Pledges from 18 countries and the private sector topped $826 million on the first day of a High-Level Financing Conference in Geneva where world leaders came together to seek funding for education for children caught up in emergencies and protracted crises.

With more than 78 million children worldwide out of school, Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, stands up for the world’s most vulnerable children and youth.

“We are talking about the most isolated, the most desolated, the most neglected children of the world”, said Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education and Chair of ECW’s High-level Steering Group at a press briefing. “We're talking about girls who will find themselves trafficked or forced into child labor or into child marriage unless we can help them. And so I want to begin this event simply by thanking all the countries. There are now 18 donors, $826 million has been pledged”.

The pledging conference co-hosted by ECW and Switzerland – and co-convened by the Governments of Colombia, Germany, Niger, Norway and South Sudan - seeks resources from donors, foundations and high-net-worth individuals to provide 222 million girls and boys around the world with education which has been interrupted by conflicts, forced displacement, the climate crisis, COVID-19 and other emergencies.

“Conflict is more protracted today…we see more and more climate-induced disasters affecting education, interruption…education”, said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait. “Funding is not matching the growing need,” she insisted. 

Founded in 2016, Education Cannot Wait has already reached close to seven million children and adolescents with education support, including upgrading learning spaces, ensuring that children have quality learning material, providing training and financial support to teachers and school meals.

“School means so much more than just education. They are also a safe place, a place with a warm meal, a bit of normal normality in the midst of a crisis, a place that empowers children to build a better future,” said Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany.

Germany is the top contributor to Education Cannot Wait, followed by the United Kingdom, Norway, United States and Denmark.

South Sudan’s Minister of General Education and Instruction, Ms. Awut Deng Acuil, emphasized that “education cannot wait”, that it needed to reach those in hard-to-reach areas, those in conflict, crisis, those hit by natural disasters, those who are banned (from going) to school. I think education is a right for every child. We are here today because we are given that opportunity”.

The Conference seeks to mobilize much-needed resources from donors, foundations and high-net-worth individuals to deliver on ECW’s four-year strategic plan, which aims to mobilize $1.5 billion in additional resources to deliver quality education to children and adolescents caught in the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

“We look forward to implement(ing) our strategic plan to reach 20 million children and youth in crisis through the Humanitarian Development Nexus for Peace, Security, Sustainable Development Goals and Human Rights. Education is the foundation,” said ECW’s Executive Director Sherif. She added that “without education, we cannot achieve Sustainable Development Goals (of) ending extreme poverty or gender equality, nor can we achieve human rights”.

ECW supports quality education outcomes for refugee, internally displaced and other crisis-affected girls and boys. ECW urgently appeals to public and private sector donors for expanded support to reach even more vulnerable children and youngsters.

“Education is their hope. It's the tool of empowering them to reclaim their rights and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Ms. Sherif. “And those left for behind us in crisis are extremely resilient. But their hope is to have an education to change the life and the destiny for themselves, for their families, to society, the country, and thereby also humanity at large”.

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1. Wide shot, outside, Centre International de Conférences Genève
2. Medium shot, Conference building outside with posters of « ECW’s High-level Financing Conference »
3. Wide shot, podium with speakers at press conference
4. SOUNDBITE (English) - Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait: “Conflict is more protracted today. Two, we see more and more climate induced disasters affecting education, interruption of education. And three, the funding is not matching the growing need”.
5. Medium shot, participant of the press conference reading
6. SOUNDBITE (English) - Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education: “We are talking about the most isolated, the most desolated, the most neglected children of the world. We're talking about girls who will find themselves trafficked or forced into child labor or into child marriage unless we can help them. And so I want to begin this event simply by thanking all the countries. There are now 18 donors, 826 million has been pledged”.
7. Wide shot, photographer taking photos of panelists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) - Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany: “School means so much more than just education. They are also a safe place, a place with a warm meal, a bit of normal normality in the midst of a crisis, a place that empowers children to build a better future.”
9. Medium shot, participants of the press conference
10. SOUNDBITE (English) - Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction, South Sudan: “Education cannot wait, which is reaching to those who are in hard-to-reach areas, those in conflict, crisis, those hit by natural disasters, those who are banned not to go to school. I think education is a right for every child. We are here today because we are given that opportunity”.
11. Two shot, press conference participants
12. SOUNDBITE (English) - Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait: “We look forward to implement our strategic plan to reach 20 million children and youth in crisis through the Humanitarian Development Nexus for Peace, Security, Sustainable Development Goals and Human Rights. Education is the foundation”.
13. Wide shot, podium with speakers and journalists
14. SOUNDBITE (English) - Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait: “Without education, we cannot achieve Sustainable Development Goals from ending extreme poverty or gender equality, nor can we achieve human rights”.
15. Medium shot, technicians
16. SOUNDBITE (English) - Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait: “Education is their hope. It's the tool of empowering them to reclaim their rights and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. And those left for behind us in crisis are extremely resilient. But their hope is to have an education to change the life and the destiny for themselves, for their families, to society, the country, and thereby also humanity at large”.
17. Wide shot, journalists during press conference
18. Medium shot, journalists from behind with panel of speakers
19. Close up, journalist typing in laptop
20. Close up, photographer taking photos
21. Close up, brochure
22. Close up, journalist typing in laptop
23. Wide shot, journalists during press conference
24. Close up, mobile phone
25. Close up, taking photo of podium with cellphone