Education Cannot Wait Announces US$2.1 Million First Emergency Response Grant in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo; Total ECW Funding Now Tops US$35 Million

With rebel group activity triggering a rise in violence and internal displacement, the fast-acting 12-month grant delivered by UNICEF will provide crisis-impacted children with the safety and opportunity of a quality education

NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With a rise in conflicts caused by rebel groups in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, millions of people have been displaced since the beginning of the year, and children face dangerous risks of attacks, child marriage, recruitment into armed groups and other grave violations of their rights.

In response to these challenges, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and its strategic donor partners announced today a US$2.1 Million First Emergency Response grant that will reach approximately 19,000 students in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The fast-acting ECW grant will be delivered by UNICEF along with local partners and builds on ECW's US$33 million in funding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has already reached close to 120,000 children and adolescents.

The current wave of violence has reached a fever pitch, increasing humanitarian needs across a region that has dealt with chronic conflicts and insecurity for over two decades. Recent analysis from the Education Cluster indicates that approximately 680,000 children require urgent support, with a total education funding appeal of US$39 million.

"As we head into the Summit of the Future and the UN General Assembly, we must highlight forgotten crises in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo. World leaders must urgently step-up funding to provide these children with the life-saving opportunity that only a quality education can provide. Girls are being raped and forced into marriage, boys are being recruited into armed groups, schools are under attack. These grave violations and unbearable injustice and human suffering are absolutely unacceptable. These are innocent children who have lost all and continue to be denied their right to quality education. Together, we must urgently mobilize additional resources to address this forgotten crisis and make good on the commitments outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations.

In the North and South Kivu Province, over 413,000 school-aged children, and an estimated 60,000 children with disabilities, are affected by the compounding impacts of armed conflict, forced displacement and climate shocks. Many are on the move and living in internal displacement sites with limited hygiene facilities.

The conflict is severely impacting the education system. There are incidents of armed attacks against schools and over 800 schools are closed or damaged by conflict and climate shocks. Across the country, nearly 7 million children are out of school, and half of girls aged 5 to 17 do not go to school at all, according to UNICEF.

"This ECW grant will allow children, both girls and boys, to return to school, make up for learning losses and benefit from quality education in a safe, protective and inclusive environment, in the midst of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in east Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been devastating for education," said Grant Leaity, UNICEF Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The 12-month investment seeks to improve equitable access to education for children and adolescents, strengthen the safeguarding, protection and well-being of children, enhance vocational training for adolescents, improve quality of learning outcomes, and strengthen coordination among partners.

Since its inception in 2016, Education Cannot Wait has already mobilized more than US$1.6 billion toward the ECW trust fund. To reach the goals outlined in the Fund's three-year strategic plan, ECW and global strategic partners are calling for an additional US$600 million in urgent support. With these new resources, ECW can expand its investments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and across crisis-impacted countries worldwide to reach 20 million girls and boys with the safety, empowerment and opportunity that only a quality education can provide.

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