EN This action is funded by the European Union ANNEX 1 of the Commission Implementing Decision on the annual action programme 2017 part 3 for the theme Human Development of the Global Public Goods and Challenges Program. Action Document for Education opportunities in fragile and crisis affected environments INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL GRANT APPLICANTS WORK PROGRAMME FOR GRANTS This document constitutes the work programme for grants in the sense of Article 128(1) of the Financial Regulation (Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012) in the following sections concerning calls for proposals: 5.4.1 1. Title/basic act/ CRIS number 2. Zone benefiting from the action/location 3. Programming document Education opportunities in fragile and crisis affected environments DCI-HUM/2017/40612 Financed under the Development Cooperation Instrument Global (countries affected by crisis) DCI - Multiannual Indicative Programme 2014-2017 of the Thematic Programme 'Global Public Goods and Challenges' 4. Sector of concentration/ thematic area GPGC Human Development / Education, Knowledge and Skills, component 3 Education opportunities in fragile contexts DEV. Aid: YES 5. Amounts concerned Total amount: EUR 11 000 000 from the general budget of the Union for 2017. Education Cannot Wait is a multi-donor pooled fund. Since its launch in May, 2016 at the World Humanitarian Summit, it has raised US$ 113 million including EUR 5 million from the European Commission 6. Aid modality and implementation modality Project Modality Indirect management with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) 7 a) DAC code(s) 11110: Education policy and administrative management; 11120: Education facilities and training; 11130: Teacher Training; 11182: Educational research 11220: primary education; 11231 basic life skills for youth; 11240: early childhood education; 11320: secondary education; b) Main Delivery Channel UNICEF 41122 [1]
8. Markers (from CRIS DAC form) 9. Global Public Goods and Challenges (GPGC) thematic flagships General policy objective Not targeted Significant objective Main objective Participation development/ x good governance Aid to environment x Gender equality (including x Women In Development) Trade Development x Reproductive, Maternal, New x born and child health RIO Convention markers Not targeted Significant objective Main objective Biological diversity x Combat desertification x Climate change mitigation x Climate change adaptation x N/A SUMMARY Countries suffering from complex and protracted crises are far away from meeting internationally agreed education targets. Education for children affected by crisis has gained a lot of momentum at global level during recent years. Children living in crisis affected environments are much more vulnerable to abuse, child labour, child trafficking for all forms of exploitation, child marriage, gender based violence and recruitment by armed groups while at the same time being deprived of learning and many other positive aspects of schooling. They are more likely to undertake perilous journeys looking for better opportunities. The lower the education level of those on the move, the higher the risks awaiting them along the migratory route. The education of 75 million children aged 3-18 years in crisis-affected countries is currently severely affected. Approximately half of them are out of school. Girls are 2.5 times more likely to be out of school than their male peers in crisis-affected contexts. Children that are in schools often don't learn. Children not only need to be in school, they also need to learn. Student achievement is inextricably linked to teacher quality, and one of the greatest challenges is to leverage the role of teachers in a crisis context. Offering these most disadvantaged children a way out of misery requires more than the usual education and schooling pattern, as all aspects of quality education need to be screened through the conflict lens. Safe learning environments are needed so that children are protected when going to school. This action is supported under the Global Public Goods and Challenges (GPGC) program, financed by the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI). The GPGC's Multi-annual Indicative Programme (2014-2017) prioritises "support to better education opportunities in situations of fragility, including conflict-affected and crisis areas". The Action delivers on the priorities of the EU Communication on Forced Displacement and Development which identifies education as a sector of focus for children affected by crises, including forced displacement. It also responds to the Joint Communication A Strategic Approach to Resilience in the EU's external action which puts greater emphasis on needs resulting from protracted crises and highlights education as part of the key dimensions of a resilience approach to migration and forced displacement. It also relates to the commitment to address the root [2]
causes and protection of children along the migratory routes enshrined in the Communication "The protection of children in migration 1 ". The 2015 Oslo Summit on Education for Development called for the creation of a joint global effort to mobilise collective action and significant funding for education in emergencies and protracted crises. As a result of this a new global platform 'Education Cannot Wait' (ECW) was established and launched at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in 2016. The European Commission announced its initial support to ECW at the Summit as part of the EU's commitments to the Agenda for Humanity and pledged EUR 5 million for the initial start-up phase of ECW. 2 Education Cannot Wait is part of the World Humanitarian Summit's Platform for Action, Commitments and Transformation (PACT) for which a monitoring mechanism has been put in place to update annually on progress, achievements and gaps. The current action is a continuation of the EU s support to ECW. May 2017 marked the first year anniversary of ECW. Since its launch, ECW is reaching nearly two million children who are struggling to stay in school in Syria, Yemen, Chad and Ethiopia. The fund s first round of multi-year grants brings together humanitarian and development partners in a groundbreaking way. Countries are being supported to get back on track, protecting progress already made, as well as returning to longer-term planning and system strengthening. All programs include a specific focus on girls, better protection of the most vulnerable, and improving