From Challenges to Change: Journeys to Disability Inclusive Education and Learning Equity in Emergencies
Education Cannot Wait hosted their High-Level Financing Conference on February 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland. The event was organized to mobilize resources needed to position the educational needs of the 222 million children and adolescents left behind in crises high on the international agenda.
Education Cannot Wait hosted their High-Level Financing Conference on February 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland. The event was organized to mobilize resources needed to position the educational needs of the 222 million children and adolescents left behind in crises high on the international agenda.
Children and youth with disabilities are often excluded in emergency, humanitarian, and crisis response, including education. Together with Action for Humanity, Global Campaign for Education, Humanity & Inclusion, Light for the World, Send My Friend to School, and World Vision, Perkins School for the Blind co-hosted a side event titled “From Challenges to Change: Journeys to Disability Inclusive Education and Learning Equity in Emergencies.”
Moderator:
- Katherine Holland. Executive Director, International. Perkins School for the Blind
Speakers:
- Bernice Nsengiyumva, Disability and Gender Equality Activist (Burundi), International Disability Alliance
- Sandrine Bohan Jacquot, Inclusive Education Global Specialist, Humanity & Inclusion
- Nicola Banks, Advocacy Lead, Action for Humanity
- Josephine El Haddad, Public Affairs & Communications Manager – World Vision Lebanon
- Nafisa Baboo, Director of Inclusive Education, Light for the World
- MP Bambos Charalambous, Shadow Minister for MENA and North Africa, UK
- Maha Khochen-Bagshaw PhD, Disability and Inclusive Education Specialist, Education Cannot Wait
The session started with the voice of a young person with a disability sharing their experience of why education matters so much to them, but how crisis and emergency risk to disrupt their learning. Panelists
presented real life scenarios of children and their families of how the challenges learners with disabilities face on a day-to-day are greatly exacerbated in times of crisis.
Overall, the session illustrated how by being innovative and inclusive we can boost learning equity and build a more resilient education system moving forward.
