Secure borders, safer West Africa

West African nations are planning to boost their efforts to guarantee education for children impacted by conflicts, displacement, climate-related disasters, health emergencies, and socio-economic shocks. This objective is central to the 2nd High-Level Conference on Scaling Education Initiatives in Emergencies (EiE), West Africa – ACCELERATE+, a gathering of policymakers, researchers, educators, innovators, development partners, and financing organizations.

The conference will delve into practical methods to tackle the escalating challenges in education during crisis and emergency scenarios across the region. Continuous emergencies persistently disrupt schooling, limit educational access, and diminish learning outcomes, disproportionately affecting girls and other vulnerable and marginalized children.

While research has identified numerous promising education innovations, a significant hurdle remains in translating these successful pilots into lasting policies, steady financing, and widespread implementation. The conference will concentrate on leveraging policy-relevant evidence to pinpoint and scale education innovations that enhance access, learning, continuity, safety, and the well-being of children and young people impacted by crises.

Key topics of discussion will encompass education in emergencies and resilient education systems, emphasizing the fortification of systems against conflict, displacement, climate impacts, and other emergencies. The conference will also examine foundational learning, e-learning, inclusion, and innovative education approaches, such as accelerated education, early childhood education, and inclusive learning.

Additional areas of focus will include teacher well-being, social protection, and secure learning environments, with special emphasis on psychosocial support, safeguarding, girls' empowerment, and peacebuilding. Discussions will also center on gender, youth, skills development, and transitioning to work, including girls' participation, youth empowerment, and pathways to livelihoods.

Participants will also investigate education financing and innovative resource mobilization strategies, including new approaches to funding education innovations in fragile and crisis-affected regions. The conference aims to strengthen initiatives in transforming successful education interventions from isolated projects into sustainable, system-wide solutions that can reach more children and young people, especially those in crisis-affected communities.

Through collaboration and the exchange of evidence and practical experiences among countries, ACCELERATE+ aims to promote the institutionalization of proven education solutions and contribute to more resilient education systems throughout West Africa. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that crises do not hinder children's right to learn, grow, and build a meaningful future.