teacher capacity and community engagement. The overall objective of the action is to generate greater shared political, financial and operational commitment to meet the educational needs of 75 million of children and young people 3 affected by crises by 2030, with a focus on a more agile, connected and faster response that spans the humanitarian development continuum in order to build sustainable education systems. Specific objective: Within the first 5 years of Education Cannot Wait, more than ten million crisisaffected girls, boys, and youth, including from marginalised groups, will have improved learning opportunities that contribute to improved outcomes, with all reached by 2030, in line with SDG4 Result 1.1 Continuity ECW-supported girls and boys have greater continuity in their education, resulting in higher transition and completion rates through the ECW grant period and beyond Result 1.2 Access In ECW supported areas and populations, more girls and boys are enrolled in school or other context-appropriate learning environments and regularly attend school Result 1.3 Quality ECW-supported girls and boys achieve improved learning outcomes appropriate to their education level, including for reading, math, social and emotional learning, and life skills. (This result will include a strong focus on teachers). Result 1.4 - Protection ECW-supported girls and boys receive safe, conflict- and disaster- sensitive education in line with existing and adopted standards in safe, gender- sensitive learning environments Result 1.5 National and global systems are strengthened by improving evidence generation, data disaggregation and increased delivery capacity 1 2 3 COM(2017)211 http://www.agendaforhumanity.org/annual-report/5545#3e "Children and young people" or "boys and girls" refer to the age group 3-18 years old [3]
Result 1.6 - Existing national and local actors in ECW-supported countries, including Local Education Groups, Clusters, refugee coordination groups, civil society, and national governments (where appropriate and applicable) jointly plan and coordinate for preparedness, response, and implementation Equity is a central principle to all ECW supported actions. Marginalised groups supported by ECW have access to safe, high-quality learning environments that are inclusive and meet the unique needs of marginalised groups. They include girls and young women, disabled children and youth, refugees and IDP s. Data for each of the results will be disaggregated accordingly. CONTEXT 1.1 Thematic area 1.1.1 Public Policy Assessment and EU Policy Framework Ever since the Dakar World Education Forum in 2000, there has been increased attention on how best to improve provision and quality of education for children living in conflict and protracted crisis environments. There is international consensus on the need for stronger global action on access to safe and quality education in protracted crises. The new United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development states that if the education needs of millions of children affected by crises are not addressed, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which calls to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, runs the risk of not being met. At the Oslo Summit on Education for Development (July 2015), senior representatives of international agencies, governments, and non-governmental organisations called for the establishment of a global Platform 'Education Cannot Wait' and made a commitment to address the disruption of education and to improve learning outcomes in countries experiencing emergencies and protracted crises. The Incheon Declaration-Education 2030 underlines that education is a public good and a fundamental human right but that crisis is a barrier to quality education. It commits UN member states to focus on the education needs of children, and youth in these contexts, including internally displaced persons and refugees and highlights the need for education to be delivered in safe, supportive and secure learning environments free from violence, including school related gender-based violence. 4 The World Humanitarian Summit (May 2016) generated global momentum and political will to move forward on the Agenda for Humanity, including education for displaced children and affected host communities. The EU's announced support to the global platform 'Education Cannot Wait', which was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit, is part of the EU's commitments that figures in the Summit's 'Platform for Action, Commitments and Transformation' (PACT). 5 A key outcome of the Summit was the Grand Bargain which established a global commitment to reform humanitarian efforts, an important step towards meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. Reforming the provision of education is crucial to restoring opportunity and dignity to those affected by crises. 4 5 Education 2030, Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action, page iv Commissioner Mimica pledged EUR 5 million at the World Humanitarian Summit to support the initial phase of Education Cannot Wait. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_ip-16-1847_en.htm [4]
The action is supported under the Global Public Goods and Challenges 6 program which prioritises better education opportunities in situations of fragility, including conflict-affected and crisis areas (2014-2017). The program aims at supporting evidence-based insights, and advice on policies and practices. This enables countries in fragile and crisis situations to achieve tangible improvements in education capacity and performance and provides increased support for the achievement of international commitments. The action is in line with a number of overarching EU policies that prioritise the protection and educational needs of children and youth affected by crises: - The Global Strategy on the EU's Foreign and Security Policy, identifies education as an essential means to address wider global challenges related to peace, stability and prosperity, to strengthen societal resilience, pluralism and coexistence. - The new Consensus for Development (2017) reaffirms the EU's commitment to education as key to address the needs of displaced people and their integration into wider development planning. The Consensus also prioritises the need to deliver humanitarian and development assistance in a coherent way. 7 - The Joint Communication A Strategic Approach to Resilience in the EU's external action 8 puts greater emphasis on needs resulting from protracted crises and highlights education as part of the key dimensions of a resilience approach to migration and forced displacement. - The Communication (2016) Lives in Dignity: from Aid-dependency to Self-Reliance Forced Displacement and Development highlights education as a sector of focus for children affected by crises, including forced displacement. 