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Why Education in Conflict-Affected States Needs Our Support
"Education for all children [Millenium Development Goal #2] will not be achieved if attention is not paid to children in conflict-affected states... conflict-affected states concentrate on "survival needs" and put off education for a time of peace, yet an entire generation of students is lost until this day arrives." --Charles MacCormack
When Charles MacCormack, President and Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children, was invited to participate at a special panel on education during the Millenium Development Goal (MDG) General Assembly thematic debate on April 1st, he ensured that that the pressing needs of children in Conflict-Affected States (CAFS) were on the agenda.
MacCormack emphasized the importance of focusing on CAFS, which contain 50% of the world's out-of-school children, and highlighted the inconsistencies in basic education funding to CAFS. He urged the panel and government representatives to give special attention to children in CAFS to avoid the "conflict trap" where a generation of young people become illiterate adults. During his speech he emphasised the importance of partnerships between Ministries of Education and local and international NGOs in achieving the MDGs. Charlie's comments were supported by other participants, such as Changu Mannathoko, Senior Advisor on Education from UNICEF, who focused her comments on education in emergencies and CAFS.
On September 25th, a special meeting will take place bringing together world leaders, representatives of the private sector and civil society partners to discuss specific ways to energize efforts on the MDGs and translate commitments into action. This UN High Level meeting on the Millennium Development Goals follows calls for such a meeting by international figures including UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in his first speech to the UN last year, and a group of international corporate leaders.
An excerpt from MacCormack's presentation:
"Bangladesh Rural Action Committee (BRAC) in Bangladesh is an excellent example of the partnership between civil society and Ministries of Education. A Brookings study noted last year that 45% of all BRAC funds are privately allocated, over $96 billion, $36 billion came from US; I would like to emphasize again the importance of partnerships between ministries of education, governments, local civil society, and international NGOs in achieving the education MDG. MDG 2 will not be achieved if attention is not paid to children in conflict-affected states; these states have 13% of world population but 50% of the world's out-of-school students. These 50% receive only 20% of funds for basic education. Our colleague from Afghanistan noted one part of this issue: host governments in conflict-affected states concentrate on "survival needs" and put off education for time of peace, yet an entire generation of students is lost until this day arrives. Paul Collier in "Bottom Billion" mentions the "conflict trap" when a generation of young people have not received education and become young adults who are illiterate. There are a number of specialized interventions needed to deliver education in these countries, and Save the Children has studies that talk more about this, and we encourage the panel and government representatives here to give special attention to the children in conflict-affected states."
