Unlocking Futures: A Global Overview of Education in Emergencies Financing

The new analysis of the state of EiE funding presented in this paper follows on from the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies’ (EiE Hub) 2022 and 2023 flagship reports, Education in Emergencies Financing in the Wake of COVID-19: Time to Reinvest to Meet Growing Needs and Leveraging Education in Emergencies for Climate Action. The current analysis provides both causes for concern and promising opportunities.

KEY INSIGHTS

Persistent Challenges to EiE Funding

1. A long-term trend of yearly increases in humanitarian funding for education is at risk following a decrease in 2023—the first in more than a decade. Humanitarian funding for the education sector should be increased to close the funding gap.
2. The countries where children’s education is at greatest risk are the most underfunded in terms of humanitarian funding. The scarce financial resources for EiE should be provided more equitably, with countries where children’s education is at greatest risk being given higher priority.
3. Education financial requirements were revised down in 2024 due to boundary setting in the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO). The impact of this boundary setting on the education sector should be assessed, and additional guidance provided for the GHO 2025.
4. Despite policy commitments, education is not being prioritised in OCHA-managed humanitarian funds. Funding for education from the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) and Country Based Pooled Funds (CBPF) should be increased, in line with guidance from the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) to prioritise education.

Opportunities to Address the EiE Funding Gap

1.  Global education funds remain a key catalyst for mobilising additional EiE funding. Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) should receive increased funding in accordance with stated targets, while collaboration between the two global funds should be further strengthened and institutionalised to build on previous successes.
2. There is still potential for expanding nexus funding approaches for EiE. Coordination between humanitarian and development funding for education should be further strengthened in crisis-affected countries.
3. There is significant untapped potential for climate finance investment in EiE. An appropriate proportion of climate finance should be provided to the education sector, and EiE partners should be given further capacity-building opportunities so they can access the relevant funding mechanisms