Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Universities suggest ways of sparking growth across the UK [October 2022]

The press release issued by Universities UK on 26 October 2022.

UK government must press ahead with plans to invest £20 billion every year in Research and Development by 2024 – 2025.

Establish University Enterprise Zones (UEZs) in every university.

Bring together local communities by creating more enterprise and opportunity hubs.

Make us world leaders for university-employer partnerships.

Place universities at the heart of policy making in every part of the UK.

Universities across the UK are today insisting they can play a bigger role in generating economic growth and are calling on the new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and his government, to create the conditions to accomplish this in a new report.

The ‘Our universities: generating growth and opportunity’ report, published today by Universities UK, explores ways in which universities can contribute to economic growth, and makes several recommendations such as establishing collaborative hubs for skills development, building on the Help to Grow scheme, and the rapid expansion of University Enterprise Zones (UEZ).

The success of UEZ projects in Nottingham, Liverpool, Hertfordshire, Bradford and Bristol highlights how universities can help to foster positive and impactful partnerships between themselves, local communities and employers. Through building collaborative hubs for skills development, universities can reach out to left behind areas and create opportunities for local people. UEZs and universities can play a key role in supporting the success of Investment Zones, one of the new proposals recently put forward by the government to help encourage growth.

Investment in research is crucial to developing the innovative products and services that create new businesses and good jobs, in turn leading to economic growth.

It is currently estimated that over the next five years UK universities will help form 21,500 new businesses and provide over £11.6 billion of support and services to small enterprises, businesses and not-for-profits. This includes specialist advice, training, access to the latest facilities and equipment to develop innovative products and conducting bespoke research projects.

A priority for the UK government is to stimulate economic growth. The recommendations made in the new report offer a range of ideas for achieving this goal and highlight how well-placed and crucial universities are to supporting growth.

Professor Steve West CBE, President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of UWE Bristol, said:

Given the gloomy economic outlook and the difficult global situation, we need ambitious and bold action to fire up growth. It is more important than ever that universities can support businesses and charities through their research, innovation, and enterprise, to create a healthier, wealthier, and fairer Britain.”

“Research shows that investment in the higher education sector creates more jobs per pound than equivalent investment in construction, the manufacture of computers and electronics or the public administration sector.”

Professor Steve West CBE, President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of UWE Bristol

Skilled Education leads the online aspect of the government’s Help to Grow scheme.

Rajay Naik, the chief executive of Skilled Education, said:

“The Government’s decision to engage over 50 UK universities to deliver the face-to-face learning for Help to Grow underscores the central role of British universities in upskilling the nation. We have an immense skills gap and higher education working in partnership with government and the private sector is a central part of how we must address it.”

Rajay Naik

Chief executive of Skilled Education

October 31, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Nearly Two Thirds of New Cabinet Attended Independent Schools and Almost Half Attended Oxbridge [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Sutton Trust on 26 October 2022.

Rishi Sunak attended an independent school as did most of his cabinet. They are a staggering nearly nine times more likely to have gone to an independent school than the general population, according to analysis by the Sutton Trust published today. 61% were educated at fee-paying schools, while 23% went to a comprehensive and 13% attended a grammar school.

This proportion of alumni of independent schools is lower than Liz Truss’s cabinet (61% versus 68%), but similar to Boris Johnson’s first cabinet (64%). It is more than twice that of Theresa May’s 2016 cabinet (30%), and more than Cameron’s 2015 cabinet (50%).

The proportion of cabinet ministers educated at comprehensive schools is similar to Liz Truss’s cabinet at 23% vs Truss’s 19%, but lower than Boris Johnson’s first cabinet (27%). A number of those heading up key departments – including the Chancellor, the Foreign Secretary, the Home Secretary – are educated at independent schools.

The proportion of independently educated ministers attending cabinet (at 61%) is less than earlier cabinets under Conservative Prime Ministers, John Major (71% in 1992) and Margaret Thatcher (91% in 1979). Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both had 32% of those attending cabinet privately educated, while 25% of Clement Attlee’s first cabinet had been privately educated.

