Over US$400mil pledged to UN fund for education in crises

GENEVA: Nations pledged a combined US$405.8 million on Thursday to bolster education for millions of children impacted by crises, according to the United Nations fund dedicated to education in emergencies. Education Cannot Wait (ECW) hailed this as a significant stride towards its goal of amassing US$600 million for its operations over the next four years, amid a backdrop of shrinking global aid resources.

Combined with funds secured prior to Thursday's pledging conference, the total amount promised amounted to US$541.6 million, representing 90% of the fund's objective.

ECW estimates that 258 million school-aged children and adolescents worldwide are affected by conflicts and climate-related disasters, with 93 million out of school entirely. Education is an inalienable right, not a privilege or act of charity, according to Sigrid Kaag, chair of ECW's high-level steering group.

Germany committed 100 million euros (US$113 million), Britain pledged 80 million pounds (US$108 million), and Norway contributed 600 million kroner (US$65 million), as per an ECW summary. ECW delivers various services, including school construction, provision of educational materials, daily meals, and psychological support. Since its inception a decade ago, ECW has reached over 16 million crisis-affected children and trained nearly 300,000 teachers.

The organization aims to reach an additional 10 million children between 2027 and 2030, with half of them being girls and including one million with disabilities.

ECW director Maysa Jalbout emphasized during Thursday's conference that for children in crisis situations, education should not be a luxury, but rather oxygen, bridging the horrors of today to the promise of tomorrow.