Individual Submission Summary
Share...

Direct link:

Considerations for Fostering Humanitarian-Development Coherence in Education: an EU perspective

Mon, April 15, 10:00 to 11:30am, Hyatt Regency, Floor: Bay (Level 1), Seacliff B

Proposal

In recent years, the EU recognised the importance of the humanitarian-development nexus in education service delivery and system strengthening. Already the 2016 policy document, Communication "Lives in Dignity", recognized the importance of education in forced displacement as one of the main priorities identified by forcibly displaced people. It emphasised that humanitarians and development actors need to work hand in hand: emergency response needs to be accompanied by longer term and predictable funding as well as appropriate sector planning and capacity building to ensure uninterrupted education service delivery.

This nexus approach for education was further developed and expanded beyond forced displacement in the Communication on Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crisis published in May 2018. The new EU policy framework provides a broad definition for education in emergencies ranging from preparedness and response through to transition, covering any types of emergencies and crisis contexts, and including all levels of education. This vast scope requires the engagement of both humanitarian and development actors to ensure that effective short-term responses and longer-term, more systemic actions provide a holistic response. It also requires the recognition of the distinct mandate and role of humanitarian and development assistance and the understanding of how they can most effectively respond in a coordinated fashion to ensure safe and quality education. The EU has a number of funding instruments that can support education and, under the new policy, it has committed to use them all in a coordinated fashion, supported by shared analysis and joint planning and programming. In 2018 November, Member States of the European Union welcomed this approach in the Council Conclusions on education in emergencies and protected crises.

The implementation of a coordinated and complementary approach set out in EU policies has been gradually evolving in the past years. EU programming has seen increasing dialogue and consultation between humanitarian and development departments for the education response e.g. to the Syria crisis, in the Horn of Africa, or in Bangladesh. This has been the case also in response to international developments, such as the processes facilitated by Education Cannot Wait both at the global and country levels.

While progress has been considerable, it is necessary to look at current practices and best practices to further develop structured coordination at all levels. Furthermore, coordination, coherence and complementarity should also be strengthened with EU Member States and key education donors.

Author