood Development and the Childcare Crisis (June 2016)
Affordable, high-quality childcare has multiple benefits for children, families and societies - children do better in school, older children stay in education and adults can go to work. This briefing has five recommendations to achieve universal access to high-quality childcare.
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Early Childhood Development in Conflict and Protracted Crisis (June 2016)
Young children caught up in conflicts or crises may spend years displaced from their homes. This briefing examines how early childhood development services are crucial to help them cope, develop, learn and thrive.
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39 million girls at risk: are humanitarian responses doing enough? (May 2016)
39 million girls are at risk because of disasters and conflict. Humanitarian responses are not doing enough to meet their specific needs.
Scorecards
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Donor Scorecard: Just Beginning
Addressing inequality in donor funding for Early Childhood Development
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Just Beginning - Donor Profiles: World Bank and UNICEF
Below are two donor profiles compiled to support our scorecard Just Beginning: Addressing inequality in donor funding for Early Childhood Development.
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Just Beginning: Methodology
Below we outline the methodology used in our Donor Scorecard Just Beginning: Addressing inequality in donor funding for Early Childhood Development.
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Setting New Targets for Success (September 2017)
If the global community is serious about keeping its promise to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) by 2030, there is one major intervention that needs to happen: Investing in pre-primary education
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Millions of children left behind at every developmental milestone (October 2016)
This report offers a snapshot of early childhood development in Africa. This snapshot of equity shows how much more there is to do to ensure every child has the best start in life.
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Stop neglecting pre-primary education investments (June 2016)
Half of the world’s children are still excluded from the benefits of pre-primary education. The development of millions of children will suffer unless governments step up and increase their commitment to pre-primary education for every child.
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Don't Leave Them Out: 80 Million Children Need Urgent Action on Funding Education in Emergencies (March 2016)
Globally, 80 million children have had their education disrupted by emergencies, with 37 million of them forced out of school - this scorecard examines the scale of the funding crisis and what needs to be done to address it.
Additional Research
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Leaving the Youngest Behind: Declining aid to early childhood education (April 2019)
Around the world rich and poor countries are failing to deliver on the promises made to the world’s youngest children, risking their development and future life chances.
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Schools Snack Programme Pilot - Lebanon (September 2018)
Promoting improved education and nutrition outcomes for disadvantaged Lebanese and Syrian Refugee Children in Lebanon
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Bright and Early: How financing pre-primary education gives every child a fair start in life (June 2017)
A severe lack of investment in early years education is putting millions of children at a disadvantage before they even start school, warns a report from Theirworld. 85% of children in low-income countries do not have access to pre-primary education and more than 200 million children under the age of five are at risk of failing to reach their potential.
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Investing Smart, Investing Early: Early Childhood Development in Kenya (May 2017)
Investing Smart, Investing Early focuses specifically on business support for early childhood development in Kenya, building on the Global Business Coalition for Education’s business case for early childhood development (2016) as well as the summary guide on family-friendly policies (2017).
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Early Childhood Development in Kenya — Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life (November 2016)
A report from Theirworld and KANCO says Kenya has made progress over the past 15 years in improving access to early years care - but more action is needed to ensure every child has the best start in life.
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Pakistan Safe Schools Initiative (February 2015)
In the wake of the Peshawar school massacre and terrorist attacks on thousands of schools, A World at School launched a 15-point plan for a Pakistan Safe Schools Initiative. It was backed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
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No Lost Generation: Holding to the promise of education for all Syrian refugees (September 2016)
Meeting at the London Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region in February 2016, the international community recognised that current efforts to support Syria’s displaced population and refugees in neighbouring countries were falling far short of the minimum levels required. Pledges in excess of US$12bn were announced. Those pledges have not been honoured. The gap between pledge and delivery is hurting Syria’s children.
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Ensuring Educational Opportunity for All Syrian Refugee Children and Youth in Turkey (September 2015)
Turkey has accommodated huge numbers of refugees and is committed to providing education for all children. But it can't do this without the support of the international community. This Theirworld report from 2015 identifies ways this could be done.
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Reaching All Children with Education in Lebanon (September 2015)
A summary of a Theirworld report from 2015 into the extent of the needs of Syrian refugee children in Lebanon and opportunities for them to access education.
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Exploring the Potential of Technology to Deliver Education & Skills to Syrian Refugee Youth (February 2016)
This report by Theirworld and the Global Business Coalition for Education looked at the opportunities for delivering education to Syrian refugee youth in Jordan - and in particular the role technology could play in bridging the skills gap.
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Scaling up to Reach One Million Syrian Refugees (September 2015)
A series of reports by Theirworld outlined the opportunities to scale up the education response efforts and drive more and better financing and coordination to reach over one million refugee children and young people in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
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Safe Spaces - The Urgent Need for Early Childhood Development in Emergencies and Disasters (September 2016)
Safe Spaces help babies and young children overcome the physical, emotional and psychological trauma inflicted by emergencies. This report explains the importance of early years support to children's development and how it can help children thrive in adverse circumstances.