Summary:
-
UN Secretary-General António Guterres says that no one is more aware of this than Education Cannot Wait, which uses education as a lifeline for children in 40 countries going through crises.
-
ECW’s High-Level Financing Conference can allow all kids to receive a high-quality education with support.
-
This plan will raise an extra $1.5 billion to help 20 million children and teens caught in some of the worst humanitarian crises in history.
-
The goal of the Fund is to reach 20 million girls and boys over the next four years.
-
Since its start in 2016, Education Cannot Wait has helped nearly 7 million kids and teens with all their school needs.
A massive, harmful, and unprecedented global education catastrophe is sweeping the globe. Children are dropping out of school because of wars, long-lasting conflicts, dramatic climate change, hunger, COVID-19, and the economy.
In 2016, there were reportedly 75 million children who needed assistance with their education. The amount has now increased to 222 million. As their way of life crumbles around them, students from Afghanistan, Moldova, Colombia, Libya, Iraq, Somalia, and South Sudan see education as their only remaining option.
222 million girls and boys are having their dreams crushed by wars, forced migration, and natural disasters. UN Secretary-General António Guterres says that no one is more aware of this than Education Cannot Wait, which uses education as a lifeline for children in 40 countries going through crises.
António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, says that war, migration, and environmental chaos can’t kill children’s hopes. UN credit
“I call on leaders to provide funding for educational systems that can support those falling behind at the finance conference in February. Let’s keep dreams alive. Let’s not give up on hope. Let’s continue to fight for the better future that each child deserves.
Children who have been affected are not only more likely to fall behind in school and miss out on opportunities to learn and work for the rest of their lives, but they are also the most likely to be taken advantage of financially or sexually, sold as slaves, or forced to join militias.
But there isn’t enough money to get around the different problems and give all kids a good, inclusive education. So, on February 16–17, 2023, leaders from all over the world will meet in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Education Cannot Wait for High-Level Financing Conference to make sure that every child, everywhere, has access to a high-quality education.
The Transforming Education Summit (TES) promises may be put into action at the ECW High-Level Financing Conference, according to Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait. By giving ECW a lot of money, strategic donors can ensure that girls and boys have access to high-quality education even in the world’s worst crises.
She added, “If we want to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, we must step up our joint efforts.” Since SDG 4 (education) is the key to achieving all the other goals, it should be the center of these efforts.
The Geneva event, which is being co-hosted by ECW and Switzerland and jointly organized by the governments of Colombia, Germany, Niger, Norway, and South Sudan, will be broadcast live online for everyone to watch.
The conference’s primary goal is to get foundations, donors, and high-net-worth individuals to give much-needed money so that ECW’s four-year strategic plan can be carried out. This plan will raise an extra $1.5 billion to help 20 million children and teens caught in some of the worst humanitarian crises in history.
Gordon Brown is the High-Level Steering Group Chair for ECW and the UN’s Special Envoy for Global Education. He is also the Federal Councilor of Switzerland. Ignazio Cassis, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, Svenja Schulze, Minister of Education of Niger Ibrahim Natatou, Minister of International Development of Norway, Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of General Education and Instruction of South Sudan Awut Deng Acuil, and Mi
High-level leaders from UN agencies, civil society, governments, and international youth groups will be at the two-day event. Over 400 delegates are expected to attend in person, and many more are expected to join online from around the world.
We can’t say enough about how important this conference is since 78 million of the 222 million children and teens likely to be affected by war and other emergencies do not go to school.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai warns that, at the current rate of development, girls in crisis-affected nations might not be able to finish their education until 2063. Generations will pass before young people in crisis-affected countries can access their education entitlement.
“I implore the authorities to support education properly.” I cannot wait to provide every child with a safer and fairer future. Please take care not to leave the 222 million children behind. Please make sure that all kids have access to free, high-quality education.
On February 16, 2023, a high-level part of the event will start. It will encourage world leaders to put the education needs of children affected by crises at the top of the international agenda to speed up progress.
The goal of the fund is to reach 20 million girls and boys over the next four years. On the first day of the conference, leaders will announce that Education Cannot Wait will get a lot more money.
On the first day of the conference, there will be a big focus on Afghanistan. “I Am Malala” co-author Christina Lamb and Somaya Faruqi, team captain of the Afghan Girl’s Robotic Team, will be there. There will also be important sessions on A New Way of Working, Delivering with Humanitarian Speed and Development Depth, and Leaving No One Behind in Forced Displacement Situations.
Several roundtable conversations will be held on the second day, February 17, 2023, to transform how education is delivered in times of crisis worldwide.
Since its start in 2016, Education Cannot Wait has helped nearly 7 million kids and teens with all of their school needs. This help includes updating classrooms and making sure kids have good learning materials; training and financially supporting teachers; offering mental health services; making sure kids have meals at school; and finding other ways to help the whole child. The fund has collected more than US$1.1 billion from donors, businesses, and charitable foundations.