9 It also recognises that a comprehensive approach is needed to address educational needs in protracted crises, integrating humanitarian aid, development cooperation and political and strategic engagement with partners. This action responds to a number of measures proposed in the Communication such as encouraging host countries to use the potential of displaced teaching/education personnel, the use of technological advancements to make integration and learning easier and ensuring a greater continuity between education in emergencies and non-formal education and/or the public education services. - The action also contributes to the implementation of the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) 10 for 2016-2020, which aims at increasing the number of girls and women receiving quality education. This includes ensuring a safe environment compliant with child protection principles, free from sexual gender-based violence. The action also responds to the call from the European Parliament to prioritise education in emergency situations and protracted crises and to support the new Platform Education Cannot Wait. 11 6 7 8 9 9 11 https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/commision-implementing-decision-adopting-multiannual-indicativeprogramme-thematic-programme-global_en http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/05/19-european-consensus-ondevelopment/ https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/join_2017_21_f1_communication_from_commission _to_inst_en_v7_p1_916039.pdf Communication (2016): Lives in Dignity: from Aid-dependence to Self Reliance. Forced Displacement and Development. https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/joint-staff-working-document-gender-equality-and-womensempowerment-transforming-lives-girls-and_en Resolution 2015/2977 RSP http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getdoc.do?type=ta&language=en&reference=p8-ta-2015-0418 [5]
1.1.2 Stakeholder analysis The target groups are in the first place the people and communities affected by crises, including forced displacement. In order to increase sustainability, the target group will also include where possible national and sub-national education authorities. Ultimately, governments are responsible to ensure the provision of quality education in safe learning environments. The final beneficiaries of the action are children and youth who live in protracted crisis situations, including forcibly displaced people and who lack access to safe and quality education. Host communities are also be taken into account in order to promote cohesion and ease tensions with displaced communities. With a myriad of actors largely working independently to support education in crises, significant gaps can appear across and between existing coordination mechanisms. There is a need to plan and respond more collaboratively, with a particular emphasis on enabling humanitarian and development actors to work together on shared objectives. There is also a perceived lack of capacity to respond to crises, nationally and globally, including the ability to coordinate emergency support. One of ECW's priorities is to help bring together and support these actors to deliver a more ambitious, joined-up response in line with national policy and plans in emergency contexts and beyond. Direct beneficiaries therefore include national governments who are responsible for fulfilling the right to education within their borders. However, the extent to which national governments have sufficient capacity, resources, interest and influence varies widely across contexts. Domestic political will and resource mobilization are key, but in many emergencies and protracted crises there is a need for international action to support the education response. Direct beneficiaries 12 therefore also include at national level: Education clusters, refugee education coordination mechanisms, education in emergencies working groups, Local Education Groups (GPE), international and local NGOs, UN and other humanitarian and development agencies, civil society organizations and at global level: Global education cluster (led by UNICEF and Save the Children), UNHCR, the Inter-Agency Network on Education in Emergencies (INEE), GPE and UNESCO. 1.1.3 Priority areas for support/problem analysis The education of an estimated 75 million children and youth living in crisis situations is at risk. For the vast majority of them, education is at best interrupted and at worst never attained. Nearly half of them are out of school. Many others face problems that make learning impossible, such as overcrowded classrooms and sub-standard teaching. Many of these children and youth are forcibly displaced which is a particularly difficult challenge for education. A record 65.7 million people are currently exiled from their homes, over half of whom are aged 18 or younger. 13 When a child is displaced for longer than six months, there is a high probability they will remain displaced for at least three years. Only half of primary-school-aged refugees are in school and just a quarter is in secondary education. Crises are increasingly protracted in nature. At the end of 2014, UNHCR estimated that some 6.4 million refugees - i.e. 45% of all refugees - lived in protracted displacement situations (lasting five years or more), with an average duration of 17 years. Nearly 90% of the world's internally displaced people have lived in displacement for ten years or more. Over half of the world s forcibly displaced people are internally displaced. 12 13 This list is non-exhaustive and might include other direct beneficiaries depending on the context. http://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html [6]
