EDUCATION FOR ALL
MINUTES OF THE 2ND ARABEFA MEETING

Beirut, Lebanon - 29 March 2001

UNESCO Regional Office called for the 2nd ARABEFA meeting, which was held at UNESCO Office in Beirut on 29 March 2001.

I. Participants (see annex 1)

­ Convenors:

UNICEF MENA Regional Office (present),
UNICEF Country Offices, Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia for 5 Gulf Countries, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia (present)
UNDP Beirut (present),
UNFPA/CST Amman (present),
World Bank Beirut (excused),
UNESCO Headquarters (present)
UNESCO Amman, Beirut, Cairo, Doha, Rabat (present)

­ Other UN Agencies:

ESCWA (excused),
UNRWA (present)
ILO (excused)
WHO (present)
UNHCR, UNIC (excused)

­ Regional Partners:

ALECSO (present)
ISESCO, AGFUND, ABEGS (excused),
Islamic Development Bank, ACCD (excused),
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (excused);

­ Experts:

Dr. Ali Fakhro - Regional Representative, EFA Working
Group member, (present)

­ Private Sector:

Dr. Samir Jarrar - Private sector representative, (present)

­ NGOs:

Dr. Leila Iskandar - NGOs representative, (excused)
Mr. Ghanem Bibi - NGOs representative EFA Working Group member, (present)

II. Introductory remarks by the Director of UNESCO Beirut Office

· The Director started by welcoming the participants. The meeting was considered as a very important milestone in post-Dakar movement in the Region. After countries have received the guidelines for the preparation of the National Plans of Action, the convenors and other partners, represented by the UN country support team and led by the UN country focal point, are to support the countries in getting the mechanism of follow-up in motion. UN country focal points would assume the role of facilitators, advisors, mobilizers etc, (Their functions will be discussed later).

· Mr. Ekrem Birerdinc, Director of UNICEF Office in Beirut, on behalf of Mr. Ibrahima Fall, welcomed the participants, specially that the majority represent UNICEF country offices in the Region. He emphasized on the importance of Education in their programme. He also underlined the fact that UNICEF is now adopting an intersectorial approach to the children issues, leaving behind sectorial programmes (education, health, etc.). In depth work like EFA will guide UNICEF in the field of education to considering a more global vision.

· Participants then introduced themselves.

III. Background Briefing

Mr. Billeh, after indicating that this meetig falls within the framework of the Regional Mechanism for EFA follow-up, regarding coordination of country UN support team, to help initiate action with local authorities for the preparation of EFA National Plans of Action. He then presented the minutes of the 1st ARABEFA meeting, whereby he referred to the formulation of the four committees (annex 2 of 1st ARABEFA meeting), and the identification of the leading organization in each country (annex 3 of 1st ARABEFA meeting).

IV. UN Focal Points

Mrs. Nour Dajani Shehabi presented the executive summary of the country guidelines explaining the different steps to be taken in this regard (see Annex 2). After which, she presented the suggested terms of reference of the EFA UN country support team and the main functions expected of it (see Annex 3). The team would include all active agencies present in the country i.e. UN offices, Arab organizations, Donors, Bilaterals, NGOS, Universities, Research centers etc. The more the partnership the better.

It was emphasized that the UN focal points form an ARABEFA Network that will follow-up on the country level and regionally, all EFA activities. However, since UNDP country focal points were not present, ARABEFA will send letters to UNDP Arab Region Bureau in New York requesting and urging it for more UNDP participation and involvement at the country and regional levels and checking the possibility of UNDP Resident Representatives chairing first EFA UN country Support team meeting.

Moreover, ARABEFA will address all heads of Regional Offices of convenors regarding support to EFA UN country support team, and will inform the UNESCO National Commissions within each country of the arrangement, i.e. the identity of the country UN Focal Point for close coordination.

The discussion referred to differences between countries of the Region in their Dakar follow-up mechanisms, and wished to categorize them accordingly so that more effort goes to countries that have real problems and need help.

UN Focal Points are to start working with countries for the formulation of EFA National Team. A deadline should be set whereby all National teams will be formed.

The issue of seed money for the preparation of National Teams was raised, and ARABEFA secretariat was asked to follow it with EFA Headquarters.

E. Presentation of Country Questionnaires

Mr. M. Radi, Chief ED/EPS/MED, UNESCO Paris, presented the EFA questionnaires. He also said that he was pleased, on behalf of UNESCO HQs, to listen to comments and suggestions from the participants in order to provide countries with any needed support regarding the preparation of the country national plans of action. He expressed his will to convey to UNESCO Headquarters all field requests and questions (most questions were related to funding). The reason for having two questionnaires was because Dakar Follow-up unit needs a rapid assessment of progress towards EFA national plans for the new website. While the EPS (UNESCO) in order to determine how best UNESCO can assist countries with EFA planning, needs a more technical and detailed questionnaire.

