MARKHAM, Ontario, Sept. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To mark September 9, International Day to Protect Education from Attack, Children Believe is calling on Canada to continue to step up and prioritize the education of the world’s most vulnerable children by providing safe places to learn, especially in places affected by conflict and disaster. As Canada assumes the G7 presidency over the coming year, this is an opportunity to rally world leaders and secure new commitments to expand the Charlevoix Initiative aimed at protecting the education and futures of millions of children worldwide, according to the agency.
Education is a basic human right that has been stolen from millions of the world’s children. Armed conflicts, natural disasters, poverty and other forms of crisis have kept 250 million children and youths out of school, according to the United Nations. That is times six the total population of Canada and a crisis that must be addressed.
To recognize the significance of the problem, on International Day to Protect Education from Attack, Children Believe is calling on the Government of Canada, Canadians and the world to take steps to help provide safe spaces for education. Children in vulnerable communities must have the ability to make life choices for themselves, something stolen from them when they are denied learning.
A call for change
“Education is under attack globally and this crisis threatens not just the future of individuals, but the future of our entire planet,” warns Fred Witteveen, CEO of Children Believe. “Canada has a crucial role to play, but we believe that change must happen at all levels, locally, nationally and internationally. It's crucial to shine a light on the millions of children who have had their choices stolen from them because of dangerous barriers to education like war and environmental disaster. We believe that providing access to education means a lifetime of choices because education is the most powerful resource children can use to change their world for the better.”
Collective actions must be taken to remove a wide range of systemic challenges, including political, economic, and environmental barriers to education. This is particularly true for girls and children who live under difficult circumstances, such as violence and emergencies.
Children Believe, as a member of the Canadian International Education Policy Working Group is also using September 9 to call on the Canadian government to continue to prioritize the need for investing in protecting education. The last time Canada hosted the G7 meetings in Charlevoix, Quebec in 2018, Canada brought much needed attention to the importance of education and the harmful effects of it being denied, particularly for girls.
Halimata: Hope restored
Halimata, 15, from Burkina Faso lived a normal life until terrorists attacked her village. She not only lost her sister in the attack, she lost her family, her home and her community. She is one of the many children in serious danger due to her choices being stolen from her.
Children Believe, in 2024 alone, reached 41,458 children and families in conflict regions and continues to join forces with international organizations including UNICEF and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to enhance and protect the future of young dreamers like Halimata. This plays a crucial role in stabilizing the lives of children, including Halimata who is now back at school in Grade 7 and benefits from an environment that fosters her learning and well-being. She now has the freedom to make her own choices and pursue her dream of being a mid-wife when she is older. “I'm happy because my situation is not like before, when I didn't know much. I know that with God's grace, the future will be good.”
Fred Witteveen, CEO of Children Believe is available for interviews. He brings insight to this issue and is available to share his experience in regions where humanitarian support, advocacy and policy influence on international education issues, is needed now more than ever.
To set up an interview regarding International Day to Protect Education from Attack, contact Children Believe:
Media contact:
Dave Stell
Communications Manager, Children Believe
dstell@childrenbelieve.ca
About Children Believe:
Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.
About ChildFund Alliance:
A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.
Attachments
