UNESCO and partners launch of the Geneva Global Education in Emergencies Hub

On the 25th of January, on occasion of the International Day of Education, UNESCO and partners launched the Geneva Global EIE Hub, an ambitious project that aspires to reduce fragmentation of efforts and increase the  political, technical, and funding space dedicated to Education in Emergencies.

The Geneva Global EiE Hub will allow its members from the humanitarian, development and academic spectrum to work towards stronger synergy, inspire commitment among the Geneva strategic and political community towards EiE, and boost country-level impact of EiE through better data, evidence, and innovative research that support the delivery of safe and quality education while building resilient education systems.

The Global Education Crisis

The current global education crisis that sees 127 million school-age children out of school living in countries affected by emergencies, a situation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has amplified the urgency to effectively address the obstacles to accessing education, while tackling the interconnected protection and health needs of learners and educators in settings of emergencies and protracted crises.

During the launch of the Geneva Global EiE Hub, the need for a holistic approach towards education in emergency settings was emphasized as a key, stressing the value added of all sectors to effectively identify and address the education needs of vulnerable youth towards achieving quality education for all by 2030.

Ms. Hina Shikhani, Afghan refugee student raised in Pakistan explained that “education is the fundamental key to transform ourselves, and lives of people in our communities.”

In fact, although Education in Emergencies receives only about 3% of total humanitarian funding, Education continues to be a top priority for communities affected by emergencies and crises. As described by the Director General of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon, Mr. Fadi Yarak, “in Lebanon and other countries in the Arab, no matter how cruel the crisis is, parents are still fighting for education and opportunities for their children.”

“Education must not be considered a luxury, but a right that we must protect,” added Ms. Shikhani, while advocating for the need to holistically put down all barriers to education for vulnerable children and youth affected by emergencies. These include economic, linguistic and cultural obstacles, as well as the less visible challenges like the psycho-social effects of emergencies that can limit access to education and affect learning outcomes.

The pledge of the Geneva Global Hub for EiE

In light of the acknowledged transformative value of Education for all children, youth and communities, especially those that have faced the hardships of emergencies and crises, the co-signatories of the Geneva the Global Hub for EiE have pledged towards increased collaboration to prioritize, fulfill and protect the right to inclusive, quality and safe education for all crisis-affected and displaced children and youth. Their mission is to engage with governments, donors, civil society humanitarian, and development actors and academics to come together for transformative joint action

This pledge was co-signed on occasion of the Global Refugee Forum in 2019 by Switzerland, Education Cannot Wait, the Global Education Cluster, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNICEF, the Interagency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Graduate Institute of International Development Studies and the University of Geneva, and represents the joining of forces to make education a reality for millions of children trapped in crisis situation. The inclusive representation of education stakeholders from the humanitarian, development and academic world is a reflection of the increasing need for a more holistic approach when addressing Education in Emergencies, working in sylos is no longer an option.

UNESCO’s commitment to the Geneva Global EiE Hub

The UNESCO ADG of Education, Ms. Stefania Giannini described the Geneva Global EiE Hub as a “necessary platform that combines institutional and political influence to advocate for increased funding for education and for more equitable allocation of resources”. The Geneva Global EiE Hub will be in fact catalyst for longer-term political and financial commitments, as well as for innovative solutions to promote educational inclusion and recognition of learning for the most vulnerable learners.

UNESCO welcomes this  initiative as  a valuable steppingstone towards implementing the Education 2030 Framework for Action which stresses the need to “develop education systems that are more resilient and responsive in the face of conflict, social unrest and natural hazards – and to ensure that education is maintained during emergency, conflict and post-conflict situations.”

UNESCO commits to supporting the important work of delivering education in crisis contexts by applying the Organization’s technical expertise in education policy, planning and statistics which are all areas that can offer additional value to the work of EiE actors. Through its established presence worldwide, and in collaboration with its specialized institutes like IIEP, UIS and IBE, UNESCO helps to strengthen the capacities of its Member States to provide access to quality educational opportunities for all – even in times of emergencies and crises.

UNESCO is at the forefront in efforts related to crisis-sensitive educational planning, Protecting Schools from Attack, Empowering Youth in Crises and monitoring the global impacts of COVID on education. Additionally, It is currently implementing highly impactful programs, such as the UNESCO Qualifications Passport for Refugees and Vulnerable Migrants, and the initiative to improve Education Data for evidence driven EiE and Resilience to Crises, both considered as key to knocking down barriers to education for the most vulnerable children and youth.

The Geneva Global EiE Hub has good potential to strengthen UNESCO synergies within the global education aid architecture.