This Policy Insights collection examines how the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus can inform—and has informed—education programming in diverse geographies, offering rich perspectives the reality of implementing a nexus approach, 10 years since the term entered the policy discourse. Bringing together over 40 contributions from more than 100 authors from diverse geographies, half of whom are from the Global South, the publication offers rich perspectives on successes and ongoing challenges in practice and policy. It takes account of the impact of dramatic funding cuts in international aid during 2025, and aligns with new strategic directions set by the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) which supports quality, safe, and relevant education for all persons affected by emergencies as it marks its 25th anniversary. Despite numerous policy reforms and initiatives in the 10 years since the term Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus was coined at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, the practical implementation of the HDP Nexus continues to face challenges. Persistent funding silos, duplication and competition among actors, and limited coordination across sectors have hindered its full potential. The education sector reveals the complexity of integrating emergency response, long-term development, and peacebuilding efforts. Against this backdrop, this collection compiles critical insights, lessons learned, and innovative approaches from a range of education actors committed to applying a nexus approach in emergency and protracted crisis contexts. Contributors each make recommendations in the form of ‘key takeaways’, for how the application of nexus thinking can be strengthened. They highlight the need to advance local leadership, critically including by teachers, learners and communities, for contextually appropriate solutions, supported by flexible, equitably distributed financing, and coherent coordination in crisis-affected contexts.
