Executive Summary
The war in Ukraine has inflicted unprecedented trauma on the country’s children and youth, disrupting education, displacing millions, and shattering families and communities. Approximately half of all displaced Ukrainians are children, with roughly 4 million experiencing interrupted education and hundreds of thousands unable to attend in-person classes. Exposure to violence, loss, and instability has led to widespread psychosocial distress, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, risking a “lost generation” with long-term psychological, social, and educational deficits. This report outlines four interlinked policy priorities to protect and support conflict-affected youth: strengthening mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) systems; providing trauma-informed and flexible education; keeping families together and supporting reunification; and locating, protecting, and reintegrating abducted children.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not an official policy or position of New Lines Institute.
