The Millennium Development Goals and the Education For All Goals have shaped and driven the global education agenda for nearly 15 years. The resources of the international community have been allocated in accordance and, on the ground, this has shaped priorities. Youth education in fragile environments was sadly not among these priorities and has therefore not received the attention it deserves. In 2015, a new set of development goals is to be defined. RET sees it as part of its mission to make sure this time things will be different.
For any form of advocacy to be efficient, actors must first agree upon a common set of priorities. Dissonance is never an efficient form of communication. RET therefore teamed up with the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) to organise a round table with the main organisations concerned by this issue. Aga Khan Foundation, the Education First Youth Advocacy Group, the Global Education Cluster, the International Rescue Committee, UNESCO, the Open Society Foundations, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Swiss Network for Education and International Cooperation (RECI), UNHCR, UNICEF, the University of Sussex and the Women’s Refugee Commission answered the call.
Together we shared our experiences, insights and preoccupations. We brought together what we had learned in our projects and our research. From this collaboration emerged a common set of priorities we wanted the international community to hear. This was a first step, but something more concrete, more practical was needed for our ideas to have a real-world impact.
During the month following the Round Table, a consultation process with the participants carved out three precise and short messages. Three key messages designed to be a clear and concise tool for advocacy. We all have our expertise, specific preoccupations and even biases, but to make advocacy efficient, core common concerns have to be clearly and concisely stated. The Three Key Messages make it easy to express arguments for youth education in emergencies, while offering the reassurance that many others back your message.
In order to build on existing efforts the Messages have been formulated using the three “P”s (Plan, Prioritise and Protect) of the Education Cannot Wait Campaign.
The final result is a reader-friendly two-page document, in which each message is accompanied by a short text presenting its underlying arguments.
Youth education in fragile contexts is a widespread concern and the fora to which it must be advocated are often regional or global. English is thus necessary, but not sufficient. Versions in Spanish and French are therefore now available, while Portuguese and Arabic translations are in the pipeline.
The Three Key Messages do not belong to RET, INEE or the Round Table’s participants. They are to be seized, claimed and used by all. At RET we would be delighted to see you use them as inspiration in your written documents, refer to them in your interventions, upload them on your website, print them, distribute them, discuss them.
RET’s contribution to the Post-2015 Development Agenda started with the constitution of these Messages; hopefully it will continue with all of you who wish to spread the word. Let us work together.
Should you have any questions please contact us: info@theRET.org. You may download the 3 Messages below:
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