NEW YORK, May 14 (IPS) – The above remarks by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle remind us that we still have a long way to go in educating ourselves. In doing so, we will naturally ensure that younger generations have access to inclusive quality education and use their knowledge to build a world of justice, equity, peace and security.
However, as brutal atrocities and horrific conflicts continue to spread across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, plus 50 other devastating conflicts ongoing around the world, we cannot be completely honest in saying that we are working hard. . It is also disingenuous to claim that since the promulgation of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco we have created a world based on human rights, peace and security.
On the contrary, the gulf between the rule of law and today’s evil reality will only grow wider. In this dark abyss, millions of vulnerable and innocent children and young people are praying for humanity and calling for respect for their inherent human rights, starting with the fundamental right to receive an inclusive quality education in a protective learning environment.
We have created a divided, painful world reminiscent of bloody battlefields. A world in ruins with a disregard for human life and the planet itself. One can’t help but ask the question: Does it really matter if we lose our humanity as technology advances? Or, as Martin Luther King said: “Our scientific powers have outstripped our spiritual powers. We have missiles and misguided men.
As a result, more than 226 million children and adolescents currently living on these battlefields lack access to quality education, and many of them have also lost mothers, fathers, siblings, limbs, homes and futures. It’s quite amazing how destructive thoughts can be in the absence of emotional intelligence or spiritual education.
Schools, teachers and students are deliberately and brazenly targeted, young girls are silenced and pushed into the shadows, and girls and boys alike become victims of war and the systematic violation of their inherent human rights. It’s been going on for so long and now the abnormal is quickly becoming normal. This cannot go on.
When will we respond to the universal collective commitments outlined in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals? When will we realize every child’s right to an education in a safe learning environment?
This day will come only when we begin to educate our hearts and minds.
An educated heart cannot turn a blind eye to the ruthless destruction of human life or nature. An educated heart takes action to prevent growing inequality in the world. An educated heart cannot bear to ignore the right of 226 million children to quality education. According to Educo, a strategic partner of Education Cannot Wait, humanitarian appeals for education needs have increased dramatically over the past decade by more than sevenfold, from $517 million to $3.785 billion, while donations have only increased fourfold during the same period, From US$190 million to US$805 million.
This gap is daunting and the consequences for children caught in emergencies and protracted crises will be devastating. In fact, a widening funding gap will have dangerous consequences for the world. According to Educo’s analysis, “88% of countries and regions in humanitarian crises face significant or fundamental challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG4) in education.”
In forgotten crises such as Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Chad, Lebanon, Yemen and others, we have instead contributed to generational gaps and vicious cycles of violence, poverty, forced displacement and further inequality.
There are also significant gaps between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In OECD countries, annual primary and secondary education expenditure per student accounts for approximately 7% of GDP. In some countries, such as Luxembourg, the cost per student per year is as high as $25,000.
On the other hand, according to the International Monetary Fund: “In sub-Saharan Africa, the median education budget in 2020 was about 3.5% of GDP – below the international recommendation of at least 4% of GDP. The IMF recently Analysis shows that achieving the key sustainable development goal of universal primary and secondary enrollment by 2030 may require doubling education spending as a share of GDP, including spending from public and private sources.
An educated heart cannot accept these numbers and leave millions of young lives and their future potential behind. The resources exist. Referring to the above quote from Martin Luther King, the question is how we choose to use these resources. We can continue on a path of destruction, or we can adopt a more constructive and responsible approach.
By bringing together the resources of the public and private sectors, we have the opportunity to educate the hearts and minds of an entire generation. It is possible for this generation to establish human rights, peace and security for all, while creating a world based on shared values based on the rule of law rather than rule by force.
In this month’s executive interview with Tribe Impact Capital LLP co-founder and chief impact officer Amy Clarke, we explore a promising new model for connecting private sector capital to sustainable outcomes, the environment and building a better world stand up. Amy Clarke, in partnership with Education Cannot Wait, said: “ECW works tirelessly to meet the immediate educational needs of these children, so we must also forge a path to equity, justice and equity The road ahead. So Tribe Impact Capital LLP is one of our private sector partners who is leading the charge to show us that this is indeed possible.
It has been said that the longest journey we can take is the one between the head and the heart. At this moment, when the world is in utter devastation, when nearly 250 million children and teachers have lost limbs, lives and hope under the rubble of targeted schools, it is time for all of us to set sail.
Yasmin Sharif Education Cannot Wait (ECW) Executive Director
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
