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The World Education Forum held
in Dakar (April, 2000) re-emphasized and reiterated the importance
of inter-agency partnerships, collaboration and coordination
in pursuance of the EFA goals. This facilitated the launching
of a number of multi-partner initiatives that focused on specific
EFA-related areas and problems requiring special attention
as well as the reinforcing of existing ones. EFA flagship
initiatives were considered to constitute, among others, one
of the mechanisms that would contribute in enhancing and strengthening
multi-agency partnership and coherence on EFA related goals.
Three years after Dakar, the
EFA flagships continue to expand in terms of number of initiatives
launched as well as their scope and membership. At present,
nine initiatives have been established, involving United Nations
organizations, bilateral and multilateral agencies and NGOs.
What
is an EFA flagship initiative?
An EFA flagship initiative
is a structured set of activities carried out by voluntary
partners, under the leadership of one or more United Nations
specialized agencies and NGOs, that seeks to address specific
challenges in achieving the EFA goals. There is a variation
in the structure of these flagship programmes depending to
a large extent on the way they were initiated. The common
denominator is a partnership platform.
The EFA flagships address specific
problems from an interdisciplinary perspective, taking into
account the interaction between education and other factors
(for example, health, nutrition and rural development). Programmes
and activities differ between flagships, but most involve
advocacy and communication, exchange of experience, institutional
capacity development, technical advice and monitoring of progress.
EFA flagship initiatives perform the following three major
roles: (1) assist countries to achieve the EFA goals; (2)
provide special focus on a related aspect of EFA that poses
particular problems; and 3) strengthen partnerships among
stakeholders.
How
are they organized?
Each EFA Flagship initiative
is organized slightly differently. There are some key features
that are, however, common:
An organization (i.e. United Nations agency, Bilateral donor,
NGO), as part of its commitment to EFA, undertakes to lead
and fund most of the associated costs (administrative as well
as programme) of the initiative;
A meaningful number of partners is voluntarily associated,
based on interest and commitment, to the specific issue being
addressed by the flagship;
An institutional/organization focal point ensures coordination
of the partnership and may also provide leadership.
Clear communication lines and structures are established;
A built-in mechanism that regularly monitors and assesses
the Flagship programmes;
A mechanism to review achievements annually and to plan an
annual, or longer, work programme;
A willingness to work and co-ordinate with other Flagship
Programmes to ensure coherence and to prevent duplication
of effort.
Each EFA Flagship addresses
a specific challenge. Although they share the common underlying
goal of achieving Education for All, each flagship is different
in terms of objectives, activities and partnerships. The following
section highlights each initiative and presents details about
each one of them.
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