The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | UNICEF , UNOG , UNITED NATIONS
UNOG Bi-Weekly Press Briefing: 128 Million Children In Need Of Education - ECW
As the number of children and youth in desperate need of education skyrockets with the Covid-19 pandemic, ECW (Education Cannot Wait) welcomes significant new funding from Germany
The number of children who have lost access to education across the world has almost doubled since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the head of the global UN fund that deals with delivering education in emergency situations.
Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW), said that as recently as 2016, the number of “children and youth who did not access education because of conflict and crisis and refuge were estimated at 75 million, of whom 39 million were girls. Today, as a result of Covid-19, we have reached a number of 128 million children and youth, half of them girls, who are not accessing education.”
Speaking at a press briefing at the UN in Geneva, Ms. Sherif thanked the people and government of Germany who announced yesterday, on International Day for Education, Monday 24 January, an additional contribution of 200 million Euro in funding for Education Cannot Wait (ECW), reaching a total of 318 Euro million in funding from Germany.
“Education is key to tackle the challenges of our time. Sustainable development, environmental transformation and social cohesion, just to name a few. However, Covid-19 has threatened all progress we have made. We experienced a huge backlash, and this is also true with education” said Katharina Stasch, the Ambassador of Germany to the UN in Geneva.
The new funding brings the ECW’s total Trust Fund to over USD 1.1 billion for crisis-affected children and youth – a seemingly large number but nowhere near what is still needed to address the problem on a global scale.
With over USD 1 billion leveraged through ECW in-country programmes, this makes ECW a more than 2-billion USD global fund in just a few short years since its establishment.
“Thanks to the German contribution, we broke that record yesterday,” Ms. Sherif said.
“We are making a difference to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” Ms. Sherif added, in an urgent plea for partners to step up and pledge an addition one billion USD to meet emergency education needs. “And we call on all member states in the U.N., host governments to cooperate with us, governments who are able to provide the funding, and many are private sectors, please help us reach the next funding target: USD 1 billion”, the ECW Director added.
Germany is currently the top contributor to ECW, followed by the United Kingdom and Denmark.
-ends-
- Exterior wide shot, United Nations Palace of Nations, Geneva. UN flags flying.
- Wide shot of press room UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (English) Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW): “Back then, the estimated children and youth who did not access education because of conflict and crisis and refuge were estimated at 75 million, of whom 39 million were girls. That was back in 2016. Today, as a result of COVID-19, we have reached a number of 128 million children and youth, half of them girls, who are not accessing education.”
- Cutaway, Wide Shot of press room
- SOUNDBITE (English) Ambassador Katharina Stasch, Germany's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva: “Education is key to tackle the challenges of our time. Sustainable development, environmental transformation and social cohesion, just to name a few. However, COVID-19 has threatened all progress we have made. We experienced a huge backlash, and this is also true with education.”
- Cutaway, Close shot of cameraman
- SOUNDBITE (English) Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW): “Thanks to the German contribution, we broke that record yesterday. USD 1.1 billion in our Trust Fund and an additional excess of 1 billion in income through missions against our programs, making Education Cannot Wait (ECW) an over USD 2 billion fund in less than five years.“
- Cutaway, Medium lateral shot of speakers at podium
- SOUNDBITE (English) Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW): “We are making a difference to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. And we call on all member states in the U.N., host governments to cooperate with us, governments who are able to provide the funding, and many are private sector, please help us reach the next funding target: USD 1 billion.”
- Cutaway, Medium shot of participants
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN Human Rights Office have today released a report detailing the evolution of violent gang incidents beyond the capital Port-au-Prince since October 2024 up to June 2025, and the resulting loss of life and mass displacement.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Gaza: ‘Unacceptable’ choice between getting shot or getting fed – UN humanitarians
Following the deaths of several children in an Israeli strike on Palestinians waiting in line for nutritional supplements in central Gaza on Thursday, UN humanitarians have once again condemned the killings of people at aid distribution sites in the enclave.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the United Nations bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made the following comments on the recent violence in Kenya.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITC
US tariffs uncertainty hurts world economy, with poorest countries hit hardest – top UN economist
A new US decision to further delay the end of a 90-day pause on tariffs is bad for business, a top UN economist said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Gaza aid site horror continues as more starving people shot trying to get food
Amid intensifying hopes for a new Gaza ceasefire, UN humanitarians confirmed disturbing details on Friday of continued killings and injuries of Palestinians desperately seeking food at aid sites.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
A clearer picture of needs across Iran is beginning to emerge after the conflict this month with Israel, which left hundreds dead, several hospitals hit and a spike in Afghan refugees returning home, the UN’s top official in Tehran said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
The blistering early-summer heatwave that’s brought life-threatening temperatures across much of the northern hemisphere is a worrying sign of things to come, UN weather experts said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made the following remarks to the Human Rights Council annual panel on adverse impacts of climate change.
1
1
2
Edited News | WHO
The first meagre midweek delivery of urgently needed medical goods to enter Gaza in months will provide scant relief to the enclave’s people, who continue to be shot and killed as they search for food, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
2
1
2
Statements , Edited News | HRC
Enhanced interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Myanmar presented by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and oral update by Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
1
1
1
Edited News | UNOG
The conflict-impacted people of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) urgently need much more international assistance than they are getting today, the UN’s top aid official said on Thursday.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNOG
Violence in Myanmar is spiralling as the military junta increases its attacks on monasteries, schools and camps sheltering people uprooted by the civil war, a top independent human rights investigator warned on Wednesday.