Key issues
- The right to education is enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Providing all children with access to education would avoid seven million cases of HIV and AIDS in the coming decade (Global Campaign for Education)
- A child with a literate mother has a 50% greater chance of surviving beyond the age of 5 (Global Campaign for Education)
- 71% of young illiterate women live in only nine countries, including India, Burkina Faso and Bangladesh (UNESCO).
Each of the Emmaus International regions – Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe – manages its own actions and campaigns for education.
In the Americas for example, member organisations involved in this area meet once a year to share ideas.
Similarly, a global meeting for Emmaus organisations involved in education initiatives was held in Montevideo, Uruguay in 2011. They discussed their practices, shared know-how and considered how they can come up with common policy and campaigns.
- Asia: Yayasan Penghibur, Indonesia
Accommodating and providing education for orphaned or abandoned children - The Americas: Cuna Nazareth, Peru
Education for disadvantaged children - Africa: CAJED, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Education and support for street children and child soldiers - Europe: Fundación social, Spain
Formal and informal education in cooperation with partner organisations (education centres, universities, summer camps, etc.)
Valentina Ceol,
Chair of Nuevo París, Uruguay
“The young people we welcome at our community have left the standard education system. We offer two to three-year training courses in hairdressing, cookery and computing, and workshops on artistic and self expression. We try to pass on our values to them – values based on solidarity, sharing and tolerance, so these young people grow up to be responsible citizens.”
