This week world leaders have a huge opportunity to turn the tide on the global education crisis.
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the only global fund solely dedicated to education in developing countries, is holding a replenishment conference in Dakar, Senegal, where world leaders have an opportunity to #FundEducation for all.
The conference, which is being co-hosted by the Senegalese and French governments on the 2nd of February, is aiming to raise $3.1 billion for 2018 to 2020, to help ensure the delivery of quality education across 65 countries. This initiative has the potential to be lifesaving – but only if our elected leaders pledge big.
Right now, globally;
There are over 130 million girls out of school, and 53 million in Africa alone – yet we know that if every girl completed a primary education in sub-Saharan Africa, maternal mortality could fall by 70%.
Over 700 million women alive today were forced into marriage as girls – yet the chances of marrying below the age of 18 decline significantly with each stage of education.
Around 500 million women can’t read or write – yet an additional year of schooling for girls is estimated to result in almost 12% increase in wages.
At ONE, we believe that this is unacceptable.
Here are 6 reasons why world leaders should invest in the Global Partnership for Education:
1. GPE is the only global fund solely dedicated to education in developing countries in the world.
Established in 2002, GPE is a multi-stakeholder partnership and funding platform that aims to strengthen education systems in developing countries in order to dramatically increase the number of children who are in school and learning.
2. GPE encourage the sharing of knowledge and good practice across partner countries.
Through their Knowledge and Good Practice Exchange approach, GPE aims to leverage investments and increase the impact of its funding. It does so by improving country capacity to develop education strategies, review effective solutions to key education challenges and introduce systems for monitoring the outcomes of investments.
3. GPE care about gender equality
GPE encourage partner countries to advance gender equality in and through their education systems, and to contribute to the global knowledge on this topic.
4. GPE uses innovative approaches to maximise impact.
The GPE strategy is to adopt collaborative approaches to global education. One of its core strategies is to bring together developing countries, donors, international organisations, civil society, teacher organisations, the private sector and foundations, to harness technical expertise, share information and work together to find solutions.
5. GPE could play a significant role in the fight to end the education emergency
Since 2002, the share of global education financing has dropped from 13 percent to 10 percent while global official development assistance has increased. The GPE replenishment marks a milestone opportunity to reverse this trend.
6. If fully-funded, by 2020 GPE will help get:
- 26 million additional children through school.
- Over 1.7 million teachers trained.
- Over 23,000 classrooms built.
- Over 200 million textbooks distributed.
Take action NOW to tell world leaders, it’s time to deliver and #FundEducation for ALL.
