In the News

MP Emily Thornberry, gal-dem editor Liv Little, NGO director Yasmine Sherif and campaigner Yara Eid discuss the true meaning of International Women’s Day

It’s OK to have mixed feelings about International Women’s Day. What began in the early 20th century as a radical socialist feminist event has morphed – particularly over the last decade or so – into something sprawling, all-encompassing and occasionally murky in its message. 

We urgently need to see action and investment in women and girls' health, hopes, and empowerment.

By Helen Grant OBE, MP for Maidstone and The Weald, UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Girls’ Education; and Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Europe Board Chair, Global Citizen

Con motivo de un acto organizado recientemente en la sede de las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York por el Día Internacional de la Educación, la UNESCO ha hecho un llamamiento para que la educación llegue a todos los lugares, recordando que es un derecho humano básico y ha denunciado la violación de ese derecho en Afganistán, donde se prohíbe a las mujeres y las niñas acceder a la educación.

“For more than 500 days, the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have denied secondary school girls that basic right to an education. This must end immediately,” the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, said in a video message released by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN’s global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, on Saturday.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General reiterates on this call as many other global calls have so far been turned down by the Taliban and particularly after she and the UN Women chief, Sima Bahous, ended a four-day visit to Afghanistan empty handed in January."

Conferência internacional do Education Cannot Wait contou com debates temáticos a respeito do impacto das crises humanitárias contemporâneas sobre a educação. O Ministério da Educação (MEC) esteve presente na conferência internacional de alto nível do fundo global “Education Cannot Wait (ECW)”, ou “Educação não pode esperar”, realizada em Genebra (Suíça), em 16 e 17 de fevereiro.

World leaders committed over USD 826 million to support the education of girls and boys impacted by emergencies and protracted crises. Seventeen donors announced pledges during the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) High-Level Financing Conference, co-convened by the Governments of Switzerland, Colombia, Germany, Niger, Norway, and South Sudan.

Since its declaration of independence from Somalia in 1991, Somaliland has carved out its own destiny as an autonomous region in East Africa. While no country recognizes Somaliland as a sovereign state, Somaliland has an independent government overseeing more than 3.5 million people living in the northwest of Somalia. East Africa is facing one of the worst droughts on record with crop failure and famine threatening a full-blown humanitarian crisis. The crisis most harshly affects Somali children who endure malnourishment, displacement and lack of access to education. Through funding for education in Somaliland, education access can increase.

Alima originaire du Burkina Faso veut être policière, Awa, du Mali, rêve d’être infirmière, et Maria Gabriela, 11 ans, d’Équateur, espère aller à l’école vétérinaire.

Bien que leurs noms ne soient pas réels, pour les protéger, leurs rêves le sont. Aujourd’hui, 222 millions de jeunes rêveurs comme Alima, Awa et María Gabriela endurent les horreurs de la guerre, des catastrophes et des déplacements

ECW-Geschäftsführerin Yasmine Sherif: Erklärung zu 365 Tagen Krieg in der Ukraine

Schweren Herzens begehen wir heute den 365. Tag des brutalen Vorgehens gegen die Ukraine.

Durch diesen illegalen Akt der Aggression wurden über 450 Kinder getötet und weitere 900 verletzt. Durch den Beschuss und die Bombenangriffe wurden 3.000 Bildungseinrichtungen beschädigt und 420 Schulen und Lernzentren vollständig zerstört. Die Schulbildung von 5,7 Millionen Kindern wurde unterbrochen, und ein Ende ist nicht in Sicht.

When Afghan high schools reopen next month after the winter break, few will be holding their breath that girls will be allowed back in the classrooms after 550 days of being forced to stay at home. Last year it was announced the ban had ended, but they had barely sat at their desks before the decision was reversed, and they were sent back home, many in tears.

Alima originaria de Burkina Faso quiere ser policía, Awa, de Mali, sueña con ser una enfermera, y María Gabriela, de 11 años de edad, de Ecuador tiene la esperanza de ir a la escuela de veterinaria.

Aunque sus nombres no son reales, para protegerlos, sus sueños sí los son. En la actualidad 222 millones de jóvenes soñadores como Alima, Awa y María Gabriela están soportando los horrores de la guerra, los desastres y el desplazamiento.

Wir leben in einer beschämenden Ära der Menschheitsgeschichte. Wir haben die Erde und die Menschheit schlecht behandelt. Der Krieg gegen die Ukraine zeigt, dass wir von mehr Menschlichkeit und Anstand, Frieden und Sicherheit meilenweit entfernt sind. Heute würdigen wir die Schülerinnen und Schüler, ihre Eltern, ihre Lehrerinnen und Lehrer und die Schulverwaltung in der Ukraine sowie in den afrikanischen Ländern südlich der Sahara, in Asien, im Nahen Osten und in Lateinamerika. Mögen sie diejenigen sein, die eines Tages das Ruder herumreißen.