The new challenge : emergency and crisis situations: UNESCO Education

EDUCATION

The new challenge : emergency and crisis situations

The end of the Cold War did not bring an end to tension and conflict. Numerous conflicts have arisen within, as well as between nations. Many states are in a fragile situation and at risk of future possible conflict, especially at times of socio-economic hardship. Children in particular are victims of such conflicts, with schools serving as military targets or barracks, children and adolescents recruited as combatants, girls raped, teachers sometimes assassinated, and education systems partially or completely disrupted. Emergency education deals with the consequences of such situations, as well as with the disruption of education caused by natural disasters.

In 2001, the total number of refugees worldwide was estimated at 15.8 million (12 million under the mandate of UNHCR and an additional 3.8 million Palestinians under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Administration for Palestine and the Near East (UNRWA). Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are estimated at around 25 million worldwide, the majority fleeing conflicts, although some are displaced by natural disasters. In addition, there are millions of persons who have returned to their home areas in recent years, and who face the difficult process of rebuilding their lives; and there are millions more who live in unstable countries or districts, where insecurity has brought the education system to a near standstill. Overall, about 1% of the world population, some 50 to 60 million people, live under emergency conditions or are in the early stages of rebuilding shattered lives.

The UNESCO thematic study on education in situations of emergency and crisis presented at the World Education Forum in Dakar, April 2000, documented the problems of achieving the target of Education for All, while millions of children and adolescents are displaced by war or are otherwise in emergency situations that deprive them from regular schooling. The Dakar Framework for Action includes a pledge to meet the needs of education systems affected by conflict or disasters. One of the six Inter-Agency ‘flagship programmes’ has been devoted for the achievement of Education for All translating thus the importance of the issue.

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Photo Credit©AFP/Pascal Guyot
The inhabitants of Kinshasa, DR of Congo, watching a child-soldier patrolling along one of the street in the centre of the Capitol.

UNESCO facing situations of crisis, conflicts and natural disasters in Member States - My decisions have been guided by UNESCO’s fundamental mission, its moral and legal obligations. - Partner Short Name - Partner Full Name