Advocating for grandmothers, vulnerable children and youth in sub-Saharan Africa Quality Education for All

Who we are Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN) is: a dynamic network of volunteers across Canada registered under Canada’s Not for Profit Corporations Act Our goal is to advocate in meaningful and strategic ways to foster Canadian government and global organizations’ support for policies and programs that will improve the human rights of grandmothers, vulnerable children and youth in sub-Saharan Africa.

Our Working Groups Right to Health Issue Access to Medicines Right to Full Participation, Gender Equity and Respect Issue Education for All Right to Safety and Security Issues Physical Safety and Human Rights

Education for All Sustainable Development Goal #4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

In sub Saharan Africa 55,000,000 children are out of school 50% of primary classes exceed 50 pupils 31% of primary schools have no toilets 17,000,000 teachers needed to meet Universal Primary and Secondary Education by 2030 123 million women are illiterate (64%)

How would your day/week be different if you could not read or write?

Education transforms lives. Education reduces poverty, fosters economic prosperity, reduces exploitation, deepens the foundations of democracy, creates healthier societies and enables people to reach their full potential. EFA Global Monitoring Report 2013

Link to video if it does not connect by clicking on picture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-ZZeE7C7uM

Barriers to Girls’ Education Extreme Poverty Lack of Schools (Infrastructure) Lack of Quality Trained Teachers Violence Early Child Marriage Lack of Water and Sanitation HIV Epidemic in Adolescent Girls

Results of Barriers NO choice NO control NO voice NO confidence NO NO participation NO DREAMS

Why is Quality Important? Education is the foundation to learning throughout life in a complex and rapidly changing world. Access to school does not mean children are learning. 250 million children are leaving grade 4 without basic literacy skills.

Why Quality Trained Teachers Good teachers inspire us and motivate us to reach new heights. Quality, well-motivated and supported teachers are vital for learning and crucial to creating lasting change. 17 million primary and secondary teacher shortage predicted for 2030 in sub Saharan Africa. Many teachers are not trained according to national standards.

Challenges Certification of teachers Professional Development Overcrowded Classrooms Salaries Violence Respect for Teaching as a Profession

Suwaiba Yunusa from Nigeria http://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/importance-female-teachers-girls-education

Canada’s Contribution to Education Year Total ODA (Official Development Assistance) Contribution to Education % Education of ODA 2009-2010 $4.8 Bil (0.34%) $656 mil 14% 2012-2013 $4.6 Bil (0.27%) $325 mil 7% 2013-2014 $4.5 Bil (0.24%) $343 mil 8% Graph from Education Watch 2015

Our Government Mandate letter: will refocus development assistance on helping the poorest and most vulnerable and fragile states Will consult with Canadian and international aid organizations to review current policies and funding frameworks Will refocus aid priorities on poverty reduction Education commitments in Budget 2016 to Indigenous education Waiting for new International Aid Policy (spring 2017)

GRAN supports 2015 Canada pledged $120 million to The Global Partnership For Education for 2015-2018 with the support of GRAN advocacy actions. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is the only organization focussed multilateral partnership in the world that works to get out of school children into school and learning. 2017 Replenishment time is here again.

GPE Achievements in 2016 3,000 classrooms 30+ million books 240,000+ teachers trained 22 mil more children in school, including 10 mil more girls 31 partner countries have achieved gender parity in primary school

Global Partnership for Education at Work in Rwanda

Education is Not Just the ABCs

Education Needs You….. To have conversations To write letters To .....

Everyone deserves a full life! Education is key! Julia clip https://amp.twimg.com/v/daec0331-b0f9-426d-9047-3cd633b2bfc0

Resources http://grandmothersadvocacy.org www.globalpartnership.org Follow @GRANadvocates on Twitter and retweet Also follow on twitter @GPforEducaton

Adult Literacy grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa…. Much of the available data excludes people over the age of 49 781 million illiterate adults (2/3 are women) Definition of literacy is changing: The UNESCO 2005 definition considers literacy as the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute using printed and written materials associated with various contexts. Adult literacy has slipped down both international and national agendas. Consider what illiteracy might mean for grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa….

to properly care for the children in their care and to help them Life Long Learning Older Women have a right to achieve their potential and have the skills to properly care for the children in their care and to help them achieve their potential.   Literacy is more than the personal ability to read and write. It is a powerful vehicle to empower people and help them obtain the adequate life skills and entrepreneurship capacities to tackle contemporary challenges and optimize opportunities for sustainable development. Chitra Lekha Yadav, Minister for Education Democratic Republic of Nepal Priscilla Sitienei, 90, from Ndalat in Kenya, world's oldest student

Education in Emergencies Emergencies include conflict, natural disasters, displacement, epidemics 130 million children and youth live in emergency states Refugee Crisis: worst since WWII Between 2009 & 2013, there were 10,000 attacks on school children, teachers and schools in 70+ countries Less than 2% of humanitarian assistance worldwide is given to education in emergencies What is the impact on children and their communities?