The Arab region has been significantly affected by the alarming increase in the frequency, complexity, and scale of crises, including conflicts, natural disasters, public health emergencies, and socio-economic crises, leading to disruptions in education for millions of children and youth. Approximately 53 million children in the region are in need of humanitarian assistance due to various crises, including over 6.9 million internally displaced children and 6.4 million refugee children. An estimated 30 million children in the Middle East and North Africa region are out of school, posing significant risks to their learning and overall wellbeing.
Closing schools increases protection risks for children and young people, making them more susceptible to violence, exploitation, and recruitment into armed groups. These risks are particularly severe for those who are already vulnerable or marginalized, including girls and young women, those displaced and/or with disabilities. Access to education is not just a fundamental right, but also a lifeline during times of crisis. Education plays a crucial long-term role in helping children and communities recover from shocks and build future economic stability and development. It provides a sense of normalcy, stability, and structure during crisis and beyond. Humanitarian funding for education has been persistently underfunded, despite its critical importance. In 2023, humanitarian funding for education decreased to $1.12 billion, marking a 4% drop from the previous year. This was the first decrease in over a decade, highlighting the ongoing funding challenges.
As the custodian of the Education 2030 Agenda and the lead UN agency for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4): Quality Education, UNESCO leads efforts to help Member States achieve SDG 4, aiming to 'ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.' Emphasizing its commitment to leaving no one behind, SDG 4 highlights the importance of reaching crisis-affected populations. It states that in emergencies, education is 'immediately protective, providing life-saving knowledge and skills and psychosocial support.' Additionally, it promotes flexible learning pathways, recognizing the non-linear nature of education during crises.
Long Description
In the context of protracted and escalating conflicts in the Arab Region and building on the momentum of the UNESCO Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021), UNESCO will develop the Education in Emergencies Strategy for the Arab Region (2025-2030). It will align with the 'Education in Crisis Situations: A Commitment to Action' launched during the Transforming Education Summit (TES) in 2022, and the Fortaleza Declaration adopted at the 2024 Global Education Meeting (GEM), a renewed commitment to addressing the urgent challenges in inclusion, equity, and sustainable financing to accelerate progress toward achieving SDG4, including for populations impacted by emergencies and crises. It will also ensure the alignment with the UNESCO’s Strategic Framework for Migration, Displacement, Emergencies and Education 2024-2029 to mobilize education to transform lives, aiming to protect and prioritize education in times of crisis, and the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development, underscoring the importance of providing inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all, and ensuring educational continuity and resilience in crisis-affected contexts.
Against this backdrop, UNESCO Beirut Office is seeking a consultant with significant expertise in educational analysis, planning and policies to develop the education in emergencies strategy for the Arab Region for 2025 - 2030. The UNESCO EiE strategy for the Arab Region (2025- 2030) aims to ensure that education systems in the Arab region are resilient and capable of providing continuous, inclusive, and quality education during emergencies and crisis. More specifically, the objectives are to:
Support Member States in the Arab region in addressing their educational needs in times of crisis, while striving to make headway on the targets and commitments in SDG 4, with the focus on inclusion of the most vulnerable. Provide strategic direction and a programmatic framework for UNESCO’s work in education in emergencies in the Arab Region for 2025-2030, both at national and regional levels. Strength partnerships through a coordinated approach to prioritize education in the times of crisis and emergencies and contribute to ensuring financing for EiE is equitable and aligns with national priorities, regional and international conventions, across humanitarian and development instruments.
SCOPE OF WORK
Under the overall guidance of Director of UNESCO Beirut Office and the direct supervision of the Education Programme Specialist, the consultant shall undertake the following tasks and responsibilities:
Conducting a thorough assessment to:
+ assess the educational needs of affected populations, focusing on groups most affected by crises, such as refugees, internally displaced persons, and marginalized communities, and
+ map the specific political, social, and economic conditions in the Arab states that impact education during emergencies.
Reviewing relevant policy documents and information on education in emergencies, including but not limited to:
+ UNESCO Strategic Framework for Migration, Displacement, Emergencies and Education 2024-2029
+ UNESCO Strategic Framework for Education in Emergencies in the Arab Region (2018-2021)
+ UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development
+ 'Education in Crisis Situations: A Commitment to Action'
+ Fortaleza Declaration
+ Global Compact for Refugees
+ Safe Schools Declaration
+ UNSC Resolution 2601
+ INEE Minimum Standards
+ Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF)
+ Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
Long Description
Reviewing the global, regional and national good practices of education in emergencies, with a particular focus on the challenges and crises impacting education systems in the Arab region. Collecting and analysing data including quantitative and qualitative data from the existing reports, local governments and stakeholders, and by conducting Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and interviews, etc. Strategic Planning to define the methodology and implementation plan of developing the strategy, setting up clear short- and medium-term goals, identifying relevant stakeholders and setting up the relevant committees, etc. Leading the consultations with relevant stakeholders in the education sector, conducting relevant interviews, focus group discussions and organizing 2 regional workshops to ensure an inclusive and participatory approach. Drafting the strategy, updating and finalizing the strategy as per the comments received from UNESCO, ministries, and other relevant stakeholders, and finalize the strategy in terms of formatting and editing. The strategy shall include a framework for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for the implementation of the strategy. This framework should outline specific indicators for success, data collection methods, and evaluation timeline to assess the impact of the EiE strategy and make necessary adjustments. Preparing a presentation (with PowerPoint slides and/or other documents) of the strategy to be presented to UNESCO, ministries, partners, and relevant stakeholders. Organizing a strategy launch event to present the finalized EiE strategy and engage key partners in its implementation.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Academic qualifications Advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in education, public policy, public administration, international development or related fields.
**Professional