Conflict is not the only challenge. Crises also include natural disasters. Nepal is struggling to rebuild an education infrastructure decimated by the 2014 earthquake; the Ebola crisis halted economic progress for a number of West African economies; and millions are at risk of food insecurity in Sub- Saharan Africa due droughts. When poor countries and vulnerable people are hit by floods, droughts and storms, reversals in education invariably follow. The demand for education in emergencies and protracted crises greatly outstrips the supply. In 2015, humanitarian response plans identified nearly 40 million children and youth in need of education. Education appeals targeted just 45 per cent of those in need and only 12 per cent were reached because of a lack of funding. Education is often not considered in donors response plans for emergencies. It is also not addressed in the national educational plans, which inform donor funding, for two thirds of the countries affected by crisis. The system needs not only more funding, it also needs longer term and more predictable funding. Financing for education will continue to be required as part of humanitarian responses, particularly to address short-term needs caused by natural disasters or other emergencies. However, the protracted nature of many crises means that governments and partners need to shift towards predictable multiyear financing to ensure that the humanitarian-development nexus and longer term needs can be met effectively. Collaboration is also essential so that education can be delivered at scale. It is essential to find better ways of working together that are based on the most robust evidence of what effectively delivers more and better quality learning opportunities to children and youth. Children not only need to be in school, they also need to learn. Student achievement is inextricably linked to teacher quality, but precisely one of the greatest challenges is to leverage the role of teachers in a crisis context. 14 15 Teachers in crisis situations face numerous challenges and despite their central role in ensuring quality of education they often are last in line for resources and support. 16 Many teachers working with children in crisis situations are volunteers and lack the necessary skills to teach students with different backgrounds and needs. In the Dadaab refugee camp in northern Kenya, for example, 90 percent of teachers are hired from the refugee community, but only 2 percent are qualified. 17 Voluntary teachers face the additional challenge of often not being considered within the government's education policies and not being on the government's payroll. Geographical focus ECW applies an annual crisis selection processes to determine the crises for which its different funding windows will solicit proposals. This is done in conjunction with annual fundraising cycles and takes its strategic priorities as a starting point. The baseline for the work of ECW has been calculated using data available in the countries affected by crises that figure on the 2015 Humanitarian Action for Children list. Due to the nature of crises this list of countries will continuously be updated. 18 ECW's focus is on education of children and youth in crisis contexts, including new emergencies and protracted crises caused by conflict, natural disasters, and disease outbreaks. All crises will be considered within ECW's overarching scope. ECW will prioritise forgotten crises (underfunded crises 14 15 16 17 18 Burde et al, 2015 Rice, 2003; Sanders & Rivers, 1996). INEE, 2010, Guidance Note on Teaching and Learning. UNESCO, 2014, p. 27 https://www.unicef.org/appeals/ [7]
with minimal political attention), marginalised groups (including IDPs and refugees), gender equality, and bridging the humanitarian / development gap in education. Countries / regions are prioritised and selected according to the following crisis selection criteria - Need: higher preference to crises with a greater need, both in terms of scale (e.g., large number and/or large proportion of children and youth affected), and in terms of vulnerability (e.g., more out-of-school children and youth), including in relation to child trafficking. - Gap in support: higher preference for crises that have less of their needs met, whether via other funding sources or via country government support (e.g., lower-income countries). - ECW added value: higher preference to crises where ECW is more likely to be able to make a difference (e.g., in-country actors that could particularly benefit from joint planning and facilitation support). - Alignment with ECW's strategic priorities: higher preference for crises that align with the strategic focus areas outlined in the strategy-setting process. Crises selected on an annual basis for EcW funding will also include countries from where children set of on dangerous journeys towards the EU. Detailed fund priorities and allocations will be set at the funding window level: - A First-response Window to funding initial time-critical interventions that can be implemented in less than a year to support safe, quality education as well as improve education planning. - A Multi-year Window to support longer-term education plans and transitional plans (of up to five years). - A Pop-up Window to allow donors to channel financial support to a specific country, region or issue, quickly and easily. 2 RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS Risks Political instability worsening insecurity due to on-going armed conflict and/or other insurgencies Poor co-ordination between development partners working on education in crisis contexts will result in duplication of effort Low capacity of government partners, civil society lowers effectiveness, efficiency, relevance etc. Risk level (H/M/L) high Mitigating measures Robust monitoring of the situation (UN security systems) so that decisions may be taken swiftly in view of any changes. The interventions need to be flexible enough to react to rapidly shifting country contexts. medium ECW prioritises coordination between key players such as national and sub-national education authorities, GPE and Local Education Groups, Global and National Education Clusters, UN agencies, other implementing partners and EU bilateral programmes. high Implementing partners will be required to ensure technical support across the programme (from HQ, from Regional Offices, between countries, from external technical partners). ECW will [8]
