Education for Haiti’s Crisis-Affected Children
Port Au Prince, Haiti, CMC — The United Nations-backed Education Cannot Wait (ECW) will provide $2.5 million in support for education in emergencies to enable thousands of children affected by gang violence in Haiti to attend school safely.
Aim and Progress
ECW, a global fund supporting quality education for refugees, internally displaced, and crisis-affected children, announced the grant Friday during a high-level UN mission to Haiti. The fund aims to reach nearly 75,000 children and adolescents in Haiti, especially in the hard-hit departments of Ouest, Artibonite, and Nord, where hundreds of thousands are in urgent need of access to quality education.
Involvement and Collaboration
UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and local and international partners will work together to deliver the grant in various ways. Back-to-school incentives, school feeding programs, early childhood education, disability inclusion, mental health and psychosocial support, and cash transfers to needy families are part of the package aimed at reaching millions of crisis-affected children. UNICEF will work closely with teachers and community members to ensure continued learning.
Country Background
Haiti is facing an unprecedented crisis exacerbated by lawlessness and brutality, climate change, and natural disasters, including a 2021 earthquake that left over 2,300 people dead. The country, already reeling from poverty, dependency on humanitarian aid, and hunger, urgently needs quality education to break this vicious cycle. Children are subjected to forced recruitment, sexual violence, and gang rape, with as many as 1.2 million needing access to education.
Ambitions and Challenges
Bruno Maes, UNICEF Representative, emphasized, “The education crisis in Haiti is nearing a turning point from which we may not return if urgent action is not taken immediately”. The $15.8 million received so far represent a drop in the ocean compared to the required $30 million, and authorities call on world leaders to mobilize another $600 million by the end of next year. If met, this milestone would unlock additional funds to support humanitarian initiatives worldwide, benefiting as many as 20 million children.
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
• Q. How does the Education Cannot Wait fund plan to make use of these additional resources?
A. The planned $30 million for educational programs in Haiti and other vulnerable countries remains woefully under-funded.
• Q. Is there widespread opposition to education in general among armed groups, or will it impact a select few sectors, like urban areas?
—It is often not possible to accurately determine political, ideological, or religious affiliations behind attacks; however, educational attacks appear targeted at an exceptionally high number of schools overall.
Acknowledgment:
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