Fragile states and Education

More effective collaboration in Afghanistan, Southern Sudan and

Colombia

MDG 2: Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

MDG 3: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015

On the 77 million children out of school today, 30 million – more than half – live in conflict-affected fragile states, without any possibility to claim their right to education.

In a situation where a government is unwilling or weak to increase access to education, children can be reached through humanitarian organizations or NGO’s and church-based organizations.

Only very recently, on the global level, recognition has been growing of the need to include education from early on in the humanitarian response phase.

The importance of building alliances at all levels and learn from practices of others is the basis for this project. The participating organizations recognized a shared concern with reaching the MDG’s in fragile states and contributing to the decrease of fragility through education.

The key principles are: 1. Enhancing Access and Quality of Education for All (boys and girls)2. Effective civil society lobby and bilateral policy dialogue to increase transparency3. Better coordination between various actors on education in (post) conflict countries and in The Netherlands4. Strengthened capacities of national and local government authorities and civil society to realize objectives 1,2 and 3.

Expected results in Afghanistan, Colombia and Southern Sudan:

• Exchange of good practices and lessons learned

• Joint actions formulated and implementated

• Exchange and cooperation between partners and other stakeholders, including governmental organisations, improved.

Expected results in The Netherlands:• Increased public awareness and

support for education in (post)conflict countries in The Netherlands.