Review process to identify a permanent host for the fund is not successful and/or delayed. Assumptions medium also provide technical assistance and support to implementing partners. Transfer to a permanent host will be delayed and criteria for selecting a permanent host be reviewed. UNICEF continues to host ECW on a temporary basis until a permanent host is being identified. Access to crisis affected areas is ensured and the level of security allows the action to be implemented Implementing partners, including civil society organisations, will be given space to operate at the community level or in refugee/idp settings, to undertake innovative actions and to monitor and evaluate the work. ECW applies an accreditation process to ensure that implementing partners will have the ability and capacity to operate and monitor projects. The EU is a member of ECW's High Level Steering Group and Executive Committee which ensures regular dialogue between ECW and the EU. As part of the risk mitigation strategy ECW will apply a risk management framework to identify, escalate, mitigate and manage various risk types. ECW also applies a risk measurement tool which allows comparing risk profiles across grants, aggregate results across the portfolio and informing changes. A due diligence policy is applied for grantees and non-traditional contributors to ECW. 3 LESSONS LEARNT, COMPLEMENTARITY AND CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES 3.1 Lessons learnt Education in emergencies and protracted crises There is good evidence on how education has a positive impact on the lives of children living in crisis environments. Evidence shows that education is highly prioritised by crisis-affected communities, that it can save lives and futures and that education equity is a factor in reducing violence and promoting peace. 19 Overall there is less evidence on what works in practice to ensure access to quality basic education in fragile and protracted crisis environments. More robust data and evidence is needed on the effects of quality education including teacher-focussed interventions to increase access and quality of education. Lessons learnt from the EU's response to the Syria crisis show that, where possible, parallel systems should be avoided, and that actors providing education responses should cooperate if possible with government structures. Ultimately, it is the government that is responsible to ensure the provision of quality education in safe learning environments. Organisations should aim at strengthening existing education systems in conflict-affected settings or in refugee-receiving countries, so that available 19 Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council (2014): Hear it from the Children. A study on the role of education for conflict-affected communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia (financed by the European Commission) [9]
systems can absorb larger numbers of students who have unique needs resulting from their experiences. However, where governments hosting large number of refugees and/or IDPs are reluctant or unable to improve education opportunities and support teachers, or where crises affect multiple neighbouring countries, it may also be necessary to establish new alternative and/or accelerated education programs. The latter often faces problems regarding sustainability, accreditation and quality, all challenges which need to be taken into account. ECW initial investments In 2017, ECW started funding access to quality education for an estimated two million vulnerable children in Syria, Yemen, Chad and Ethiopia. The fund s first round of multi-year grants brings together humanitarian and development partners in a ground-breaking way with the aim of getting countries back on track, protecting progress already made, as well as returning to longer-term planning and education system strengthening. The experience with this first round of investments so far demonstrates that: - It is beneficial to bring together different stakeholders to develop efficient education responses. This leads to programs that are better aligned with ECW objectives and principles. The ECW's initial investments, for example, brought together conflicting sides in Yemen, international humanitarian and development partners in Syria, and education and refugee authorities in Ethiopia. - ECW needs to continue to build on existing structures, where possible, for program formulation, particularly education sector groups and other significant actors in coordination. - ECW facilitation support during the program development process at national level is instrumental in bringing stakeholders together, pushing for new thinking, setting joint priorities, and in helping partners understand what ECW is trying to achieve. - There is strong potential for ECW to promote the humanitarian and development continuum efforts by fostering or reinforcing partnerships, even in complex environments. It will be crucial for ECW programs to monitor and measure how collaboration is sustained during investments and, even more so, the actual impact that improved coordination and collaboration has on children's and young people s access to education and learning. - ECW can play a role in bridging humanitarian and development interventions through financing. In Chad, the ECW initial investment provides a financing bridge between now and the start of the next GPE program. Such financial bridging is very important in sustaining the education gains made thus far in countries. - In future multi-year investments, there is a clear opportunity for ECW programs to also have added value through reinforcing the humanitarian-development continuum at the policy level. ECW could for example encourage programs to include engagement with local education authorities around integrating refugees and IDPs into Education Sector Plans and strengthening disaster preparedness in Education Sector Plans. Furthermore, ECW is undertaking a critical analysis of its first series of projects to strengthen future planning, response and coordination. In-depth case studies are underway in Chad, Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia, and in four other countries, to document existing practices, challenges and gaps. Transferable lessons from these studies will help develop harmonised tools to improve preparedness, response and coordination of education in crisis situations. The Global Education Cluster, Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies and the United Nations Refugee Agency, jointly lead this analysis. 3.2 Complementarity, synergy and donor coordination ECW is set to improve a fragmented system and fill in gaps in planning, capacity and coordination. [10]
