In the News

A pesar del aumento del 126% en los requisitos educativos desde 2005, la financiación se incrementó en solo un 4%. Además, los sistemas educativos preparados para resistir crisis prolongadas no se pueden construir sobre la base de unos llamamientos a corto plazo e imprevisibles. Durante la Cumbre Humanitaria Mundial, celebrada en mayo de 2016, se lanzó la nueva plataforma mundial “La educación no puede esperar” (Education Cannot Wait) con la intención de crear un puente entre las intervenciones humanitarias durante las crisis y el desarrollo posterior a largo plazo mediante una financiación predecible.

The steep hillsides also house half a million refugee children with dreams that extend far beyond the confines of the camp. Fourteen-year-old Jannat* is one of them.

Despite the grim backdrop of a childhood marked by crises faced by so many Rohingya children in Myanmar, Jannat is continuing her education today. Thanks to Education Cannot Wait (ECW) investments in Bangladesh, and the support of partners like Save the Children, Jannat is back in the classroom and working towards a dream she's held since she was a little girl: to become a doctor.

ECW has championed the right to education for children affected by the global climate crisis. In the aftermath of devastating floods in Libya, Mozambique and Pakistan – and spikes in hunger, forced displacement and violence across the Horn of Africa and the Sahel – ECW has issued emergency grants to get children and adolescents back to the safety and opportunity that quality education provides.

Within existing programmes in crisis-impacted countries like Bangladesh, Chad, Nigeria, South Sudan and Syria, ECW investments are supporting climate-resilient infrastructure, disaster risk reduction and school meals, offering hope and opportunity in the most challenging circumstances.

Despite the grim backdrop of a childhood marked by crises faced by so many Rohingya children in Myanmar, Jannat is continuing her education today. Thanks to Education Cannot Wait investments in Bangladesh, and the support of partners like Save the Children, Jannat is back in the classroom and working towards a dream she's held since she was a little girl: to become a doctor.

Jannat wasn't always certain that her dreams of working in medicine were within reach. After fleeing Myanmar with her parents and two siblings, and settling in the refugee camp, that future seemed nearly impossible.

There was an overall increase in Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) from 55% in term one to 57% in term 2 2023 across all three levels of education. This may be attributed to the increase in the number of schools reporting and increase in enrollment because of new arrivals in select settlements, The education situation analysis was updated with the current education needs and challenges that informed the Global Refugee Forum round table discussion on transitional management, The process of the selection of the partners to implement Education Cannot Wait (ECW) First Emergency Response (FER) funding to respond education gaps caused by the influx of refugees was completed and approved by the ERP Steering Committee.

"The very future of humanity is at stake. Rising seas, spiking temperatures and ever-more-severe droughts, floods and natural hazards are derailing development gains and ripping our world apart. As we've seen with the floods in Pakistan, and the drought in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, climate change is triggering concerning jumps in forced displacement, violence, food insecurity and economic uncertainty the world over," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait.

"Education is an essential component in delivering on the promises and commitments outlined in the Paris Agreement, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development Goals. As all eyes turn toward this year's Climate Talks (COP28) and the Global Refugee Forum, world leaders must connect climate action with education action," said Sherif.

We must take stronger action to end violence against girls and women through the UN 16 Days of Activism campaign – running from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (25 November) until Human Rights Day (10 December). We urge leaders everywhere to take firm, concrete action to put all the human rights of girls and women – especially their right to 12 years of safe, quality education – at the forefront of the international agenda.

This year's theme is 'Invest to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls.' By investing in safe schools, protective learning environments, and mental health and psychosocial support – through holistic, quality education that empowers girls to be confident of their rights and have the power to claim them – we can truly empower an entire generation of future women leaders.

The UN Secretary-General has defined the crisis in Gaza not just as a humanitarian crisis, but rather as a crisis of humanity. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres: “Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children. Hundreds of girls and boys are reportedly being killed or injured every day.” This continued trend of violence and disregard for international humanitarian law and human life has enveloped our world.

According to UNICEF, at least 120,000 children have been killed or maimed by wars since 2005. On average, that is almost 20 lives lost every day. Furthermore, in her remarks to the UN Security Council on 30 October, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell pointed out that ”… more than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza every day – a number which should shake each of us to our core.”

The UN Secretary-General has defined the crisis in Gaza not just as a humanitarian crisis, but rather as a crisis of humanity. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres: “Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children. Hundreds of girls and boys are reportedly being killed or injured every day.” This continued trend of violence and disregard for international humanitarian law and human life has enveloped our world.

According to UNICEF, at least 120,000 children have been killed or maimed by wars since 2005. On average, that is almost 20 lives lost every day. Furthermore, in her remarks to the UN Security Council on 30 October, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell pointed out that ”… more than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza every day – a number which should shake each of us to our core.”

"During tough crises, getting to school not only provides physical protection for many children: for some, it also represents a safety net for mental health, psycho-social protection or access to nutritious meals. This is particularly true for girls, who are more exposed to threats during hard times. Education Cannot Wait develops its holistic approach along these lines. This is why France supports ECW.

In the years to come, we commit to sustain these efforts for education. France is currently reviewing its international strategy for education: in this context, we particularly aim at providing access to quality, equitable and inclusive education, with a strong emphasis on teachers’ training and gender equality – including in emergencies and protracted crises."

Every child needs encouragement and support to develop and be proud of their own identity. Every human being has a story to tell. Those who were not emotionally equipped to tell their story, I believe, are the most likely to resort to violence, to lack empathy or to commit acts of inhumanity. As Carl Jung said: “The reason for evil in this world is that people are not able to tell their stories.” A similar conclusion was made by Erich Fromm, who stated that “Destructiveness is the outcome of an unlived life.”

This is the untold story. Now it shapes a world divided.

The highest price is being paid by innocent children and adolescents. Instead of learning safely in school, telling their story and developing their potentials in preparation for life – millions are living in an inferno of inhumanity, where one of the most realistic options is simply to prepare for death.

This is indeed a crisis of humanity.

Yasmine Sherif is Executive Director Education Cannot Wait (ECW)

Adnan Ameen, Chief Executive Officer of COP28, said: “Education is a critical driver to build the skills needed for the future climate economy. In this context, we are delighted to be working with Dubai Cares to bring the second edition of the RewirEd Summit to COP28. This will be a key opportunity to rally the solutions that can empower today’s learners and accelerate actions that will determine our planet’s future.”

Ministers and high-level dignitaries to join the discussions along with a diverse line-up of speakers from other sectors 

Some of the key speakers include: Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of St. Lucia; H.E. Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Labor and Employment, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India; H.E. Cheikh Oumar Anne, Minister of National Education, Senegal; H.E. João Marques da Costa, Minister of Education, Portugal; Hon. Awut Deng Achuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, South Sudan; H.E. Pohamba Penomwenyo Shifeta, Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait