Education is the answer to the regional crisis stemming from the armed conflict in Sudan

Statement by ECW Secretary General Yasmin Sherif on the first anniversary of hostilities sudan

new york, April 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Disputes in sudan It is one of the worst countries in the world today, with millions of children and adolescents bearing the brunt both inside and outside its borders. sudan.

As we mark the first anniversary of the conflict, sudanECW calls on world leaders to invest in education.

As we mark the first anniversary of this brutal conflict, we call on world leaders to ensure that all girls and boys affected by conflict have access to quality, lifesaving education. Their hopes and future depend on it.

sudan We are facing a huge humanitarian crisis. Without urgent international action, this catastrophe could engulf the entire country and have an even more devastating impact on neighboring countries as refugees flee across borders to neighboring countries.

The brutal conflict continues to claim innocent lives, with more than 14,000 children, women and men reportedly killed.by united nationshalf of Sudanese Population – 25 million people, including 14 million children, are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. An estimated 5 million people are on the brink of starvation.

sudan We are also experiencing the world's largest forced displacement crisis today. More than 8 million people have been forced to live as evacuees inside and outside the country. sudan Since then April 15, 2023Including 4 million children.

Nearly 19 million school-age children across the country are at risk of losing their education, with most schools closed or having difficulty reopening. To put this into perspective, there are more children at risk than the entire world population. Finland, Ireland and Norway Combined.

As a global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, united nationsEducation Cannot Wait (ECW) and its global strategic partners are working with speed, agility and collaboration to provide security, hope and opportunity for quality education for girls and boys affected by this complex conflict. We have responded with this.

Provided by ECW 10 million USD To date, the first round of emergency response grants have been announced in response to local refugee education needs. central african republic, chad, Egypt, ethiopia and South Sudan.in sudanwe provided 28 million USD In financing, 5 million USD Grants announced in August 2023 This will give more than 86,000 boys and girls access to inclusive, high-quality education.

But these investments alone are not enough. We must step up global funding for education against all the forgotten crises around the world. sudan, central african republic, chadSahel, South Sudan etc. In total, more than 224 million girls and boys around the world have their futures stolen from them by armed conflict, forced displacement, climate change and other persistent crises.

This not only threatens efforts to achieve global security and societal goals; sustainable development goals, but it is also an insult to their humanity. Without safe spaces to learn and grow, girls face many serious risks, including child marriage, sexual violence, human trafficking and forced labor. Boys face impossible conditions and are at risk of forced recruitment as child soldiers, forced labor, and other human rights violations. It is an impossible, never-ending cycle of violence, displacement, poverty, hunger, chaos, and uncertainty.

School lunch programs provide nutritious meals. Mixed gender classrooms provide a safe place to learn. With mental health and psychosocial support, they find ways to regain their dignity and build strong, resilient communities. It is a systems-wide approach that puts children first in investments in sustainable development and puts humanity first in the global effort to end war and build a better future for generations to come. .

Based on today's call Sudan high level meeting and its neighboring countries, Africa Year of Education, and other important initiatives. sustainable development goalswe appeal to public donors, the private sector and philanthropic organizations to mobilize urgently. 600 million USD Renewed support for ECW's 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.in total 1.5 billion USDreaching 20 million children and adolescents.

in South Sudan, Education is a “life-changing” opportunity for Living Sunday, a young teenage mother who defied all odds to restart her education.in ethiopiaTwelve-year-old Nakulchel is attending school for the first time in her life, as a prolonged drought, exacerbated by climate change, has disrupted education for an entire generation. In her own words, she said, “Education gave me wings to fly.” In sub-Saharan Africa, she is one of only nine people in sub-Saharan Africa who can read simple sentences. Only one person.

sudan I can't wait. Africa I can't wait. The rest of the world needs to be unapologetically impatient and heed their call.

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Source Education Can't Wait