The fund focuses on creating a bridge between humanitarian and development silos to protect existing investments and rebuild for the future. At the onset of an emergency, the fund supports immediate action. It assesses where children and youth are, and supports the development of an immediate education strategy and a delivery plan. In the direct aftermath of a crisis, funding is provided and children and young people have the opportunity to learn in safe spaces. After the immediate crisis has passed, the fund aims at bridging the divide between humanitarian and development efforts with longer-term plans to finance and deliver education and strengthen systems. By supporting 'Education Cannot Wait' the EU helps promote crisis-specific assessments and comprehensive sector-wide plans in order to link immediate and system- strengthening interventions, direct service delivery and government support, improving incentives and linking with existing actors. Rather than bringing in new systems, ECW focuses on improving the performance of existing coordination mechanisms and providing opportunities for greater benefits from and commitments to shared planning. The EU's participation in ECW High Level Steering Group and Executive Committee will help ensure ECW s complementarity and synergies with other EU services and funding instruments such as: - DG DEVCO's bilateral aid to support education in fragile and conflict-affected states and DG NEAR's support to education in response to the Syria crisis. Complementarity will also be sought with education interventions financed under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. - DG ECHO has increasingly prioritised education in its emergency responses and has in 2017 committed 6% of its budget for education in emergencies. ECHO funds short-term education projects for children, providing them with access to schools where they can learn in a safe environment and receive psychological support to deal with their traumatic experiences. - The EU Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace support for education in crisis affected environments. This instrument finances, as part of its prevention component, crisis-sensitive education planning in a number of countries affected by crisis (UNESCO/IIEP). In addition, ECW will ensure complementarity and synergies with the following actors: The Global Partnership for Education, which is the leading platform supporting developing countries in designing, funding, implementing and evaluating national education sector plans. This action will continue to be coordinated with GPE s priorities at national and global level. The Global Education Cluster,-led jointly by UNICEF and Save the Children and the Global Cluster on Refugees, led by UNHCR. At the global level the cluster system aims to strengthen system-wide preparedness and the coordination of the technical capacity needed to respond to humanitarian emergencies. Country-level Education and Refugee clusters are activated and de-activated based on needs and the stage of emergency. ECW is already closely coordinating its actions with existing priorities and plans of countrylevel clusters. Both the Global Education Cluster and UNHCR are currently working together (financed by ECW) to better coordinate and plan education interventions for forcibly displaced people. Work is currently underway, under the Education Financing Commission, to establish an International Financing Facility for Education, which will bring together public and private donors, alongside international financial institutions such as the World Bank and regional development banks, to raise additional financing for education and ensure it is used more [11]
effectively so that children actually learn. ECW is participating closely in discussions on this initiative to ensure a coordinated approach. Other education donor agencies, both bilateral and multi-lateral. 3.3 Cross-cutting issues Equity: Marginalised groups supported by ECW have access to safe, inclusive, high-quality learning environments that meet their unique needs. The marginalised groups of focus are: girls and young women, disabled children and youth, refugees, child victims of trafficking and IDP s. The equity perspective uses data to ensure the most at-risk and marginalised families, including disabled children and ethnic minorities, are targeted in programmes. These dimensions include economic status, gender, social status, education, physical ability, and risk factors for violence. ECW will apply data to ensure that equity is being taken into account during implementation across its 4 expected results. Use of digital technologies and services: e-education platforms are proven to be efficient tools to provide quality education, can be deployed in crisis areas and can assure the inclusiveness. Digital skills have become a prerequisite for the economic integration on the labour market. Rights-based approach: By prioritising access to quality education, the action promotes the rights of every child to a good education, consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is based on the Sustainable Development Goals and situated within lifecycle and lifelong learning approaches, addressing both the right to education and rights within education. Conflict sensitivity: ECW's grant making will adopt a conflict sensitive approach and take into account the International Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Standards for Conflict Sensitive Education with the purpose of reducing conflict and doing no harm. Gender/girls education: Girls face particular challenges in crisis environments, both in access and in learning, which is why ECW will specifically target girls. Indicators in ECW's results framework will be disaggregated by gender to allow for gender sensitive monitoring. 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION 4.1 Objectives/results 20 Overall objective: to generate greater shared political, financial and operational commitment to meet the educational needs of 75 million of children and young people affected by crises by 2030, with a focus on a more agile, connected and faster response that spans the humanitarian development continuum in order to build sustainable education systems. Specific objective: Within the first five years of Education Cannot Wait, more than ten million crisisaffected girls, boys, and youth, including from marginalised groups, will have improved learning opportunities that contribute to improved outcomes, with all reached by 2030, in line with SDG 4. Result 1.1 Continuity ECW-supported girls and boys have greater continuity in their education, resulting in higher transition and completion rates through the ECW grant period and beyond 20 The overall objective, specific objective and results are the ones from Education cannot Wait to which this Action contributes. This action will in the first place contribute to the specific objective of the fund. [12]