Of the 31 ministers attending Sunak’s new cabinet (at 0830, Wednesday 26 October 2022), nearly half (45%) went to Oxford or Cambridge. This compares with 27% of all Conservative MPs, 18% of Labour MPs and 21% of all MPs. 32% of the new cabinet went from fee-paying schools to Oxbridge.

Sunak continues the academic dynasty at Number 10 that stretches back to the start of World War 2: except for Gordon Brown, every Prime Minister since WW2 who attended university was educated at Oxford.

Parliamentary Privilege 2019 – a major piece of research surveying the education backgrounds of the House of Commons – showed that 29% of current MPs in the House of Commons come from a private school background. Two-fifths (41%) of Conservative MPs attended an independent school, compared to 14% of Labour MPs.

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust and Chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, said:

“Rishi Sunak faces unprecedented challenges as he enters Number 10.

“In his new cabinet, 61% went to private schools – nearly nine times the number in the general population and 45% went to Oxbridge, more than double the average for all MPs. While his cabinet is marginally more representative than Truss’s, Tuesday’s appointments highlight how unevenly spread opportunities to enter the most prestigious positions continue to be. Making the most of Britain’s talent regardless of background must be a priority.”

October 31, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Five policies that could raise up to £37 billion in tax [October 2022]
The press release issued by Tax Justice UK on 25 October 2022.

The government could raise up to £37 billion in taxes on wealth, analysis by Tax Justice UK has found.

It comes as the new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, looks to find ways to raise taxes ahead of next week’s Halloween Budget.

Tax Justice UK Head of Advocacy, Tom Peters, said: “Tax is about political choices. At a time when most people are being hit hard by the cost of living crisis it would be wrong to cut public services further.”

“The wealthy have done really well financially in the last few years. The Chancellor should protect public spending by taxing wealth properly.”

If he chose to, the Chancellor could:
1. Equalize capital gains with income tax rates, raising up to £14 billion a year
2. Apply national insurance to investment income, raising up to £8.6 billion a year
3. Apply a 1% wealth tax on assets over £10 million, raising up to £10 billion a year
4. End the inheritance tax loopholes that benefit the already wealthy, raising up to £1.4 billion a year.
5. Reform the rules on non-dom status, raising up to £3.2 billion a year
The revenue figures are estimates based on research from the government, academics and think tanks. The total figure might change depending on exact behavioural responses.

Tax Justice UK policy recommendations:

Increase Capital Gains Tax to align rates with Income Tax. This would have the positive effect of simplifying the tax system, to treat all forms of income in the same way. There is no obvious reason why someone going to work should pay more tax on their wages than someone living from their investments, for example. According to the Office of Tax Simplification, who advocated for this policy change in 2020, it could also raise up to £14bn a year.

Extend National Insurance to investment income. Instead of focusing on the rates of National Insurance, the government should expand the tax base, by applying National Insurance to income from investments, such as dividends from shares, rent from property, and interest on savings . This would equalise and simplify the treatment of different types of income under the taxation system, and ensure that income from wealth is taxed at the same rate as earnings from work. It would raise around £8.6bn.

Introduce a 1% annual wealth tax on net assets over £10m. A small wealth tax applied to those at the very top of the distribution could raise nearly £10bn from 0.04% of the population – those who have benefited enormously from structural economic changes over the last decade. This tax would help to rectify some of the issues with our existing wealth taxes, which are often avoided by the very richest.

Scrap or reform Business Relief and Agricultural Property Relief on Inheritance Tax. There is evidence that these inheritance tax reliefs are being used as loopholes by a small minority of the very wealthy to avoid paying the appropriate inheritance tax on their assets. Abuse of Agricultural Property Relief is likely pushing up the price of agricultural land for genuine commercial food production. Scrapping these could raise over £1.4bn a year, or the Resolution Foundation has proposed reforms to prevent them being exploited, generating a smaller saving.

