Team Europe, which consists of the European Commission and European Union (EU) Member States, has pledged a significant contribution to the United Nations’ ‘Education Cannot Wait’ fund.
‘Education Cannot Wait’ (ECW) is a global fund to prevent learners from being left behind. It works with partners including governments, donors and civil society and aid organisations to effectively support education in emergencies and crises, such as conflict and natural disasters. The fund is active in 31 countries and has supported 6.9 million children and young people to date.
In total, Team Europe has pledged to invest EUR 313 million in ECW. Through efforts to promote quality education in fragile countries, including ECW, the EU will invest EUR 3.2 billion during 2021–2027.
The EU and the ECW fund work in line with the Transforming Education Summit and Sustainable Development Goal 4. They aim to make education and its financing and investments more sustainable, to enable more effective, high-quality and inclusive education systems around the world.
The new investments will help ECW to realise its ambitious Strategic Plan 2023–2026. The Plan includes new priorities, such as responding to climate change, prioritising holistic learning outcomes, and advancing ECW’s commitment to gender equality and disability inclusion.
For more information read the European Commission press release or visit the ECW website.