Result 1.2 Access In ECW supported areas and populations, more girls and boys are enrolled in school or other context-appropriate learning environments and regularly attend school Result 1.3 Quality ECW-supported girls and boys achieve improved learning outcomes appropriate to their education level, including for reading, math, social and emotional learning, and life skills (This result will include a strong focus on teachers). Result 1.4 - Protection ECW-supported girls and boys receive safe, conflict- and disaster- sensitive education in line with existing and adopted standards in safe, gender- sensitive learning environments Result 1.5 National and global systems are strengthened by improving evidence generation, data disaggregation and increased delivery Result 1.6 - Existing national and local actors in ECW-supported countries, including Local Education Groups, clusters, refugee coordination groups, civil society, and national governments (where appropriate and applicable) jointly plan and coordinate for preparedness, response and implementation 4.2 Main activities The action will focus on supporting the implementation of ECW's Strategic Results Framework. A particular focus will be given to quality of education, including support for teachers and school leadership. ECW's Strategic Results Framework builds, where possible, on ongoing programs and existing pilot experiences and good practices pioneered by local actors, including civil society and local authorities. Activities can target several education options in crisis environments: formal and non-formal education, both primary and secondary, early childhood development and accelerated learning programmes for youth who have missed several years of education. The action may include the following activities (non-exhaustive list): Political advocacy to strengthen the commitment by governments, donors, and humanitarian and development actors to increase proportion of crisis-affected children and youth, including girls, young women, disabled people, refugees, child victims of trafficking, IDPs, and other minorities (according to context) receiving a quality education Elaboration and implementation of a fundraising strategy to support its platform and to allow for the disbursement of additional grants to support education in emergencies and protracted crisis (coordination of fundraising campaigns with GPE, IFFEd and other relevant actors to ensure coherent messaging of complementarity) Grant making through the Breakthrough Fund, representing 95% of ECW s overall investments: o Grant making through first response window designed to incentivise inclusion of education in humanitarian appeals; o Financing of multi-year proposals in consultation with relevant coordination mechanisms to enhance joint planning and coordination; o Support to specific programs designed to reach the most marginalised (e.g., life skills training that includes gender-based violence prevention/response, including trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and sexual and reproductive health and rights, targeted incentives to female learners), as well as civil society implementers often best equipped to reach them o Support to programs that expand access to education for girls and boys (e.g., by repairing learning environments, recruiting more male and female teachers); [13]
o Supporting grantees to enhance the quality of education provided (e.g., support to teachers, teacher training, inclusion of human rights in curricula) o Ensures grants are made to programs providing quality education (vs. access alone) o Funding programs that enhance safety and security of educational environments (e.g., schools have adequate WASH facilities for girls and boys, school evacuation drills in earthquake-prone areas) Grant making through the Acceleration facility (representing 5% of ECW s investments) directed at catalytic investments in global and regional education aid architecture: o Global goods developed through acceleration facility grants improve sexdisaggregated local data platforms and systems to monitor country-level progress and enhance accountability o Investment in global or regional coordination bodies (e.g. Education Cluster), data platforms, and evidence generation 4.3 Intervention logic The Education Cannot Wait fund allows the global community to respond with high quality learning opportunities for children and youth in emergencies and protracted crisis. The funds raised will supplement funds already dedicated to education. The country, regional and global work of the fund will help coordinate and contribute to efforts already underway to provide learning opportunities in emergencies. The Education Cannot Wait fund will drive change in five key areas that currently prevent or limit response in emergencies and protracted crises: Inspire political commitment so that education is viewed by governments and funders as a top priority during crises; Plan and respond collaboratively to meet education needs with a particular emphasis on enabling humanitarian and development actors to work together on shared objectives; Generate and disburse additional education funding to close the US$8.5 billion funding gap needed to ensure access to quality education for the 75 million children and youth currently affected by crises; Through investment in the global education cluster, strengthen capacity to respond to national and local crises, improve the ability to coordinate activities and deliver learning in the hardest to reach areas; Improve accountability in the humanitarian and development systems responding to education needs by sharing knowledge and collecting more robust data in order to make better-informed investment decisions; The Fund provides immediate and medium-term financing for quality education in safe learning environments to children youth affected by emergencies and protracted crises and will in particular: Complement humanitarian appeals so that more children and youth can be reached Pilot and scale up innovative financing mechanisms Create opportunities for new donors to invest in global, regional and country initiatives, which will benefit more children Improve the cost effectiveness of education interventions through better collection and use of data and evidence Incentivise investment in preparedness and risk-informed approaches to help mitigate the impact of crises Encourage governments and agencies to think beyond immediate needs and to coordinate efforts so that education systems can be built back and become more resilient. Improve political advocacy efforts so education becomes a priority in emergencies and protracted crises [14]
