The UN has established that more than 50 per cent of the approximately 100 million children who do not attend school are affected by war and conflict. The Norwegian governments is contributing NOK 100 million (EUR 12 million) to Save the Children so that these children can also receive schooling.
25/09/2006 :: Save the Children has launched a massive international campaign to give children who are affected by conflict an opportunity to attend school, learn, play, develop their potential and complete their primary education. This is one of the largest allocations made by this Government to a specific campaign being run by a single organisation.
"The Government gives priority to peace and to children. This is an unprecedented global effort to help children affected by war, and it has our full backing," said Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim. "Lack of knowledge is the greatest challenge in conflict-affected countries. The physical and material destruction is bad enough, but the lack of access to education has a devastating effect on the whole country. This is why this campaign is so important."
The members of the International Save the Children Alliance are joining forces in a campaign to improve the educational situation of eight million children affected by war and conflict. The alliance will provide for three million new school places and improve the quality of education for an additional five million children. Save the Children Norway will head these efforts.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs