19 September 2017
UNHCR Report Calls for Educating Refugee Children to Advance SDG 4
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
story highlights

The report warns that, as refugee children get older, their educational opportunities decrease, and obstacles to acquiring education increase.

According to the publication, 23% of refugee adolescents are enrolled in secondary school, compared to 84% globally.

The report aims to contribute to the realization of SDG 4 (quality education) by recommending actions to contribute to the realization of SDG 4.

12 September 2017: The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a report titled, ‘Left Behind: Refugee Education in Crisis,’ which finds that educating refugees leads to peaceful and sustainable development in host countries as well as future prosperity in their birth countries.

Focusing on the 6.4 million school age refugees under the UN agency’s mandate, the report warns that, as refugee children get older, their educational opportunities decrease, and obstacles to acquiring education increase.

The report aims to contribute to the realization of SDG 4 by calling for, among others, integrating education into the emergency response to the global refugee crisis.

The report uses case studies and research data to outline the aspirations of refugee children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 and the conditions under which they are schooled. Its findings point to a widening gap between refugees and non-refugees as educational levels increase. Statistics presented include: while 91% of children attend primary school globally, only 61% of refugee children do; 23% of refugee adolescents are enrolled in secondary school, with only 9% in low-income countries, compared to 84% globally; and while 36% of the world’s youth attend higher education, while only 1% of refugee children do the same.

In 2016, 193 countries signed the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, which emphasizes education as a critical component of the international response to the global refugee crisis, instrumental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (quality education). The report aims to contribute to the realization of SDG 4 by calling for, inter alia: integrating education into the emergency response to the refugee crisis as it provides a stable environment and promotes resilience and self-reliance; sustained, predictable investment, including in infrastructure, and a holistic approach to supporting education in host countries; ensuring that refugee children and youth are included in national education systems, and that they follow an accredited curriculum to help them advance in their education; and guaranteeing that teachers receive appropriate pay and teaching materials.

The report is the second annual education report from UNHCR. The first titled, ‘Missing Out,’ was released ahead of the UN Summit for Migrants and Refugees in September 2016. [Publication: Left Behind: Refugee Education in Crisis] [Publication Landing Page] [UNHCR News Story] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on UN Agencies Highlighting Childhood Data Gaps, Refugee Education Needs]

related posts