Mr. Radi identified 3 categories of countries whereby support could be provided accordingly:

i. Countries that have a plan of action;
ii. Countries that do not have a plan of action, or have an old plan of action;
iii. Countries in need of technical and financial support. F. Follow-up Committees Since UNICEF and UNESCO are the two agencies entrusted with the four Regional Committees. It was agreed that their regional offices would discuss related issues and themes and prepare a work plan for each committee by the end of May according to the following:

­ Early Childhood Development (UNICEF)
­ Girls Education (UNICEF)
­ Primary Education (UNESCO)
­ Literacy / Women and non-formal Education (UNESCO)

G. Flagship Projects

As agreed in ARABEFA I, it was recommended again that ARABEFA and the leading UN Agency within each country would help the National EFA team in prioritizing its needs within the suggested list of flagship projects.

However, at this stage, priority should be given to the EFA country plan of action and flagship projects are to be seen as a luxury, which countries may wish to join once their EFA plan of action is ready and the resources allow that.

On the other hand, UNICEF Regional Office, suggested to introduce "Quality learning" as a regional flagship project with different components that address the different issues of the flagships and/or issues important to the region such as: health, AIDS, Drug abuse, disability inclusion, violence, war, human rights, democracy etc. The UNESCO Associated Schools programme would be a good mechanism for implementation.

Mrs. Shehabi presented the draft proposal of the FRESH Initiative, which was prepared in coordination with the school of Public Health of the American University of Beirut.

Mrs. Noha Bawazir informed the participants about the forthcoming "Regional Seminar of the Institutionalization of HIV/AIDS in the school system" (Beirut, October 2001). She briefly presented the main objectives, and requested from the participants, especially UNICEF Officers feed back and assistance as regard follow-up this issue in their respective country.

H. Regional Ambassadors Team

A file was prepared for the Ambassadors Team: Dr. Ali Fakhro and Dr. Hassan Al Ibrahim, for their fund raising tour. However, country focal points were encouraged to mobilize resources locally.

I. Sub-Regional Workshops

The need to hold 3 sub-regional follow-up workshops was discussed. However, to give countries sufficient time to form their National teams, and to launch the EFA follow-up movement, and to allow the UN support team to advocate and mobilize resources at the country level. ARABEFA agreed to hold the 3 anticipated sub-regional workshops during September and October 2001.

J. EFA Consultants ARABEFA

wants to prepare a roster of good EFA regional consultants that could be called upon to countries of the region, should the need arise. Thus all participants were requested to send names and CVs of potential consultants.

K. Media Strategy

On the country level, each support team should include a communication specialist, and should identify education journalists that would play a major role in advocacy. The local connotation of the exercise, and the local needs call for independent media strategy. However this does not diminish the importance of the need for a regional strategy.

L. Financial Needs

All countries expressed the need for seed money to get the ball going. ARABEFA promised to raise the issue with EFA HQs.

M. Follow-up Actions

· ARABEFA Secretariat follow-up Actions:

1. ARABEFA to send letter to UNDP Arab Region Bureau in New York requesting more UNDP involvement at the country and regional level.

2. ARABEFA to send letters to all Regional Offices of convenors for the support of the UN EFA focal points and the support team.

3. ARABEFA will send letters to UNESCO National Commissions in the region informing them about the identity of the UN focal point in each country.

4. ARABEFA to request seed money for the preparation of National teams from EFA headquarters.

5. ARABEFA prepare for 3 sub-regional workshops (Sept.- Oct. 2001)

6. ARABEFA to launch a regional media strategy.

7. UNICEF MENA Office - Amman and UNESCO Regional Office - Beirut should prepare work plans for the four themes before the end of May:

­ Early Childhood Development -UNICEF
­ Girls Education -UNICEF
­ Primary Education -UNESCO
­ Literacy / Women and Non formal Education -UNESCO

· UN Focal Points / Support Team Follow-up Activities:

1. UN focal point / support team should start advocacy and mobilization within the country for the formulation of the EFA National Forum.

2. UN focal points to fill in the up-date questionnaire for the EFA website and to send it to ARABEFA secretariat in UNESCO Beirut Office.

3. UN focal points / support team to discuss, whenever possible, with National EFA forum the country's priorities regarding the different flagship initiatives.

4. UN focal points / support team to send names and CVs of potential EFA regional consultants to ARABEFA secretariat in UNESCO Beirut Office.

5. UN focal points / support team to prepare with National authorities a country EFA media strategy.