The Quiet Price of the War in Iran: Millions of Children May Be Left Without a Future

The war in Iran is raising the cost of fuel, food, and fertilizers worldwide, threatening to deepen poverty and push millions of children in developing countries out of school. According to a UNICEF report, up to 23.4 million additional children could be pushed into extreme poverty by year's end, about 80% of them in Africa and Asia. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is causing delays and price hikes for essential goods.

The war in Iran is raising the cost of fuel, food, and fertilizers worldwide, threatening to deepen poverty and push millions of children in developing countries out of school, as families are forced to choose between education and economic survival. The impact on education systems is not as visible as school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the conflict exacts a heavy indirect toll, hitting the poorest children first. In Kampong Phluk, Cambodia, 13-year-old So Sreynich dreams of becoming a teacher, but she only started school at age 10. Her mother had to wait until she was older to learn to swim, fearing the boat would capsize on the way to Tonlé Sap lake. Soaring fuel prices add an economic burden on families, making school trips more expensive and making it harder for governments to fund education. According to an AP investigation, ten students have drowned on their way to school over the years. A new UNICEF report estimates that up to 23.4 million additional children could be pushed into extreme poverty by year's end, about 80% of them in Africa and Asia. Save the Children warns of devastating global consequences: the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is causing unprecedented price hikes for food, fuel, fertilizers, and medicine, and could push millions of children into hunger.