Conflict, climate change, and COVID-19 have caused a global education crisis, with an estimated 222 million children and adolescents who are not developing the essential skills and knowledge they need to build and prepare for their futures. Canada is investing in immediate and sustainable programs to ensure access to quality education for children and youth in emergency and crisis situations so that no child is left behind.
The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, announced Canada’s pledge of $87.5 million over 4 years (2023 to 2026) to Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.
“All children and youth have the right to quality education and a chance for a better future. The strength of partnerships, communities, and youth themselves can generate the global change needed to address the current education crisis. Together, we can make sure that no one is left behind”, said Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
Canada’s contribution will support 20 million crisis-affected children in accessing quality education, particularly girls and adolescent girls living in hard-to-reach, fragile, or conflict-affected regions. This contribution also includes funding to ECW’s Multi-Year Resilience Programme in Bangladesh, as part of Canada’s strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises. This will help provide education for Rohingya refugees and host communities and reach more than 350,000 children and youth aged 3 to 18 years old in Bangladesh.
“This pledge from Canada is a crucial step toward making good on our global promise to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals in armed conflicts, climate disasters, and forced displacement for the 222 million crisis-affected children and adolescents who urgently need quality education. This is our investment to empower them and build a better world for generations to come,” said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, of Education Cannot Wait
Minister Sajjan made the announcement virtually at ECW’s High-Level Financing Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference is mobilizing funding for education in emergencies and protracted crises and generating a dialogue between leaders from the private and public sectors, civil society organizations, and youth with lived experience as refugees and displaced persons.
