A group of children standing in a circle and holding hands.

The Urgent Need to Protect Refugee Children in East Africa

World Refugee Day 2025

World Refugee Day is more than a date, it's a powerful reminder.

A reminder of the millions of lives uprooted by violence, of families forced to flee with nothing, and of children robbed of safety and certainty.

It’s also a moment to honour their strength, their resilience, and their right to seek protection.  

An estimated 49 million children are displaced. For many, life away from home is all they have ever known. Without support, their trauma can last a lifetime. They often face fear, lack access to education and healthcare, and are especially vulnerable to abuse, violence, exploitation, neglect, family separation, child labour, and early marriage.

In East Africa, the human cost of displacement is heartbreakingly real.  

Uganda has become one of the world’s largest refugee hosting nations. Today, nearly 1.9 million refugees have found shelter there, most of them women and children who have fled unimaginable violence and loss. 

We walked day and night, nowhere was safe. When we arrived in Uganda, David seemed unhappy and didn’t want to play. He would just stand there, like a doll, as if he was sick.
David, Uganda

Read David's story

A boy smiling

Since January 2025, over 65,000 people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have arrived in Uganda, escaping an escalation of conflict in the east of the country. Despite a fragile ceasefire, every single day around 400 people, nearly half of them children, make the harrowing journey to safety. 

And it is harrowing. 

The journey stretches over rugged mountains and dense forest. It’s a path fraught with danger from armed groups to exposure to the elements. Many children arrive alone, separated from their families, frightened and exhausted. 

At the crowded reception centres, where resources are already stretched thin, children face a new set of risks: trauma, violence, neglect, and a deep sense of uncertainty. 

That’s why War Child is launching an emergency response to help children from DRC and to stand with them as they begin to rebuild their lives. 

Our response begins at the reception centres, where we’re working to make sure children are protected, comforted, and cared for. We’ll provide emergency kits with clothing, hygiene items, and essentials for women and girls. These basics, though small, restore a sense of dignity and remind families that they’re not alone. 

We’ll also provide psychological first aid and stress management sessions to help children and caregivers begin to process their experiences and regain a sense of calm. 

But safety isn't enough. Children need spaces to heal. 

We’re introducing structured play and resilience-building activities and for those who need more intensive support, especially children who are separated or at high risk, we’ll provide case management and referrals to ensure they get the care and protection they need. 

We know that lasting change comes from local communities. We’ll train first responders, caseworkers, and facilitators in the best practices for protecting children in crisis. By building local capacity, we’re helping ensure that support for children continues long after the emergency response ends. 

And Uganda is not alone. Just across the border, South Sudan has endured wave after wave of violence since gaining independence in 2011. Nearly 2 million people are now displaced within the country. And yet, South Sudan has welcomed around 500,000 refugees from neighbouring countries, many of them fleeing the devastating conflict in Sudan. 

Together with local partners, we are supporting families affected by the conflict in Sudan in refugee camps and in transit centres, where people arrive after long, dangerous journeys.  

Children taking part in a Team Up program.

In early 2025 alone, 503 children affected by the war in Sudan have found safety, learning, and joy at three child friendly spaces in Renk and Maban. These spaces also play a vital role in supporting children’s mental health and in reuniting separated children with their families.  

We’ve launched three ‘child rights clubs’ in the areas, each made up of 25 young people who are learning about their rights, gaining leadership skills, and growing into confident advocates for their communities. These clubs help children become agents of change, even in the most difficult circumstances. 

A child friendly space in South Sudan.

We’ve hosted 15 community events in Renk and Maban to raise awareness about the dangers children face while fleeing conflict. Caregivers, elders, and community leaders came together to learn how to keep children safe. These efforts led to the formation of a community committee that promotes peace and ensures inclusive, respectful support for families from diverse backgrounds. 

Refugee children need support now more than ever. Today, over 7.2 million refugee children are missing out on education, and a staggering 1 in 5 experiences symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Behind each number is a child who deserves safety, healing and the chance to thrive. 

To meet these growing needs and reach more children, we must scale up and that means we need your help. Whether it’s through a donation or simply spreading the word, your support matters.