Document Abstract
Published:
2008
Last in line, last in school 2008: how donors can support education for children affected by conflict and emergencies
Ensuring that Education for All also becomes a reality in conflict-affected fragile states
This report highlights how donors can help children in conflict-affected fragile states (CAFS) gain access to education. The report finds that one in three children in CAFS never go to school, and although there is growing consensus about the need to address the challenges of education in CAFS, the overall increase in education aid to CAFS has been minimal.
The report states that only 5 per cent of ODA to CAFS supports education, compared with 13 per cent in the case of other low-income countries. Aid to education in CAFS needs to be increased, by donors allocating a greater proportion of their ODA to education, and making more aid available for education in general. In addition, donors should ensure a more equitable distribution of aid based on need.
The report further points out that many governments in CAFS lack the capacity, resources and, in some cases, even the political will to meet their obligations towards their citizens. But this does not mean that children in these countries should simply be forgotten. In order to get more aid to CAFS it is crucial to address the problem of barriers within the existing aid architecture, which tends to reward ‘good performers’ and work against CAFS.
Therefore the report concludes by providing the following important recommendation for donors:
The report states that only 5 per cent of ODA to CAFS supports education, compared with 13 per cent in the case of other low-income countries. Aid to education in CAFS needs to be increased, by donors allocating a greater proportion of their ODA to education, and making more aid available for education in general. In addition, donors should ensure a more equitable distribution of aid based on need.
The report further points out that many governments in CAFS lack the capacity, resources and, in some cases, even the political will to meet their obligations towards their citizens. But this does not mean that children in these countries should simply be forgotten. In order to get more aid to CAFS it is crucial to address the problem of barriers within the existing aid architecture, which tends to reward ‘good performers’ and work against CAFS.
Therefore the report concludes by providing the following important recommendation for donors:
- prioritise education in CAFS, and ensure that at least 13 per cent of ODA to CAFS is allocated to education (in line with the levels of support given to education in other LICs)
- increase basic education aid to meet their fair share of the $9 billion annual financing requirement
- ensure the Education for All-Fast Track Initiative (EFA-FTI) establishes and resources a fund to support CAFS
- adopt a flexible, dual approach to funding education in CAFS, supporting system-building while simultaneously supporting approaches to allow children to go to school now
- include education in their humanitarian policies
- increase the allocation of education aid in humanitarian crises to a minimum of 4.2 per cent of humanitarian assistance, in line with the needs for education
- commit themselves to supporting the Global Education Cluster and ensure it is adequately funded.
