Introduction
Education is a basic human right, enshrined in both the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. And during times of displacement, education plays an additional, crucial role in fostering social cohesion, addressing psychosocial needs, and providing a safe and stable environment for those who need it most.
Yet globally it is estimated that only 50 per cent of refugee children of primary-school age are actually in school, a number that drops to 25 per cent for adolescent refugees in secondary school. Indeed, refugee children and adolescents are five times more likely to be out of school than their non-refugee peers. Continued, sustainable access to quality education thus remains a key concern for the roughly eight million refugees under UNHCR’s mandate who are under 18 years of age.
Compounding the challenge of addressing these vast needs are the diverse contexts in which they arise, from unfolding emergencies to protracted situations. Eighty-six per cent of all refugees are hosted in developing countries, some of which are confronting institutional challenges in their education systems and have limited capacity to support new populations. Behind global averages, there are significant differences among countries, but the fact remains: far too many refugees are excluded from an education, compromising the future of entire generations.
Through its global “2012 – 2016 Education Strategy” and country-level education strategies, UNHCR supports the provision of refugee education as a core element of its mandate to ensure protection and durable solutions for people of concern. Partnering with governments and international and national non-governmental organizations, UNHCR seeks to integrate refugee learners within national systems wherever possible and appropriate.
Focusing on 16 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East – which collectively host 2.1 million refugee children of school-age (5-17 years), an estimated 57 per cent of whom are out of school – this document highlights targeted activities and requirements that could enable tens of thousands of refugee children to enrol in school during the upcoming academic year. These activities also seek to support retention of currently enrolled students; redress classroom over-crowding and a lack of qualified teachers; provide critical learning materials; and generally contribute to a safe and protective learning environment for all students. In some instances, especially where refugees are living in host communities, these activities will enhance the learning experience of host community students as well.
This information is drawn from UNHCR’s 2016 budget, as presented in the 2016-2017 Global Appeal and subsequent supplemental appeals approved by the Executive Committee. The requirements outlined correspond to existing unfunded needs for activities which UNHCR could reasonably implement by the end of this year. Individual chapters provide an overview of the refugee and education context in each of the 16 countries, followed by a description of critical challenges and proposed activities. The table that follows specifies remaining funding requirements for planned activities, providing relevant performance indicators, comparably 2015 year-end results (where applicable), and output targets for the activities by year-end 2016. 10 August 2016
