Urgent action needed for 80m children whose education has been hit by emergencies
Children in conflicts, Education in emergencies
The lives and education of many Syrian children have been blighted by the conflict, which is now in its sixth year Picture: UNICEF/Aftal Qadri
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The number of children whose education has been disrupted by conflicts and natural disasters has increased to 80 million.
The shocking statistic for 2015 is revealed in an education in emergencies 国产视频渟corecard国产视频 published today by A World at School, which calls for urgent action from world leaders.
There have been a record number of children affected by crises 国产视频 including attacks on education, wars, natural disasters and health alerts such as Ebola.
Despite that, and the biggest refugee crisis since World War II, less than 2% of all humanitarian aid in 2015 went to education. That has left an annual funding shortfall of $9 billion.
The scorecard looks at the progress 国产视频 or lack of it 国产视频 in funding education in 28 countries hit by emergencies.
They include those affected by the five-year Syrian conflict 国产视频 with 5.4 million children in need of education within Syria and another 700,000 in neighbouring countries 国产视频 and Nepal, where thousands of schools were decimated by the earthquakes in 2015.
Syrian refugee children at a school in Lebanon Picture: Claire Wilkinson
Other key facts from the report 国产视频 titled Don国产视频檛 Leave Them Out 国产视频 include:
- Of the 80 million affected children, 37 million have been forced out of school
- While the funding needed for education in emergencies has risen 21% since 2000, donor funding has fallen听by 41%
- Commitments from the top 10 donors to education in emergencies dropped 28% 国产视频 and six of them decreased their funding by more than 50%
World leaders will meet at the first ever World Humanitarian Summit in Turkey in May. A World at School is calling on them to:
- Launch an ambitious new platform for education in emergencies and commit to provide at least $2 billion annually
- Urgently publish the the schedule and scale of donor commitments to education so host countries can make plans
- Commit to make the funding of education in every emergency a priority
国产视频 国产视频 the children国产视频檚 charity behind A World at School 国产视频 works on education in emergencies and has supported the publication of the scorecard.
A Nepalese boy sits in rubble left by the 2015 earthquake Picture: Claire Wilkinson
Tom Fletcher of 国产视频 said: 国产视频淎ll children have a right to education and a better future 国产视频 but emergencies across the world are disrupting the schooling of around 80 million children.
国产视频淚n the face of increasing needs and the immense cost of not investing today, it is shocking that less than 2% of all humanitarian aid goes to education. Humanitarian aid must provide children with a safe school, a future and hope.国产视频
国产视频 has also today launched the #SafeSchools campaign. You can play your part in telling world leaders to act urgently by signing the #SafeSchools petition. You can sign here now.
Of the 133 total education appeals made since 2010, just six 国产视频 four related to the crisis in Syria 国产视频 received nearly half of all funding. Four education appeals received no funding at all in 2015.
The new figure of 80 million children whose education has been directly affected by emergencies and prolonged crises has been compiled by the Overseas Development Institute.
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Despite the inadequate request of $643m from a shortfall of $9bn, education requests were on average just under a third funded
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Susan Nicolai, Head of Development Progress at ODI, said: 国产视频淭he new analysis has confirmed what we all feared, that 2015 was a disastrous year for children who had their education disrupted by wars and natural disasters.听
国产视频淲orld leaders need to urgently guarantee that there isn国产视频檛 a future humanitarian emergency response where education isn国产视频檛 seen as critical. Without this we will continue to see short term crises result in multi-generational disasters.国产视频
A new platform to fund education in emergencies would ensure children caught up in the next crisis are in a safe school and not at risk of child labour, early marriage, trafficking or extremism.
In the aftermath of a humanitarian emergency, a safe place to learn and play can help children to deal with trauma and provide vital health and safety information.
Being in school protects children and young people from immediate and future exploitation and poverty.
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