Abolishing the non-dom regime. Non-domiciled residents in the UK (‘non-doms’) receive at least £10.9 billion in offshore income and capital gains each year, which they are not required to report to HMRC or pay tax on in the UK. Taxing this income would raise more than £3.2 billion in additional tax revenue each year and also remove the current disincentive to invest in the UK, according to research by academics Dr Andy Summers and Dr Arun Advani.
October 31, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Cost-of-living squeeze – Nearly 5m people chose not to make a one-off charity donation [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Charities Aid Foundation on 27 October 2022.

The strain on household budgets continues to affect charity donations, with 4.9m individuals choosing not to make a one-off donation last month as a direct response to the rising cost of living. Nearly one in ten (9%) said they held back from donating, according to Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) UK Giving research.

Worryingly, more than 3.2m people (6%) also said they reduced or stopped a regular payment to charity because of increasing living costs. This will be a particular concern for the many charities who rely on regular income from direct debits and standing orders. Meanwhile, nearly one in five (19%) are considering cutting back on their donations, compared to 14% six months previously. In August, this number rose to 22% as household concerns around energy bills peaked.

CAF’s UK Giving tracks household donor behaviour every month and reveals how levels of donations continue to trend downwards. In September, only a quarter (26%) of people said they had donated in the previous month. Prior to the pandemic, around a three in ten (30%) usually said they gave to charity in September. The average monthly donation also declined slightly in September, with a mean donation of £51, compared to £67 in August.

Summer has traditionally been a popular time for sponsored sporting events, and September saw the build-up to the London Marathon on 2^nd October. However, only 8% of people sponsored someone for charity last month and 5% in August.

Inflation is also eroding the value of charity donations. Recent analysis by CAF and Pro Bono Economics estimated that a charity donation of £20 started in 2017 will be worth just £14.90 by 2024, according to projections.

Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, said:

“Charities need donations now more than ever, as more families rely on the vital services they provide. Mass giving is crucial for many charities, so as people cut back, Government and private sector funding which supported charities through the pandemic is greatly needed to help them through this crisis.

“With more than £500m of Gift Aid unclaimed which should rightly be with charities delivering frontline services, the process needs to be simplified to deliver desperately needed funds. The Government also needs to address the current complexity of the VAT system since it’s estimated that the sector loses billions paying tax that they cannot recover later.

“Despite falling donations, charities are working hard to help the growing number of families at the sharp end of the cost-of-living squeeze. But ultimately, charities are having to do much more, with much less money.”

October 31, 2022
$PRESS RELEASE : Government re-imposes fracking ban [October 2022]$

PRESS RELEASE : Government re-imposes fracking ban [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Friends of the Earth on 26 October 2022.

Reacting to news that Rishi Sunak has reimposed the fracking moratorium, Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, Danny Gross, said:

“This is a fantastic victory for common sense, the environment and local communities across the country who have stood up to the threat of fracking.

“The government must now focus on real solutions to the energy crisis including a street-by-street home insulation programme and developing the UK’s huge potential of onshore wind and solar energy production.”

October 31, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Five ways the new PM must tackle climate and energy crises [October 2022]

The press release issued by Friends of the Earth on 24 October 2022.

Rishi Sunak has today been selected to succeed Liz Truss as leader of the Conservative Party, making him set to become the country’s next Prime Minister.

His previous support for the fossil fuel industry and lack of climate ambition in his former role as Chancellor raises serious questions about his commitment to meeting the UK’s climate goals and rolling out the measures that will ease the cost of living crisis, warns Friends of the Earth.

The environmental campaign group has identified five key priorities for the new PM which must be top of his agenda in order to restore nature, protect the climate and fix the cost of living crisis.

Kierra Box, campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

“The dual cost of living and climate crises remain the biggest challenges for the new Prime Minister, but they’re now even more pressing thanks to the political chaos and environmental back-pedalling of recent weeks.

“Rishi Sunak has pledged he’ll deliver on the government’s climate targets. Yet his track record as Chancellor – which saw new North Sea oil and gas fast-tracked, levies for domestic flights cut and a weak windfall tax on profiting fossil fuel companies imposed – suggests otherwise.

