Strengthening the Education in Emergencies workforce - harmonization, collaboration and innovation

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session (English)

Proposal

One in five of the world’s school-aged children and youth – nearly half a billion – live in countries affected by crises (UNESCO UIS, 2018). For the vast majority of these young people, education is interrupted or never attained. Over 62.5 million children in 32 countries affected by crisis are out of school, and many of those who are in school are not safe and not learning (UNESCO UIS, 2016). Girls and young people with disabilities are particularly disadvantaged, with girls being 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than boys in countries affected by conflict (ODI, 2016). Today’s crises are long and protracted, resulting in extensive periods of displacement and disruption; subsequently, refugees are five times less likely to attend school than other children and youth. Moreover, conflicts around the world, education institutions are targeted for attack , putting schools, universities, students, and teachers at risk of attack by opposing forces.

As the world faces increasingly complex and protracted crises, the number of children and youth whose right to education is at risk continues to grow. As a result, there is a widely recognized need to strengthen the Education in Emergencies workforce (both in number and skill set) to meet the educational needs of the rising numbers of children affected by crisis.

For more than two decades, the EiE field has grown exponentially, as is evidenced by the increasing number of actors working in the field and the tools and resources available to support EiE policy and practice. However, recent studies clearly demonstrate a great need for capacity development for both education professionals in the EiE field, and the governments and non-state local actors with whom they are working (INEE, 2016; ODI, 2017; UNICEF, forthcoming). EiE practitioners often have varied professional backgrounds and levels of technical expertise related to EiE, conflict, crisis preparedness or prevention. Recent studies (INEE, 2016; ODI, 2018, UNICEF forthcoming) pose key questions for the sector as we seek to overcome this capacity gap:

- How can we work together as a sector to increase the quality and consistency of capacity development opportunities?

- How can we ensure capacity development opportunities reach those who need them most, particularly at the national and field level? What role can technology play?

- How can we ensure a stronger connection between professional development and career pathways for EIE practitioners?

- What is the relationship between staff retention, staff well-being and the professionalization of the workforce?

- How can we build the evidence base to more effectively support capacity strengthening efforts in Education in Emergencies?

The Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) defines capacity strengthening as: ‘the strengthening of knowledge, ability, skills and behavior to help people and organizations achieve their goals’ and explicitly identifies the network-wide priority to strengthen capacities as part of the 2018-2023 strategic framework. This panel will bring together members from across the network to share evidence from efforts underway to address the capacity development challenge. The panel will also be an opportunity to share a new inter-agency professional development framework for EiE practitioners.

Harmonization, collaboration and innovation will all be essential if we are to adequately strengthen sector capacity to deliver quality, safe, relevant, and equitable education for the increasing number of children and youth caught up in conflict and crises.

Sub Unit

• Education, Conflict, and Emergencies SIG

Chair

• Natalie Brackett, International Network for Education in Emergencies

Individual Presentations

• An E-learning approach to capacity building: UNICEF’s Education in Emergencies E-learning Course - Aisling Falconer, UNICEF

• Findings from Save the Children’s EiE Professional Development Programme - Arlo Kitchingman, Save the Children - UK

• The case for Higher Education in Emergencies - Barbara Barbara Moser-Mercer, The University of Geneva

• An inter-agency competency framework for EiE professionals - Charlotte Bergin, Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies