Support growing for the single biggest investment in education in history

Earlier in the week, government ministers, donors and development banks backed the funding for the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFE). The IFFE is the single biggest investment in education in history, and entails getting 200 million children around the world enrolled in school, according to a report from Theirworld.

The IFFE has received support from world leaders, the business community and international donors following a United Nations event earlier in the week. Supporting countries included the United Kingdom, Norway, Pakistan, Canada, United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Denmark and the European Union. Critical support came specifically from the World Bank when President Jim Yong Kim expressed his support for the programme.

Kim spoke of the project while attending a Make Impossible Possible event in New York:

“We need innovative tools like the International Finance Facility for Education. Let me be clear - we are completely behind IFFE. We all share a commitment to ensuring every child can learn.”

Theirworld, an innovative charity that helps children reach their full potential, has been campaigning for the establishment of the IFFE, specifically through their youth-led #MakeImpossiblePossible petition. According to Theirworld, their petition received over 1.5 million signatures in support of establishing the IFFE. Theirworld hopes the IFFE will make considerable progress towards achieving the UN’s goal of improving global education.

Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN agreed that the IFFE would help the UN uphold its commitments to equitable, inclusive, and quality education that are outlined in the fourth Sustainable Development Goal.

In response to the outpouring of support from youths around the world through the #MakeImpossiblePossible petition, Mohammed added:

“We heard from young people across the world, who sent in millions of signatures asking us to take urgent action so that they have greater opportunities to enjoy what are their rights and pursue their dreams.”

The AIDF Global Summit will return to Washington in 2019.

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Photo Credit: BRAC