Canada today announced a financial contribution of 120 million Canadian dollars (US$ 98 million) to the Global Partnership for Education toward the 2015-2018 replenishment period, doubling Canada’s previous contribution on an annual basis. The announcement was made by Christian Paradis, Canada’s Minister of International Development and La Francophonie at the margins of the World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, DC.
The Government of Canada is concerned about the low level of financing available for education in crisis or humanitarian contexts and looks forward to building on the strength of the Global Partnership’s existing efforts. More than half of the Global Partnership’s financing to countries in 2014 went to fragile and conflict-affected countries. Minister Paradis also announced 10 million Canadian dollars (US$8 million) for UNICEF, a close partner of the Global Partnership for Education, to support education and child protection in humanitarian situations around the world.
"Canada’s contribution will help girls and boys in developing countries access high quality education and move out of poverty to build secure and prosperous futures,” said the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie. "This is particularly critical for children living in countries experiencing conflict or humanitarian crisis.”
“We are delighted with Canada’s contribution and congratulate Minister Paradis for his leadership on education. We look forward to working with him and the Government of Canada over the months ahead as we collaborate with partners to address the acute lack of financing for education in emergencies,” said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education. “Canada has been a long-time supporter of the Global Partnership, and we are grateful for this additional support that is crucial to improve education for millions of children in the world,” Albright added.
Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, co-founder of the Malala Fund and GPE champion said: "Today's commitment from Canada is an important contribution to the realization of the hopes and dreams of millions of young people who are our future scientists, doctors, teachers and leaders. It will support young people around the world in their fight to gain a good quality education and, in doing so, become powerful forces for change in their communities and our world.
“I thank Minister Paradis and the Canadian Government for this commitment and, in this crucial year for education, I call on other governments to consider how they can support more young people to get the education they hope for and deserve. More commitments and contributions are needed if we are to realize a world where all young people - including girls who often miss out the most - are able to access 12 years of quality education for free,” Malala added.
The Global Partnership for Education raised US$28.5 billion at the launch of its 2015-2018 replenishment campaign in June, 2014. Developing countries pledged an increase of US$26 billion in education spending over the four-year period while donor countries pledged US$2.1 billion for the GPE Fund.
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The Global Partnership for Education is made up of 60 developing country governments, as well as donor governments, civil society/non-governmental organizations, teacher organizations, international organizations, and the private sector and foundations, whose joint mission is to galvanize and coordinate a global effort to provide a good quality education to children, prioritizing the poorest and most vulnerable. The Global Partnership for Education has allocated US$4.3 billion over the past decade to support education reforms in some of the world's poorest countries. Almost half of its funding in 2014 went to fragile and conflict-affected countries.