Global fund for education in emergencies launched

This week world leaders have stood together to take action and help millions of children who are missing out on school because of emergencies.

They’ve set up an amazing new fund – called Education Cannot Wait – with the aim of raising billions of pounds of education aid that are needed to help 75 million children whose education has been disrupted because of conflict, natural disaster or health emergency.

The UK government has played a lead role in helping set up the fund and pledging £30 million for the first two years.

Things are off to a great start with around £60 million in total pledged so far. Now the challenge is to keep the momentum going in the run up to the UN General Assembly in September this year which focuses on refugees.

And that’s where you come in! With your campaigning energy, colourful paper rucksack messages and events all across the UK, we can help to persuade every UK MP of the vital role of education in emergencies and help to ensure that the UK government keeps up the support in this vital area…

Here’s what we still need them to do:

  • Provide international leadership from the UK, brokering agreements with other world leaders and donors
  • Give more funds to help this initiative to scale up its support in the coming years so that no child is left behind…

Why is this so important?

Many children are forced out of school for years at a time. Many have had to leave their homes and schools behind. Some of the world’s most vulnerable children are going without the education that is their right.

Each and every one of them deserves an opportunity to learn, in a safe space.

manju-resource

Like Manju (pictured) from Nepal who attends a temporary learning centre. She told us,

“During the earthquake, I felt very afraid. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to study further and do something meaningful with my life. I want my future to be better.

I don’t want to drop out of school. I want to be an example to other girls in my village and become a journalist.”

What needs to happen next?

A lot more leaders need to come on board with pledges and all the funds need to come through, and be scaled up dramatically over 5 years to help this fund to reach the many millions of children who are missing out on school due to emergencies.

We don’t want to have a lost generation of young people who missed out entirely on their school years and that’s why education cannot wait.

For more information on our call to action take a look at our policy report: The fierce urgency of now.

Find out more about the Education Cannot Wait fund and why it is needed.