Libya
We were one of the first international aid agencies to enter Libya after the outbreak of fighting in February 2011. During the nine months of war, we witnessed the terrible costs for children. Many saw deaths and brutality, and many more fled their homes to escape the fighting. Today, the conflict has ended, but our work continues. We have teams of education, child protection and health specialists working in Benghazi, Tripoli and Sirte, helping families to rebuild their lives in the new Libya.
Image: Fiona Wilks
Key facts
- More than 1.5 million people fled Libya; another 100,000 were internally displaced.
- The ruling National Transitional Council estimates that 30,000 people were killed, 50,000 injured and 4,000 disappeared.
- The majority of schools closed, disrupting the education of almost 1 million children.
- Homes, schools and towns are still littered with landmines, shells and mortars – the explosive remnants of war that will take months, even years, to clear.
The challenges
The end of 42 years of dictatorship offers a chance for change. But it has not guaranteed safety for Libya’s children.
Many children are living in camps for displaced people, with more in refugee camps in Tunisia – exiled by the destruction of homes or the dangers of life in cities with explosive remnants of war. Guns and weapons are readily available across Libya; children have been seen handling these.
Yet while recovering from war is urgent, the greatest challenge for children is the future. Libya’s education system, in part based on the teachings of Gaddafi’s political and social manifesto The Green Book, offered little genuine knowledge and very few life or employment skills.
Young people are desperate to play a part in rebuilding their country. It is crucial that they are included. The country’s youth have revolted once, and may do so again if they feel their efforts have been ignored.
“We want to play. We want to forget about the past.” - Eleven-year-old girl, Tripoli
What we’ve achieved
As one of the first international aid agencies to respond, we were at the forefront of efforts to help children.
- We helped 9,000 children recover from the effects of war with psychosocial support in 55 child-friendly spaces. Read more
- We helped ten schools in Benghazi to reopen.
- We supported 19 health clinics in eastern Libya and established two mobile clinics for displaced families.
- After days of heavy fighting, we provided 20,000 people in Tripoli with health supplies for three months.
- We established a family centre in Tunisia offering child protection, education, and nutrition and hygiene services to 6,000 refugees, and set up registration and referral systems to help the large number of separated and unaccompanied children.
- We are working with the community in Sirte – the most heavily damaged city – to create safe spaces where children can play and learn, and supporting the authorities to meet children’s educational needs.
What’s urgent now
Humanitarian support
Many children are still displaced. They need basic services – education, health, and psychosocial support – and to learn about the dangers of landmines and mortars.
Child protection
Helping children to recover from war will take time. We’re working with communities, schools and families to establish safe spaces where children can express themselves freely among adults who can provide or seek out the support they need.
A new education system
Alongside helping children catch up on missed school, we’re supporting the education ministry with programmes and training to develop a modern, relevant education system and curriculum, including an end to corporal punishment.
Engaging young people
A third of Libyans are adolescents. If they are to believe in their future, they must help to shape it. We are designing youth-led activity programmes, planning vocational and life-skills training, and helping to give young people a voice.
This is a rare opportunity to capture the energy of the revolution to build a new Libya in which children can flourish and have a bright future.