The 3rd High Level Dialogue on Gender Education and the Protection of Education in Humanitarian Settings held in the African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
As the coordinator of the Teacher Development Cluster of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2016-2025, IICBA dedicates to support the African Union (AU) in education for sustainable development, focusing on teachers' role in the transformation of Africa. One commitment of IICBA is to assist in organizing an AU high-level dialogue to promote girls and women's education which has been held annually since 2017 as a side-event during the AU Summit in its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This year, in line with the AU theme of 2019, the African Union Commission (AUC), Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology (HRST) hosted the high level dialogue focusing on the protection of education in humanitarian settings on 5 February 2019. The meeting was co-organised by the Education Division, the AU Centre for Girls and Women’s Education in partnership with Save the Children International and IICBA, with support from Political Affairs Department and the Embassy of Norway. Her Excellency Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, Commissioner for HRST of the AUC and His Eecellency Mr. Dag Inge Ulstein, Minister for International Development of Norway opened the event. Her Excellency Mme. Minata Samate Cessouma, Commissioner for Political Affairs of the AUC moderated the first panel discussion.
Dr. Yumiko Yokozeki, Director of IICBA, during her panel session on actionable strategies, highlighted teachers' role in girls' education, peace and resilience building for youth and the importance of recognizing, motivating and providing professional support to refugee teachers to ensure the quality education for children in humanitarian settings. She then shared IICBA's work in peace education, school safety, teaching policies and learning outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa, teacher support and motivation framework for Africa and the Continental Teacher Mobility Protocol in collaboration with the AUC.
In addition to three panel discussions which had brought eight Ministers with portfolios in education, peace, gender and youth together with international development partners, the dialogue heard voices from refugee children whose schooling was interrupted due to the wars. They are from South Sudan and DRC, and they are all calling for peace and education opportunities to achieve their dreams. Save the Children International also demonstrated the fragility of classrooms in conflicts or wars through an exhibition in the AU compound.
Participants approved key recommendations as the outcomes (English/French) of the meeting.
Learn more about what we do in this field:
· Transformative Pedagogy for Peacebuilding
· Teaching Policies and Learning Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa
· Politiques enseignantes et résultats d’apprentissages en Afrique Subsaharienne: Résultats et Modèles
