At the Global Education Summit on July 28 and 29 in London, with the theme “Raise your hand,” Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities Policy Meryame Kitir announced a Belgian contribution to the 2021-2025 work plan of Global Partnership for Education. GPE is an international fund that promotes universal access to education for both girls and boys and is currently active in some 90 countries.
In times of Corona, much is being said about the importance of resilience. Minister Kitir points out that resilience starts with access to education and being able to choose one’s future. “It is unacceptable that, in 2021, there are still children who have no opportunity to learn to read or write or who are forced into child labor.“
Belgium supports GPE with a contribution of 26 million euros. Minister Kitir grants an additional contribution of 2 million euros to the Girls Education Accelerator, to further promote access to education for girls. Because even today fewer girls than boys go to school.
Minister Kitir points out that Belgium is raising its hand not only in London. Last June, it contributed to a Youth Exchange open dialogue of GPE with Plan International Belgium. In the future, Belgium will continue to strive for universal access for girls and boys to education, through bilateral cooperation programs, with civil society and within multilateral and European frameworks.
#RaiseYourHand #FundEducation #GES2021
