Education Cannot Wait Announces US$600,000 Grant to the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies

Amidst the chaos of brutal wars, climate change-induced disasters and forced displacement, education serves as a stabilizing force, providing children and youth with initial healing, protection, and a sense of normalcy and hope amidst upheaval. Yet, despite its lifesaving and life-sustaining role, education in emergencies and protracted crises continues to be under-prioritized and underfunded.

The Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies (EiE Hub) is committed to broadening alliances to shape global debate, influence policymaking and achieve systemic change, creating the conditions to meet the educational needs of crisis-affected and displaced children and youth. Education Cannot Wait (ECW) announced today a US$600,000 grant to the EiE Hub to reinforce these efforts.

The 30-month Acceleration Facility grant will harness the EiE Hub’s convening role and alliance of diverse members to strengthen global coordination and cross-sectoral collaboration. It will advance knowledge-sharing and inform policy-making through the production of critical data and global public goods on important themes – such as climate change, financing data, legal protection of education under International Humanitarian Law, and the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, in close cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross. The new partnership also aims to promote more inclusive global approaches by elevating the voices of crisis-affected populations in policy dialogues and enhancing their participation in decision-making processes.

“The EiE Hub brings together a unique alliance of global members from UN agencies, civil society organizations, academic institutions, government and foundations working together to achieve common goals. ECW has been a proud partner of the EiE Hub since 2021. Together, we remain committed to realizing a world where crisis-affected girls and boys can learn in safety and without fear. Leveraging the EiE Hub’s strategic efforts to inspire, convene, advocate and catalyze joint action, this continued partnership will bolster our collective work to promote inclusive approaches and advance essential global public goods for education in emergencies and protracted crises," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations.

The EiE Hub is a physical and virtual platform that catalyzes joint action among its 52 global members – including ECW, the Global Education Cluster, the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies and many more. The EiE Hub plays a critical role in bringing actors together, encouraging them to speak with one voice and break down silos between education and other sectors such as climate, environment and human rights. 

"ECW is one of the original founders of the EiE Hub and a central partner. Despite a deepening need to support the right to quality education for millions of crisis-affected children and youth, humanitarian budgets are tightening worldwide and education remains one of the most under-prioritized sectors. This ECW grant is critical to fully harness the EiE Hub’s potential to support the collective power of people acting together, to promote policy dialogue, partnerships, and inspire political and financial support to ensure safe, quality education for children and youth affected by crises and displacement. It will enable the EiE Hub to facilitate effective collaboration and innovation among diverse stakeholders, ensuring lasting impacts on education for crisis-affected and displaced children and youth,” said Petra Heusser, Executive Director of the EiE Hub.

As well as reinforcing the EiE Hub's position and role within the wider sector, this new partnership will also help advance ECW's strategic learning agenda themes – including increased and better financing, stronger coordination, and data and evidence for education in emergencies and protracted crises. The end goal is simple: providing the platforms, resources, knowledge and partnerships required to address the global learning crisis. 

This grant comes at a pivotal time. After ten years of consistent growth in humanitarian funding for education in emergencies, there was a 4% decrease in 2023, according to recent analysis from the EiE Hub. The needs are far outstripping the resources available. Addressing the many challenges facing the sector calls for stronger partnerships and collaboration to enhance political commitment and financing for the sector.

ECW’s Acceleration Facility funding mechanism is dedicated to supporting the creation of global public goods and resources for the EiEPC sector. The funding window is a key part of ECW’s Strategic Plan to reach 20 million crisis-affected children and adolescents worldwide. ECW urgently appeals to public and private sector donors to mobilize US$600 million in additional resources to achieve its US$1.5 billion resource mobilization target for its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan period.