Rebuilding Ukraine’s Future, Daily Brief 11 June, 2024

A major international conference opens in Berlin today. The Ukraine Recovery Conference aims to generate government aid and private-sector investment for “recovery, reconstruction, reform, and modernization” in Ukraine.

Now, some may find this a bit odd. After all, Russia’s full-scale, atrocity-fueled invasion of Ukraine is ongoing, and the destruction continues to unfold. So, it may seem a bit premature to talk about rebuilding.

But it’s never too early to plan for the future, and when it comes to children and their education, the future is now: the needs are there today, war or no war.

The impact of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine’s education system has been enormous. Human Rights Watch has documented extensive damage and destruction to schools and preschools from attacks, as well as from Russian forces that occupied, pillaged, and trashed schools. Ukraine’s government says more than 3,790 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed.

Donors meeting in Berlin this week should prioritize support for rebuilding damaged schools and making them accessible for children.

However, getting buildings up and running again is only one part of what’s needed.

The damage to schools and risks to students have pushed Ukraine to adopt distance learning in many cases. But many parents and children still lack the devices and connectivity needed for distance learning.

The conference in Berlin ought to address this, as well, and act to help make sure children and teachers have the tools and technology they need.

And one more thing. Ukraine still suffers from a Soviet-era legacy of institutionalizing kids deemed to have disabilities or to be from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Ukraine’s government has created a detailed roadmap to deinstitutionalization, and recent EU reconstruction money includes plans for building foster-family-style homes for thousands of kids.

New funding at the Berlin conference should aim build on this momentum for getting kids out of institutions.

Russia’s invasion continues, the war is not over, and further atrocities can be expected. But the rebuilding of Ukraine has already begun, and those meeting in Berlin this week should keep in mind, the future of the country lies with its children.