Financing for Education in Emergencies Coming up Short in the Wake of COVID-19

This study, which was commissioned by the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies (EiE Hub), provides an analysis of the state of financing for EiE and the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the sector. It provides a sobering assessment of the underfunding of EiE, which has gotten worse in recent years as the need has increased. Although the education crisis is now more visible, global and national policy commitments are still not being met, which is creating massive funding gaps. The lack of funding is having a direct and negative impact on the educational opportunities of children and youth living in crisis settings. However, the inadequate funding for EiE is only one part of the story, as there have been some positive trends. Therefore, this study also identifies the factors that are influencing funding levels to pinpoint the kinds of interventions that can improve not only the quantity but the quality of funding for EiE.

Section 2 of the report provides the background to the current global education crisis highlighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and explaining the architecture of EiE financing. Section 3 outlines the scope and methodology for the study, including the limitations. Section 4 provides an overview of existing funding data on EiE and identifies key trends in funding received, as well as gaps. Section 5 then discusses the main factors that influence EiE funding before Section 6, which includes the study’s conclusions and recommendations for different EiE actors.