Bring in fresh ideas to address educational needs in emergencies and protracted crises The Acceleration Facility (5%) will provide catalytic support grants to global and regional players so they can improve the effectiveness, the cost-effectiveness and scale of existing approaches to education in emergencies. The Breakthrough Fund (95%) will support country-level initiatives undertaken by governments and implementing partners and include: A first-response mechanism focused on returning children and youth to education. The mechanism funds safe learning spaces, teaching and learning materials, innovative delivery models and psychosocial support. It also invests in improving planning for short- and medium-term needs. A multi-year window that supports long-term plans and the provision of learning opportunities and consolidates existing humanitarian and education sector plans, facilitating a coherent, coordinated approach. A pop-up facility that enables non-traditional donors such as the private sector and philanthropists to quickly and easily channel financial support to a specific country, region or part of a country s national plan, without cumbersome procedures that often hinder timely support for education in emergencies. All actions financed under these windows will be coordinated across windows, so that a stronger humanitarian-development nexus in education interventions can be build. A lean governance structure contributes to operational efficiency. A High-Level Steering Group and Executive Committee both include a cross-section of senior representatives of organisations from different sectors provides leadership, cutting-edge thinking and a spirit of collaboration. The European Commission is member of both bodies. A small secretariat administers the fund and is temporarily based at UNICEF until a permanent hosting arrangement is established. To deliver value for money, ECW will measure success through indicators that reflect its goal of improving the scale, efficiency and effectiveness of education responses in emergencies and protracted crises. Regular monitoring and evaluation will enable the fund to share knowledge and to learn from examples. 5 IMPLEMENTATION The envisaged implementation arrangement is indirect management with an International Organization, i.e. UNICEF. 5.1 Financing agreement In order to implement this action, it is not foreseen to conclude a financing agreement with the partner country, referred to in Article 184(2)(b) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 5.2 Indicative implementation period The indicative operational implementation period of this action, during which the activities described in section 4.1 will be carried out and the corresponding contracts and agreements implemented, is 84 months from the date of adoption by the Commission of this Action Document. Extensions of the implementation period may be agreed by the Commission s authorising officer responsible by amending this decision and the relevant contracts and agreements; such amendments to this decision constitute technical amendments in the sense of point (i) of Article 2(3)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 236/2014. [15]
5.3 Implementation modalities 5.3.1.1 Indirect management with an international organisation This action will be implemented in indirect management with UNICEF (and/or other pillar assessed organisations implementing the fund) in accordance with Article 58(1)(c) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. The implementation of the Action entails support to the Education Cannot Wait A Fund for Education in Emergencies. The implementation is justified because the action involves a contribution to a multi-donor trust fund that will be managed by UNICEF. Until a permanent host for the Platform is identified, UNICEF will act as temporary host. This implementation is justified because UNICEF has a track record of hosting partnership programmes and secretariats, each with separate identities and governance arrangements, which work on behalf of children for the realisation of their rights. UNICEF provides a temporary home for the Secretariat and acts as Fund Custodian for the Platform s initial period. Its mandate, its close working relationship with other UN agencies and the Global Partnership for Education and its ability to attract financing from the broadest range of donors and to disburse to a wide range of recipients at the global, regional and country level allows the Platform to mobilise quickly. The entrusted entity carries out the following budget-implementation tasks: launching procurement and grant award procedures, taking reject- and award decisions and managing contracts (making payments, accepting or rejecting deliverables, enforcing the contract, carrying out checks and controls). The operational and legal framework of the multi-donor trust fund is currently being negotiated between the donors and UNICEF. The Commission will ensure that the entities receiving funds in direct and/or indirect management and providing financing to third parties in the context of this action will ensure compliance with EU restrictive measures affecting the respective countries of operation. 5.4 Scope of geographical eligibility for procurement and grants The geographical eligibility in terms of place of establishment for participating in procurement and grant award procedures and in terms of origin of supplies purchased as established in the basic act and set out in the relevant contractual documents shall apply subject to the following provisions. The Commission s authorising officer responsible may extend the geographical eligibility in accordance with Article 9(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 236/2014 on the basis of urgency or of unavailability of products and services in the markets of the countries concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where the eligibility rules would make the realization of this action impossible or exceedingly difficult. 5.5 Indicative budget 1 - Specific Objective: Within the first 5 years of Education Cannot Wait, more than ten million crisis-affected girls, boys, and youth, including from marginalised groups, will have improved learning opportunities that contribute to improved outcomes. EU contribution (amount in EUR) Indicative third party contribution, in currency identified [16]