“He also backed fracking with community consent during the summer leadership race, but this proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Liz Truss’ premiership.

“If Rishi Sunak plans to outlast his predecessor, he must learn from her mistakes, abandon runaway deregulation and the attack on nature and choose the sensible solutions to the cost of living and climate crises. That means saying no to more fossil fuels – including a new coal mine in Cumbria – as well as fixing our heat-leaking homes and boosting investment in cheap, clean popular renewables, which will lower bills and harmful emissions.”

Five ways the new Prime Minister can tackle the energy and climate crises:

Energy efficiency measures

Insulation is a quick way to reduce the nation’s reliance on increasingly expensive gas.

There are almost five million households in England and Wales without even basic measures such as loft or cavity wall insulation, which means their homes rapidly lose heat and cost more to keep warm. Friends of the Earth published research in August that identified the almost 9,000 ‘energy crisis hotspots’  across England and Wales.

Energy crisis hotspots are neighbourhoods where energy use is high and typical household income is below the national average. In many cases, energy use is high in these neighbourhoods because homes are poorly insulated, meaning they require more energy to remain warm.

Friends of the Earth is calling on the government to fund a free street by street home insulation programme  – targeted at neighbourhoods most in need. This could slash annual energy bills for many homes by around £1,000 or more after the price cap is lifted.

Investing in renewables

The UK has huge renewable energy resources. In addition to the rapid growth in offshore wind already promised by the government, we need to see the same commitment to boosting onshore wind and solar.

The new Prime Minister must keep the Truss government’s pledge to lift the de-facto planning ban on onshore wind. Renewable power can be as much as nine times cheaper than gas and is popular. The limit which restricts the quantity of solar and onshore wind projects that the government will support through its Contract for Difference programme need to be lifted.

Saying no to new expensive, polluting fossil fuel development

Fracking: Fracking is incredibly unpopular amongst the public, and as we have seen, this sentiment is widely shared in parliament. Furthermore, it won’t have a meaningful impact on the UK’s energy security or our energy bills. The Conservative’s election manifesto said the party: “will not support fracking unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely”. The new Prime Minister needs to confirm that the fracking moratorium is here to stay.

Cumbrian coal mine: Following a public inquiry, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is due to decide on whether to allow planning permission for a highly controversial new coal mine in Cumbria. The decision has already been delayed twice and is now expected “on or before 8 November 2022.”

Friends of the Earth, which was one of the two interested parties that took part in last year’s Public Inquiry, says the case against the mine is overwhelming.

The UK and European market for coking coal is set to rapidly diminish as manufacturers switch to greener steel, while coal from the mine won’t replace Russian imports (the latest statistics say that imports of coking coal from Russia are now zero ). The mine will, however, increase carbon emissions, with the government’s climate watchdog (CCC) describing it as “absolutely indefensible”.

Friends of the Earth agrees West Cumbria needs new jobs and is calling for the region to be at the forefront of investment in building a greener future. More jobs would be created through a programme of housing retrofits. More info on the mine is here .

New North Sea gas and oil developments: New gas and oil licenses in the North Sea will do nothing to tackle the cost of living crisis as new licenses take many years to develop. Indeed the Committee on Climate change  says “historically, the timeline from the issuing of an exploration license to production commencing ranges from under a decade to several decades, with an average of around 28 years.” This means that there’s a strong chance that licences granted this year won’t start producing gas and oil until around 2050 – at the very time the UK is legally committed to becoming Net Zero.

Produce a lawful Net Zero Strategy

Following a legal challenge by Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth and the Good Law Project, the High Court ruled in July that the current Net Zero Strategy was unlawful because it doesn’t meet the government’s obligations under the Climate Change Act to produce detailed climate policies that show how the carbon budgets will be met. The government is not appealing this judgement.

Under the ruling, the government will have to update its climate strategy to include a quantified account of how its policies will achieve climate targets, based on a realistic assessment of what it expects them to deliver. The government’s own advisors, the Climate Change Committee, said in June 2022 that there were only credible plans for 39% of the emission cuts needed.

