Japan commits US$25.5 million to support the most vulnerable children in Syria through the UN’s ‘Education for All’

The government of Japan announced the second phase of funding for the UN’s ‘Education for All’ joint programme in Syria, bringing the total support to the programme to US$25.5 million. Anchored in the No Lost Generation Initiative, the programme will contribute to ensuring increased access for children and young people to quality learning, skills- building and participation, including those living in hard to reach and besieged areas. Programme implementation started in early 2017 to be concluded by the end of 2018.

‘Education for All’ is the first UN Joint programme in Syria bringing together seven agencies – UNICEF, WFP, UNFPA, UNHCR, FAO, UN Habitat and UNRWA – to address a variety of critical nutritional, educational, health and protection needs, through schools and non-formal learning spaces through. The programme leverages the expertise of each participating UN agency to provide services for children within the same geographical area.

“Japan places a high priority on providing humanitarian assistance to support children, youth and women, through education regardless of where they are in Syria,” said H.E. Mr. Futoshi Matsumoto, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Japan in Syria. “We strongly hope our contribution enables the most vulnerable, particularly Syrian children to overcome the long-term challenges through education despite of the prolonged crisis because the future of Syria depends upon how much hope all Syrian children can dream of.”

Highlights from the first phase of the programme include:

• More than 25,000 youth and adolescents reached with a package of skills-building and learning activities, including life skills/vocational training/entrepreneurship training.
• 6,000 children reached with informal education opportunities and remedial classes at UNHCR Community Centres.
• 20 school health clinics provided with equipment and pharmaceutical supplies benefiting more than 88,000 students and teachers.
• 34,000 children reached with the WFP school-meals programme in 30 schools.
• Light rehabilitation for 40 schools providing around 48,500 students with improved learning environments, including improved access for children with special needs.

The second phase of the programme will scale up interventions to new locations, allowing for a wider geographic reach as well as consolidating and enhancing inter-agency collaboration. Additionally, Child Protection interventions will include children living on the streets and those engaged in child labour.

Since the start of the crisis, Japan’s total support to children and families in Syria and neighboring countries has reached US$ 2.2 billion, with nearly one-third of the assistance for beneficiaries inside Syria.

Original source: Reliefweb
Published on 24 May 2018