BY DAYO ADESULU
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) welcomed a 333-million-euro pledge towards its ‘Raise Your Hand’ financing campaign announced today by President Emmanuel Macron at the Generation Equality Forum in Paris.
“Girls’ education is absolutely fundamental. It is both the heart and the driver of equality between women and men. It is through education that we drive progress on health, nutrition, violence against women, teenage pregnancy and child marriage. It is through education that we can create the right conditions for economic and social integration and citizen participation,” said President Macron. “This is why I am continuing our significant engagement towards the Global Partnership for Education, with a EUR333 million pledge for the next five years, with half of this contribution directly supporting girls’ education. “
An essential partner and leader on global education efforts, France hosted GPE’s previous financing campaign in 2018 together with Senegal. France’s leadership also saw the opening of GPE’s European headquarters in Paris in 2019.
“Investing in education – especially for girls – is the most effective way to drive progress on gender equality, which has been severely set back by COVID-19. France’s contribution to the ‘Raise Your Hand’ campaign demonstrates its leading role in support of global education efforts, reaffirming its commitment to GPE and to the education of millions of vulnerable children around the world,” said Alice Albright, GPE Chief Executive Officer, speaking at the Forum alongside President Macron.
The “Raise Your Hand” fundraising campaign comes at a critical time for education globally, as COVID-19 threatens to push 20 million girls out of school permanently and turn back decades of progress on getting children into school and learning.
The campaign aims to raise at least $5 billion to transform education for the most vulnerable children in nearly 90 low-income countries and territories. The campaign will conclude at the Global Education Summit in London on July 28-29, co-hosted by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta.
By ensuring a fully funded GPE, the summit is a unique opportunity for world leaders to get 88 million more children in school and enable 175 million girls and boys to learn.