The Truss government initiated a review of the Net Zero Strategy, led by Chris Skidmore MP. The court has ruled that the government must lay before parliament a report that complies with its legal obligations no later than 31 March 2023. The new prime minister will need to instruct the new cabinet to come forward with plans to ensure the redrafted Net Zero Strategy is fit for purpose.

A Friends of the Earth press release  and briefing  give more information on the Net Zero legal challenge.

Restore Nature

Climate change isn’t the only environmental challenge facing the new Prime Minister. A nature recovery strategy is needed that will enable the UK to go to the long delayed international biodiversity talks taking place later this year in Canada, chaired by China.

The government has made bold statements about protecting 30% of UK land for nature but does not have credible plans to do so. Meanwhile its targets for nature – due to be set under the Environment Act by 31st October – look unlikely to arrive on time, and have been criticised by the new Office for Environmental Protection as insufficient. The UK’s enormous damage to overseas biodiversity through the commodity trade – for example timber and wood products – is also not being sufficiently addressed.

The recent government proposals to overturn planning and environmental rules in new ‘Investment Zones’, remove or radically alter swathes of sensible EU-derived safeguards and undermine habitats protections, constitute a further attack on nature and communities which the new prime minister must urgently reverse.

More info on Environment Act targets is here and on trees and overseas trade here .

A more detailed look at priorities for the next Prime Minister is available here .

October 31, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Genetic Technology Bill to take on most pressing environmental problems of our time [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 31 October 2022.

Legislation to unlock new technologies to boost food production and support farmers to grow more productive crops will return to Parliament today – paving the way for Britain to become the best place in the world to invest in agri-food research and innovation

Third Reading of the Bill is scheduled for today (Monday 31 October) and is expected to be introduced in the House of Lords the following day.

By introducing a more proportionate and science-based regulatory system for precision-bred plants and animals, it will unlock opportunities to develop crops that are more resilient against disease and the effects of climate change such as drought and flooding, and less reliant on pesticides.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

We are already seeing how new genetic technologies can increase yields, make our food more nutritious and result in crops that are more resistant to disease and weather extremes.

British scientists are leading the world in precision breeding and this Bill will put Britain at the forefront of agri-research and innovation – opening the door for more investment and continuing our work to provide farmers with the tools they need to innovate and use new, smart technologies.

The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill covers precision-bred plants and animals developed through techniques such as gene editing, where the genetic changes could have occurred naturally or through traditional breeding methods. This is different to genetic modification (GM), which produces organisms containing additional genes.

While there is great potential for increasing innovation, the government recognises that there is a need to safeguard animal welfare in the new regulatory framework. That is why we are taking a step-by-step approach, enabling use of precision breeding technologies with plants first followed by animals later.

Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser Gideon Henderson said:

This is an important time for agricultural science. The ability to use gene editing to make precise, targeted changes to the genetic code of organisms, in a way that can mimic traditional breeding, enables development of new crop varieties that are more resistant to pests, healthier to eat, and more resilient to drought and heat as climate changes.

For centuries, traditional breeders have made use of our understanding of genetics to breed plant varieties with desirable characteristics. Gene editing allows precision breeding to make the same type of genetic changes in a far more efficient and precise way, significantly reducing the time needed to create new varieties. Precision breeding is a powerful and important tool to help us tackle the challenges of biodiversity and climate change, while feeding a still growing global population.

Professor Nigel Halford, Crop Scientist at Rothamsted Research, said:

It is tremendously exciting to see this Bill progress to the House of Lords because it will pave the way for this powerful technology to be used in crop improvement rather than just research.

We are already behind much of the world in the application of precision breeding techniques and we are keen to see the Bill become law as soon as possible.

October 31, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : NALC highlights to the government the role local councils can have in net-zero [October 2022]
The press release issued by the National Association of Local Councils on 28 October 2022.

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) highlighted the role local (parish and town) councils could play in decarbonisation.

NALC responded this week to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) independent review of net zero. NALC urged the government to recognise the role local councils can play to help the government meet its net-zero targets and not just factor in the private sector.

