Brussels, 05/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 5 April, the European Commission announced it will mobilise €52 million (compared with €11 million in 2015) to give access to education for some 2.3 million children in crisis situations.
The Commission has therefore improved on the commitment it took to double its volume of aid for this leading cause, taking account of the multiplicity of conflicts in the world that deprive numerous children of this fundamental right to education (see EUROPE 11439).
“Education in emergency situations is my priority and an absolute priority for the EU. There are currently 37 million children missing out on education. We can't remain indifferent. We must take action now. Every child has a right to quality education. Investing in the education of children caught up in conflict zones (…) is an investment against the risk of a lost generation and an investment for the future. Education is a shield against radicalisation, recruitment and forced marriages. It protects children so that they don't become the prey of criminal organisations”, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides told the press in Brussels.
The funding will benefit over 2.3 million children in 42 countries in the Middle East (especially in Syria and Iraq), East, Central and West Africa, Asia, Ukraine, Central America and Colombia.
“Let's take the example of Syria: the humanitarian needs are not limited to accommodation, hygiene, food and fresh water. Education is a basic need”, Stylianides stated, adding that everywhere he visited “in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, the Zaatari camp in Jordan, in Gaziantep in Turkey or the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, children are determined to learn, despite the obstacles and extremely difficult situations they are facing”.
The European aid will fund access to children's education, vocational training and psychological support. It will be implemented by ECHO's (the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department) humanitarian partners on the ground - the United Nations agencies, the international migration organisation, the Red Cross and NGOs such as Save the Children. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)