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20 Years of INEE: Achievements and Challenges in Education in Emergencies [EN/AR/PT]

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INEE
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Prioritizing education in emergencies (EiE) is more critical in 2020 than ever before as the COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional burdens on education systems around the globe. Nowhere is this more acute than in crisis-affected countries, and in countries hosting refugees and other displaced populations, where education systems are often overextended and under-resourced.

New data shows that even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 127 million primary and secondary school-age children and young people living in crisis-affected countries were out of school in 2019, or almost one-half the global out-of-school population. Girls are more likely than boys to be out of school in crisis contexts (based on analysis of new data provided by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics for this report). In 2019, the out-of-school rate for children and young people of primary and secondary school age living in countries affected by crisis was 31 percent for girls and 27 percent for boys.

While the challenges of delivering quality education to children and young people in crisis contexts are complex—from external threats to system failures—political will, inclusive policies, greater capacity, and predictable financing can make a difference. However, as this report highlights, financing for EiE, while increasing, is skewed toward a few high-profile emergencies leaving many children and young people living in ‘forgotten crises’, with little hope of quality education.

Since its founding 20 years ago, the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) has grown significantly. What started during a consultation meeting in Geneva on EiE (INEE, 2000) is now a global network of nearly 18,000 members working in dozens of network spaces and activities in more than 190 countries. This report, which marks the 20th anniversary of INEE, offers new data on the number of crisis-affected children and young people around the globe who are currently denied the right to education. The report acknowledges the key role INEE has played in the development of EiE as a recognized field, by mapping key milestones, noting in particular the progress in coordination of education responses. It offers new analysis of trends in education financing for EiE over the last 20 years. It traces the changes that have enabled EiE to become a recognized part of global education policy agenda since world leaders came together in 2000 at the World Education Forum in Dakar, which led to their commitment to provide education for all children and young people around the globe. (see INEE EiE Timeline)

As INEE celebrates its 20th year, the imperative of ensuring that all individuals affected by crisis have the right to a quality, safe, relevant, and equitable education remains as critical as it was when the network was established. Without a sustained focus on providing education in crisis-affected countries, the world will not meet the goal which was adopted by all UN member states in 2015 to provide inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030 (UN, 2015).

This report highlights that, although notable global progress has been made in education in emergency situations over the last 20 years, significant challenges remain.