DFID: aid, education and conflict-affected countries

How does the UK Department for International Development’s (DFID) support to education in conflict-affected fragile states (CAFS) compare to their support to education in other developing countries? This briefing paper examines this question, reviews DFID’s performance in recent years and considers where the UK government stands in 2006 within the global picture of development and humanitarian funding for both CAFS and low-income countries. It also makes recommendations on the way forward in terms of investing in education in CAFS.

The briefing paper highlights how despite a considerable increase in DFID’s general education spending, there is a large imbalance between education spending in CAFS and in other LICs.

The briefing paper calls on DFID to lead the way by ensuring that children in CAFS do not miss out on the chance to go to school by:

• increasing long-term predictable Official Development Assistance (ODA) for education in conflict-affected fragile states by the November 2007 Education for All (EFA) high-level group meetings
• including education within the first phase in all humanitarian responses funded by DFID by the November 2007 EFA High-level group meetings. All responses should aim to meet the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Minimum Standards.