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What is the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies?

Faced with the under-prioritisation and underfunding of education in emergencies, and given the magnitude of the challenge, members of the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies (EiE Hub) come together to form a strong alliance of diverse states and organisations to step up visibility, political and operational commitment, and funding for EiE.

Click to download the EiE Hub Strategy (English)
Click to download the EiE Hub Strategy (French)

Vision

All children and youth affected by humanitarian emergencies, protracted crises, displacement and migration have their right to a quality education fulfilled, respected and protected.

Mission

The Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies harnesses the expertise and capabilities of International Geneva’s diplomatic, humanitarian, development, human rights, protection, climate migration, and peace communities and organisations, along with academia, to come together for transformative joint action for EiE. The EiE Hub promotes policy dialogue, multistakeholder synergies and partnerships, and inspires political and financial commitments to ensure the delivery and continuity of safe, quality education to crisis-affected and displaced children and youth.

Overall objective

The Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies is a physical and virtual platform that catalyses joint action among its members, and increases collaboration with other sectors to prioritise education in emergencies. Together the EiE Hub members work to create change internationally, increase country-level impact, and foster political, financial and operational commitments for EiE.

What is the focus of the Hub?

In line with SDGs 4.1 and 4.2, the EiE Hub focuses on ensuring children’s and youth’s access to, and completion of, quality early childhood development and universal, free pre-primary, primary and secondary education, which in most countries is compulsory. This includes formal and non-formal education pathways. While the main focus is on compulsory education, the EiE Hub can also engage in dialogue on post-secondary transition.


The EiE Hub’s focus covers all crisis-affected children and youth, regardless of their status (i.e., refugees, the stateless and internally displaced, migrants and others affected by conflict, violence, climate emergencies, disasters and epidemics, as well as host communities).

©2016 World Vision

Why is a Global Hub for Education in Emergencies needed?

Humanitarian crises, conflict and displacement deny millions of children and youth their right to education. The number of crisis-impacted school-aged children requiring educational support has grown from an estimated 75 million in 2016, to 224 million today. Only 77% of refugee children are enrolled in primary school and only 36% of refugee boys are enrolled in secondary education, with enrollment for girls at 27%. Figures for internally displaced people are likely even lower. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this situation, and in many countries affected by violence, schools also continue to be relentlessly attacked.

And yet, education is one of the most underfunded sectors in humanitarian response plans and is particularly vulnerable to economic shocks.

Despite its critical importance and value, education in emergencies has consistently received a lower than average share of funds requested. Recent analysis conducted by the EiE Hub in 2022 revealed that the education sector has become more seriously underfunded since 2018, receiving just 22% of the funds requested in UN-led humanitarian appeals in 2021 – far less than other sectors.

In emergencies and protracted crises, education must play a key role

At the 2023 Global Refugee Forum (GRF) Education Campus, the EiE Hub members officially committed to a new pledge building on the successes of the last four years since Switzerland, together with 9 co-signatories, pledged to promote Geneva as a global hub for education in emergencies at the 2019 GRF.

The world stands at a critical moment for the education of refugee, displaced and crisis-affected children and youth, which calls for a strong alliance of diverse stakeholders ready to communicate with urgency about the challenges faced. Close collaboration is needed to address overall underfunding and under-prioritisation of education in emergencies. The members of the EiE Hub affirm that this can only be done by joining efforts, and have therefore made a renewed commitment.

Learn more about why we’re in Geneva
©ABD ALRAHMAN ALMURAE
2023 Global Refugee Forum Pledge

We, as members of the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies, pledge to collaboratively step up visibility, political and operational commitment, and funding for Education in Emergencies by catalysing joint action, promoting policy dialogue, and facilitating multistakeholder synergies and partnerships so that refugee, displaced and crisis-affected children and youth can enjoy their right to continuous, safe and quality education.

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