Since 2014, over 2 million people in northeast Nigeria have been displaced due to ongoing conflict. Meet a 17-year-old learning how to cope with the crisis.

At 14, Hauwa’u dreams of becoming a doctor. Although Boko Haram violence forced her to miss almost a year of school, she was able to continue her education at a free learning center run by the IRC.

Fifteen-year-old Shaimah wants nothing more than a chance to live in peace and finish school. In a refugee camp in Greece, she's found a special place where she can take classes again, and heal from the pain of war with help from her teachers and friends.

Aya was forced to flee her home during the battle to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul from ISIS. Now she's found a safe space at an IRC women's center where she can socialize with other girls, and learn skills to help her take control of her future.

The crisis in Afghanistan has shocked the world. The situation for women and girls appears dire, and their access to education is at risk.

Millions of girls around the world face discrimination and lack of opportunity. Their voices aren’t always heard or needs considered.

The situation for girls in places prone to conflict and crisis can change in an instant. When women and girls lack power in their homes and communities, every shock—whether armed conflict, drought, flood or COVID-19—inevitably affects them more than others.