The European Commission announced today it would further increase the part of humanitarian funding dedicated to getting children into education in crisis zones around the world. In 2018, 8% of the EU’s humanitarian budget will go to education in emergencies, which is far above the global average of less than 3%.

“The EU is a global leader in supporting education in emergencies,” said Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides during a High Level Education Event, organised in the margins of the UN General Assembly 2017 in New York. “Concretely this means giving children in some of the most difficult situations in the world an opportunity for the future. As I have travelled to many crises zones, from refugee camps to areas devastated by natural disasters, it is always clear that education is much more than a human right or a basic need. It is safety, dignity and a shield against radicalisation. By supporting education we are making the biggest investment we can in the future of the most vulnerable. We are investing in peace

The EU’s contribution in 2018 of over €86 million will support access to formal and non-formal education, including life skills and vocational training, recreational activities and psychosocial support for girls and boys in crisis areas around the world. Several EU projects will be focussed on girls; giving them access to education and helping them learn life and vocational skills. Children will also benefit from the provision of school materials and the creation of new learning spaces. Teachers and parents will also be supported and benefit from training.

To date, more than €132 million in EU humanitarian aid have been allocated for education in emergencies projects. By the end of 2016, nearly 4 million boys and girls in 50 countries around the world have benefitted from these, including in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Syria, as well as Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine.

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Press Release

European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations