International donors have pledged an impressive US$405.8 million to Education Cannot Wait (ECW), giving a major boost to global efforts to protect education for children living through conflict, displacement and humanitarian emergencies. The commitments were announced during a high level replenishment conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 5 and 6, 2026. Combined with US$135.8 million secured through earlier multi year commitments, the new funding brings the initiative’s total resources to US$541.6 million, representing 90 percent of its US$600 million fundraising target. The announcement offers renewed hope for millions of children whose education has been interrupted by war, natural disasters and other emergencies.
The fundraising achievement comes at a difficult time for international humanitarian assistance, as several governments face pressure on development budgets and humanitarian organizations struggle to meet growing needs. Against this backdrop, the Geneva commitments represent a significant demonstration of international cooperation. More importantly, they provide a stronger financial foundation for Education Cannot Wait’s 2027 to 2030 strategic plan, which aims to reach 10 million children and adolescents affected by crises with safe, inclusive and quality education.
Geneva Conference Secures Major International Education Commitments
The High Level Replenishment Conference brought together government representatives, international organizations, humanitarian leaders and development partners to discuss the future of emergency education financing. Hosted by Switzerland, the gathering provided an opportunity for donors to renew their commitment to children who face significant barriers to learning because of instability and humanitarian emergencies.
Governments and partners announced US$405.8 million in new pledges during the fundraising effort. Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, Switzerland, Ireland, the European Union and Japan were among the contributors demonstrating support for the initiative.
Switzerland played a particularly important role by hosting the conference and pledging CHF 35 million for the 2027 to 2030 funding period. Its contribution reflected the country’s continued support for international humanitarian cooperation and the protection of children’s rights.
The fundraising announcement also marked an important milestone in Education Cannot Wait’s tenth anniversary year. Established in 2016, the organization was created to address a major gap in humanitarian assistance: children affected by emergencies frequently lose access to education even when their need for stability and protection becomes greater.
With total funding commitments now reaching US$541.6 million, the initiative has secured most of the resources it needs for its next strategic period. However, approximately US$58.4 million remains to be raised before the campaign reaches its full target.
Education Cannot Wait Aims to Reach 10 Million Children by 2030
The new funding campaign, known as Hope Starts Here, supports Education Cannot Wait’s strategic ambitions for the 2027 to 2030 period. Its central objective is to provide educational opportunities to 10 million children and adolescents living in crisis affected communities.
The initiative recognizes that education is more than an academic activity. For children living in conflict zones or temporary displacement settlements, access to a classroom can provide a sense of routine, security and belonging. A functioning school environment can also connect children with teachers, social support and essential services when their families are experiencing difficult circumstances.
Under its upcoming strategy, ECW intends to ensure that half of the children reached are girls. The plan also includes one million children with disabilities, reflecting the importance of making emergency education accessible to learners who are frequently excluded from traditional schooling arrangements.
The strategy will concentrate on several important priorities, including:
- Providing rapid educational assistance when new emergencies disrupt schools and learning activities.
- Supporting children living in prolonged conflicts and displacement situations through sustained education programs.
- Improving the quality of teaching and learning in crisis affected communities.
- Strengthening child protection, mental health support and student well being.
- Expanding access to education for girls, children with disabilities, refugees and internally displaced learners.
- Building stronger national education systems that can continue supporting children during future emergencies.
These priorities reflect a broader understanding of what children need to continue learning during difficult circumstances. Providing temporary classrooms is valuable, but long term progress also requires trained teachers, appropriate learning materials, safe facilities and dependable financial support.
Millions of Children Continue to Face Educational Disruption
The scale of the global education emergency explains why additional international funding remains necessary. Education Cannot Wait estimates that approximately 258 million school aged children and adolescents are affected by crises worldwide. Of these, around 93 million are entirely out of school.
Behind these figures are children whose daily lives have been interrupted by circumstances beyond their control. Some have been forced to leave their homes because of armed conflict. Others live in communities affected by floods, droughts, earthquakes or other climate related disasters. Many have experienced repeated school closures, damaged educational facilities and shortages of qualified teachers.
For a displaced child, losing access to education can mean more than missing lessons. It can interrupt friendships, reduce opportunities for future employment and increase exposure to exploitation and other protection risks. Girls and children with disabilities may face additional barriers when schools close or families are forced to relocate.
Countries including Sudan and Ukraine illustrate the continuing challenges facing education in conflict affected regions. In areas exposed to repeated attacks and insecurity, children may struggle to attend school consistently even when educational facilities remain available.
In Ukraine, disruptions caused by air raid warnings and attacks have affected classroom activities, particularly in frontline communities. In Sudan, widespread conflict and displacement have created serious obstacles to maintaining education services for millions of children.
These circumstances demonstrate why emergency education programs must be flexible. Humanitarian organizations need the ability to respond quickly when schools are damaged, families are displaced or entire communities lose access to basic services.
International Aid Cuts Make the Fundraising Achievement More Significant
The Geneva commitments arrive during a challenging period for international development and humanitarian financing. Several donor governments have reduced or reconsidered overseas assistance budgets, while competing emergencies continue to place pressure on available resources.
Education frequently receives less attention than immediate humanitarian requirements such as food, clean water, shelter and medical assistance. These services are essential for survival, but education also plays an important role in protecting children and helping communities recover.
When children remain outside school for extended periods, returning to education becomes increasingly difficult. Learning gaps can grow, teachers may leave their professions and damaged educational systems can struggle to rebuild. These problems can continue long after the immediate emergency has passed.
The absence of the United States from the latest donor commitments has also attracted attention. Washington previously played an important role in supporting Education Cannot Wait, but its absence from the announced contributions reflects wider changes in international aid priorities.
Nevertheless, the commitments made by other governments demonstrate that support for emergency education remains an important part of the international humanitarian agenda. The challenge now is to convert financial promises into reliable funding that reaches children and educators in affected communities.
Education Cannot Wait Explores New Ways to Finance Emergency Education
Beyond traditional government contributions, Education Cannot Wait is exploring additional financing arrangements to support its future programs. The Geneva conference highlighted opportunities to involve philanthropic organizations, development finance institutions, private companies and institutional investors.
One proposal involves an education continuity outcome bond that could attract investment from pension funds, insurance companies and other financial institutions. The proposed bond is being developed with the involvement of Enosis Capital and other financial partners.
The initiative is expected to explore a financing structure in which private investors provide funding upfront for education programs, while donor supported payments are linked to the achievement of agreed results. The proposed bond could reach approximately US$150 million, with a potential launch targeted for the first half of 2027.
This approach is still under development and will require further planning and institutional approvals. However, it represents an effort to broaden the sources of financing available for emergency education rather than depending entirely on conventional government grants.
Another important development involves a partnership with the International Finance Facility for Education, known as IFFEd. The partnership aims to connect humanitarian education grants with more substantial concessional financing through development finance institutions. Its initial ambition is to identify several countries where this approach could help mobilize an additional US$100 million for education.
Such arrangements could help countries move beyond short term emergency responses by integrating successful education programs into national systems. This is particularly important in regions where displacement and instability continue for several years.
Local Organizations and National Leadership Remain Central to the Strategy
International funding can provide essential resources, but successful emergency education programs also depend on the people and organizations working directly with affected communities. Local teachers, education authorities and humanitarian groups often understand the needs of children more closely than organizations operating from outside the region.
Education Cannot Wait plans to channel at least 50 percent of its program financing through national and local partners by 2030. This commitment is intended to strengthen local leadership and ensure that funding decisions are more closely connected to the communities receiving assistance.
Local organizations can help identify children who have lost access to schooling, arrange temporary learning spaces and support teachers working under difficult conditions. They can also help ensure that educational programs reflect local languages, cultural circumstances and the specific needs of vulnerable learners.
National leadership is equally important for refugee and displaced children. Integrating these learners into established education systems can provide greater continuity and reduce the risk of children remaining outside school for extended periods.
For this reason, the next stage of ECW’s work will involve cooperation between governments, humanitarian organizations, local communities and development partners. The objective is to create education services that can respond to immediate emergencies while remaining useful during longer recovery periods.
ECW’s Previous Work Provides a Foundation for Future Progress
Since its establishment in 2016, Education Cannot Wait and its partners have reached more than 16 million children and adolescents affected by humanitarian crises. Its work has supported emergency education responses and longer term programs across countries experiencing conflict, displacement and natural disasters.
The organization’s funding model brings together governments, United Nations agencies, civil society organizations and humanitarian partners. This structure allows resources to be directed toward communities where conventional education systems are unable to respond adequately to emergencies.
ECW also works to connect immediate humanitarian assistance with development programs. This connection matters because children living through prolonged crises need more than temporary access to lessons. They require stable learning opportunities, trained educators and education systems capable of supporting them as circumstances change.
The upcoming 2027 to 2030 strategy builds on these experiences while placing greater attention on learning quality, inclusion, local leadership and predictable financing.
What Happens Next as the $600 Million Target Comes Closer?
Although the Geneva conference delivered a substantial fundraising result, Education Cannot Wait still needs additional support to close the remaining gap. The organization is expected to continue engaging governments, foundations, private sector partners and development institutions as it works toward the full US$600 million target.
The next challenge will be ensuring that announced commitments translate into available resources and effective programs. Donor pledges are an important starting point, but their practical value depends on timely contributions, responsible financial management and successful implementation.
Progress will also need to be measured through meaningful educational outcomes. The number of children enrolled in programs is only one part of the picture. Regular attendance, improved learning, access to qualified teachers, student safety and continued participation are equally important indicators of success.
For families living through conflict and displacement, these results can have a lasting impact. A child who returns to school gains more than the opportunity to complete lessons. That child also gains a chance to rebuild confidence, maintain social connections and prepare for a future beyond the immediate crisis.
A Major Step Forward for Children Living Through Global Crises
The US$405.8 million in new pledges announced in Geneva represents a significant achievement for international emergency education financing. With total commitments reaching US$541.6 million, Education Cannot Wait has moved within reach of its US$600 million fundraising goal and secured an important foundation for its next four years of work.
However, the remaining funding gap and the enormous number of children affected by humanitarian emergencies show that substantial work lies ahead. Governments and development partners will need to maintain their commitments, strengthen local education systems and ensure that funding reaches the children who need it most.
Ten years after its establishment, Education Cannot Wait is entering an important new phase. Its success will ultimately be measured not simply by the amount of money raised in Geneva, but by the number of children who can safely return to learning, the teachers who receive support and the communities that gain stronger educational opportunities.
The latest pledges send an encouraging message: even when humanitarian challenges are growing and financial resources are under pressure, international cooperation can still make a meaningful difference. For millions of children whose education has been interrupted by conflict, displacement and disaster, the promise of a classroom represents something worth protecting. Their opportunity to learn should not have to wait for the world to become peaceful again.
Further information about the fundraising campaign, its strategic priorities and ongoing education programs is available through the official Education Cannot Wait website and the United Nations website.
