Evaline, 12, along with her three siblings, fled fighting in South Sudan for a refugee camp in Uganda with only the clothes on their backs and books for school. They escaped without the help of an adult, after a neighbouring village was attacked.
(January 25, 2018) –
MISSISSAUGA, ON – World Vision Canada is encouraged by the Government of Canada’s announcement today in Davos to increase its investment in the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Standing alongside education activist Malala Yousafzi, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged $180-million from 2018-2020, effectively doubling Canada’s annual commitment to the GPE.
For millions of children around the world, particularly girls caught in conflict and uncertainty, investing in education is a critical investment to alleviate chronic poverty and violence to give them a path to a hopeful future, according to World Vision, Canada’s largest humanitarian and development agency.
With Canada hosting the G7 Summit in June, World Vision is looking ahead to Charlevoix as an opportunity for Canada to demonstrate leadership in education on the global stage.
World Vision, along with other Canadian and global partners, are calling upon the Prime Minister to lead a signature policy initiative at the upcoming G7 – to bring urgent political attention to a severely neglected issue – girls education in crises. A Canadian-led G7
Declaration to Educate Girls in Crises would chart a bold course forward for its feminist foreign policy and promote positive change for millions of children.
“Canada’s commitment to global education today is a vital step towards preventing a lost generation of children – especially girls - caught up in conflict and uncertainty,” says Jamie McIntosh, VP of Programs & Policy, World Vision Canada. “Every child everywhere, deserves a quality education. Education programs have proven to protect kids from violence today while giving them a chance to pursue a better life tomorrow.”
“We want to continue this momentum on global education. We look forward to working with the Canadian government to identify opportunities for continued political leadership on education and provide the status it deserves. A G7
Declaration to Education Girls in Crises would address global gender inequality, one of the world’s most critical, yet neglected issues and would help break the cycle of chronic poverty and violence for millions of children.”
Quick Facts:
- On average, families caught in conflicts can spend 26 years as refugees or as internally displaced people. For children this means their entire childhood may be spent living in crisis and uncertainty;
- In crises, girls are 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than boys;
- When girls are out of school, they are more vulnerable to violence, discrimination and exploitation; including child marriage and adolescent pregnancy;
- One extra year of schooling increases an individual’s earnings by 10 percent;
- World Vision co-chairs the Canadian International Education Policy Working Group, a coalition of agencies working to improve access to safe, inclusive and quality education for children and youth.
MEDIA RESOURCES
- Photos & captions of education programs supporting children in crisis: HERE