On 4 July 2025, the Pestalozzi Children's Foundation's country office in Ethiopia organised a one-day multi-stakeholder dialogue on the right to quality education for children, with a special focus on girls and boys affected by hardship.
The workshop was attended by 16 representatives of various interest groups, including government officials, primarily from the Ministry of Education, as well as civil society organisations (CSOs) such as Plan International, World Vision, Edukans, Concern Worldwide, Geneva Global, SOS Children's Villages and a UN organisation (UNICEF). Also involved were existing and potential new partners of the foundation, who are working together to promote access to high-quality education and the protection of children in crisis situations.
Among other things, the discussion focused on the lack of guidelines and resources for education in emergency situations, the insufficient consideration of displaced children at a political level and the lack of coordination between government agencies and civil society organisations. The use of schools as emergency shelters, the lack of teachers and the lack of psychosocial support for affected children were also intensively discussed.
The workshop was the first of its kind in Ethiopia: Political decision-makers and key players from the education and humanitarian sectors came together at national level to talk openly about urgent issues.
The participants emphasising the importance of making education in emergencies mandatory in national education plans, strengthening cooperation between all stakeholders and preparing teachers specifically to deal with crisis situations. Only joint action can ensure that no child is left behind, even in difficult times of crisis.