After several exchanges with those in the European Parliament responsible for drafting the report, we welcome the specific reference it makes on the situation of girls, recognising the fact that they are the ones most affected by specific challenges when it comes to education. Ranging from the fact that girls are particularly at risk of missing out on education in conflict situation, to the need to ensure a comprehensive approach to sex education in order to improve girls’ access to education. But more than just highlighting these challenges, this report is primarily calling for the need to guarantee funding needed to ensure the fundamental right to education is realised for all children.
this report is primarily calling for the need to guarantee funding needed to ensure the fundamental right to education is realised for all children
We strongly support the specific targets the report proposes to the European Union and its Member States to invest in education. For example, it urges the EU “to devote 10% of their official development aid (ODA) to education by 2024, and 15% by 2030” with half of these amounts dedicated to basic education. With regards to girls in particular, it calls on the EU to “promote inclusive, quality education, in order to remove barriers to girls’ access to, participation in and completion of education”, and “recalls the objective that 85% of new EU programmes should have gender equality as their primary objective or as a significant objective”.
Most importantly, these targets should be included in the next EU budget so as to ensure that over the next seven years, education is no longer left behind and progress is made in achieving SDG 4.
Interesting read Plan International position paper on ‘The Rights to Inclusive, Quality Education’ (Oct, 2017).
