In a powerful moment at the Global Citizen Festival in New York City’s Central Park, France demonstrated its commitment to global education by pledging a significant €40 million euros to Education Cannot Wait (ECW). This announcement, made by France’s Minister of State for Development and International Partnerships, Ms. Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, alongside ECW Executive Director Yasmine Sherif, calls for urgent financial support to provide quality education for 20 million children affected by crises worldwide.
September 23, 2023
New York
The Global Citizen Festival stage in New York was illuminated not just by music but by a powerful message of hope and action. Ms. Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, representing France, and Yasmine Sherif, the Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, jointly announced France’s new contribution of 40 million euros. This substantial financial commitment from France reinforces the critical need for global education and specifically targets children living in crisis situations.
Education Cannot Wait (ECW), a leading global fund dedicated to education in emergencies, has now successfully mobilized US$870 million towards its ambitious 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. This plan aims to bring the safety, hope, and opportunity of quality education to 20 million crisis-impacted children. France’s additional funding of 40 million euros further solidifies its position among key donor partners who have already pledged multi-year commitments to this vital fund. The focus on “France Euros” in this contribution underscores the tangible financial support being offered.
Minister Chrysoula Zacharopoulou of France emphasized the pivotal role of education in achieving all Sustainable Development Goals. “Championing global education and empowerment is a top priority for France. The Paris Pact for People and the Planet emphasizes that every nation must contribute to poverty reduction and climate change mitigation,” she stated. “This necessitates that states bolster development policies with adequate resources. Therefore, it is with immense pleasure that I announce, on behalf of France and President Macron, the allocation of 40 million euros to bolster ECW’s initiatives throughout the 2023-2026 cycle.” This commitment in france euros is a clear indication of France’s dedication.
ECW Executive Director Yasmine Sherif lauded France’s generous contribution, highlighting its significance on the global stage. “France’s bold and generous contribution sets a powerful example for other nations to emulate. It is a timely reminder that education must be prioritized as a fundamental global goal, essential for realizing all other global objectives. Now is the moment to concentrate on the most marginalized children and adolescents – refugees, internally displaced populations, and those impacted by violent conflicts and devastating climate change events. We thank France for refocusing our attention on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” Sherif affirmed. She further urged, “We appeal to government donors, philanthropic foundations, and the private sector to follow this lead and collectively mobilize a total of US$1.5 billion over the next three years. This funding is crucial to provide quality education to 20 million crisis-affected girls and boys, enabling them to learn, develop, and rebuild their communities.” The impact of france euros is expected to be significant.
ECW reports that a staggering 224 million children globally are denied quality education due to ongoing conflicts, displacement, climate disasters, and prolonged crises. These children urgently require support to realize their fundamental right to inclusive and quality education.
Through strategic partnerships, ECW has already reached nearly 9 million children in some of the world’s most challenging crisis zones. They receive comprehensive educational support, including school infrastructure, learning materials, teacher training, mental health and psychosocial services, improved water and sanitation access, and school feeding programs. ECW’s interventions are specifically tailored to each context and promote gender equality, disability inclusion, climate resilience, refugee integration, and social cohesion.
Despite increased donor contributions, the funding gap for education in emergencies continues to widen. Humanitarian appeals for education have nearly tripled, rising from US$1.1 billion in 2019 to almost US$3 billion by the end of 2022. Alarmingly, in 2022, only 30% of the required education funding was secured.
At this year’s Global Citizen Festival, headlined by renowned artists like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Jung Kook, ECW and Global Citizen persistently urged global leaders to prioritize education, especially for the most vulnerable children.
Global Citizen, a worldwide movement of activists, amplifies its impact through campaigns and events that unite leaders from music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy, and the corporate world. Over the past decade, commitments worth billions announced on Global Citizen platforms have been activated, positively impacting over 1 billion lives, including substantial funding for ECW. Join Global Citizen in taking action today and consider making a personal donation to Education Cannot Wait to support this critical cause.
