Emergencies and fragile contexts

IIEP, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies (AMIDSt) of the University of Amsterdam and the International Rescue Committee have established a research partnership on education in conflict, emergencies and reconstruction

Throughout the world, political instability, endemic violence and forced migration continue to afflict civilian populations. Women and children, who form the majority of those displaced, have suffered severe consequences on their protection, health, nutrition and education. Millions of children have experienced the violent disruption of families and community structures.

In order to contribute to Education for All (EFA) goals, the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP); the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) the Hague; the Amsterdam Institute for Metropolitan and International Development Studies (AMIDSt) of the University of Amsterdam; and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) New York have established a research partnership which aims to develop knowledge on specific interventions, strategies and methodologies that can be used to improve access to quality education for all.

Incorporating well planned educational programmes into emergency relief efforts stabilizes the long term benefits for societies in crisis. Education has been proved to be a major contributor to durable solutions, enhancing the successful reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees upon repatriation, or local integration into their host communities.

Two issues for educational planning and management have been identified as needing particular attention and will be the subject of this research partnership:

1. Certification validation and recognition of the learning attainments of refugee and internally displaced pupils

2. Opportunities for change in education systems in emergencies and reconstruction

The two studies will use country case studies to investigate a number of different examples of certification of the learning attainments of refugee and internally displaced pupils, as well as of educational change within or in the aftermath of conflict-related emergencies.

Through the financial support of the Netherlands MFA and through the research contributions of the IIEP, the IRC New York, and AMIDSt-UvA, this hands-on partnership will result in:

- Two publications in the IIEP series Education in Emergencies and Reconstruction

- Two policy guidelines: the first, a Good Practice Guide entitled "Certification of the learning attainments of refugee and internally displaced pupils", February 2008, is available for download.

- Two international seminars to be hosted at IIEP-Paris in January 2008.