1. Educating the public about the number of children who continually are denied access to basic education
Canadian parents couldn’t fathom not sending their children to school to obtain an education. Yet 75 million children in the world do not have access to basic education - 60% of these children are girls. Educating girls is especially important: educated women marry later, have fewer children and their children have a greater chance of surviving, being better nourished and receiving a better education. Studies have shown that girls' education is the single best investment a poor country can make. There is overwhelming evidence that education - particularly for girls - can halt the spread of AIDS, increase economic growth and break the cycle of poverty. RESULTS Canada will continue to work to inform Canadians about the importance of girls in school through our interactions with decision-makers and the media.
2. The Education for All – Fast Track Initiative (FTI) – Making it work
Since it’s inception in 2003, the FTI has had some great outcomes and success. It has grown from a fairly small partnership to a large international initiative with 37 endorsed countries and 17 donors. To date, $1.3 billion has been pledged to support countries’ basic education strategies. Also, the FTI uses a model of country ownership which means that the implementing partner government’s are in the driver’s seat and responsible for their national education programs. However, the FTI has grown and so has demand and need. Currently, the FTI is facing a funding shortfall of approximately of $1.2 billion dollars just to meet the needs of the countries’ by the end of 2010.
Of the $1.3 billion that has been pledged only 30% of that money has been disbursed to recipient countries. Which means that a whopping 70% remains in the Catalytic Fund. Why the delay? The FTI, an independent initiative, is housed at the World Bank. As such, the bank has decided to impose strict International Development Association (IDA) guidelines on the disbursement of money. IDA loans are interest-free loans and grants given to promote economic development. The IDA regulations were imposed by the Bank because they have taken full management control of the FTI Trust funds, meaning that full financial management and safeguard assessments were applied to the initiative. Although considerable effort has been made by both donors and the World Bank to improve the situation of disbursements with the Catalytic Fund there is still money that is being delayed from disbursement.
Through letters to the Minister of CIDA and decision-makers, RESULTS Canada and its volunteers will work to ensure that the IDA regulations are lifted and the money that is desperately needed by countries that have submitted proposals for money will receive their disbursements. RESULTS Canada also seeks to ensure that, that the World Bank truly remain independent from the FTI so that they may conduct their important work in a timely manner.
