1 in 6 children are ‘out-of-school children’… Progress has slowed since 2015

According to the '2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report' published by UNESCO, one in six school-age children around the world are excluded from education, and only two out of three students complete secondary education.

The report pointed out that the pace of improvement in access to education has slowed significantly in most regions since 2015. Conflict and population growth are cited as the main causes, with sub-Saharan Africa in particular being hit the hardest. It is estimated that there are millions of additional out-of-school children in conflict areas who are not captured by official statistics.

However, there are also achievements over the past 20 years. UNESCO said that since 2000, “more than 25 new children are enrolling in school every minute,” and that some countries have significantly reduced the proportion of children out of school and expanded access to all levels of education. However, he emphasized that the problem of educational exclusion cannot be solved with a single policy, and that a customized approach and continuous investment are needed.

Ukraine, Russia airstrikes more than 1,000 drones and missiles... Civilian damage continues

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Unit (HRMMU) announced that Russia launched approximately 1,000 drones and dozens of missiles toward Ukrainian cities over the two days of March 23-24. At least six people were killed and about 100 injured in the attack.

Targets included a monastery in the western city of Lviv and a maternity hospital in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, while residential areas, medical facilities and energy infrastructure were also damaged. The U.N. monitor said the airstrikes were a repeat of a tactic used by Russia last year: "firing long-range, powerful weapons toward populated areas."

Now, more than four years after Russia's full-scale invasion began, the confirmed civilian deaths have exceeded 15,000, but the actual number is believed to be much higher. The number of internally displaced people in government-controlled areas of Kiiu reaches 3.7 million.

Migratory animal species decreased by nearly half... International cooperation is urgent

According to a report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Conservation Monitoring Center, approximately half of migratory animal species requiring protection are experiencing population declines. This percentage is an increase from 44% two years ago. The proportion of species threatened with extinction also increased from 22% to 24%.

At the International Conference on the Conservation of Migratory Animal Species (CMS COP15) held in Brazil, UNEP Representative Elisabeth Maruma Mrema emphasized that "protection of migratory animal species cannot be achieved through the actions of any one country alone. Their survival depends on coordinated international cooperation."

“In an era of geopolitical tension and uncertainty, there is one important truth: environmental multilateralism works,” he said, emphasizing the need for cooperation to protect biodiversity across borders and oceans.

Impact on Korea

As a major UN burden sharing country and education aid donor, Korea is required to play an active role in responding to the global education crisis. In addition, the Ukraine crisis has an indirect impact on Korea's security environment and energy policy, and the protection of migratory animal species is directly related to the ecosystem of the Korean Peninsula, which is home to many migratory birds.