NALC highlighted that local councils could achieve this by:
- Showing leadership through using low-carbon and environmentally sympathetic practices in their day-to-day activities.
- Encouraging residents and businesses to adopt lower-carbon practices.
- Undertaking new initiatives which use low-carbon technology.
Full Response (in .pdf format)
October 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Humanitarian Teams Deployed in Philippines as Storm Hits [October 2022]

The press release issued by Save the Children on 29 October 2022.

At the onset of tropical storm Paeng -international name, Nalgae – Save the Children Philippines immediately deployed humanitarian response teams on Friday 28 October, to conduct rapid assessment on impacted areas in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, Eastern Samar, Panay Island, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Around 4.5 million people, of which 1.4 million are children, have been affected based on initial reports. The figures are expected to increase as Nalgae is poised to strengthen and become the 16th typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2022.

In Maguindanao, Save the Children’s response teams are on the ground assessing the scale of the devastation and the needs of those affected. . So far, 67 of the 72 recorded deaths are in Maguindanao where about 78,000 families were reportedly affected by severe flooding.

Meanwhile, Save the Children’s response teams in Luzon and Visayas, along with teams from civil society organisation partners, are currently monitoring and responding to the urgent needs of the affected children and their families..

Jerome Balinton, Humanitarian Manager at Save the Children Philippines, said: “We are working to help affected families recover as fast as possible and putting in place disaster preparedness measures to reduce the impact of the storms. No child must be left behind, especially in times of emergencies.”

Atty. Alberto Muyot, CEO of Save the Children Philippines, said: “In any crisis, children are always the most vulnerable. The message is loud and clear: children are most impacted by the climate crisis. That is why the whole of society must act now to safeguard future generations.”

Save the Children stands ready to respond with the immediate dispatch of prepositioned relief items. These include plastic sheets that can be used as temporary shelters to displaced families, vital household items and family hygiene kits to prevent the spread of diseases, school supplies for children and teachers, and temporary learning spaces to safely resume classes.

October 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Patron of Save the Children UK, has met families in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda [October 2022]

The press release issued by Save the Children on 27 October 2022.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Patron of Save the Children UK, has met families in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda, to learn more about the impact conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has had on children’s lives.

Uganda currently hosts 5 million refugees – the largest refugee population in Africa. Due to the ongoing conflict in the DRC, thousands of refugees have crossed the border into Uganda this year.[1]

In March 2020, schools across the country shut down as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold. Uganda kept schools fully or partly closed for over a year and a half, meaning children in Uganda faced the world’s longest school closure due to the pandemic.[2] To help children successfully return to school, Save the Children launched Catch-up clubs to accelerate the recovery of lost learning.

Her Royal Highness visited a school in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement where she joined a Save the Children Catch-up Club and took part in an activity with children to work together and build a story from pictures. Later that day, The Princess also met children who have fled their homes due to the ongoing conflict in the DRC and are being supported by Save the Children’s child protection activities at a Child Friendly Space.

Dragana Strinic, Country Director of Save the Children Uganda said:

“It was an honour to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal today to raise awareness of the impact that conflict and Covid-19 school closures are having on millions of children in Uganda. Due to the ongoing conflict, Save the Children’s Catch-up Clubs have been a lifeline for children growing up in Kyangwali refugee settlement, without these clubs, some of these children may never have returned to school.”

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal has supported Save the Children for over fifty years. Queen Elizabeth II was a patron of the charity for 65 years, during this time they have both inspired thousands of supporters, volunteers, and staff, and highlighted the needs of some of the most disadvantaged children.

HRH The Princess Royal became the Patron of Save the Children UK in 2017 after serving as the charity’s President since 1970. The Princess Royal spends a significant amount of time visiting Save the Children’s projects, both overseas and in the UK. She has travelled to Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Over a quarter of a billion children are out of school globally and a record number of children – 1 in 6 – are living in war zones around the world. The Children’s Emergency Fund allows Save the Children to support children growing up in conflict and help children keep learning in times of crises.

October 30, 2022