Global Campaign for Education relaunches U.S. chapter

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) urges participation in a National Day of Action on Thursday, Dec. 10, to send a strong message to President Obama to support investments in worldwide universal education.

The National Day of Action, sponsored by the U.S. chapter of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE-US), is to call the White House Comment Line, (202) 456-1111, with the following message: “I support education for all and support President Obama’s pledge to budget $2 billion for the Global Fund for Education.”

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE), founded in 1999, brings together major nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and teachers’ unions in more than 120 countries. GCE promotes access to education as a basic human right and raises public awareness to create the political will for governments and other leaders in the international community to fulfill their promises to provide at least a free, public basic education for all children. Every April GCE organizes a week of campaigning on education called “Global Action Week.”

GCE promotes access to education as a basic human right.

GBCS attended the relaunch of GCE-US last month. GCE-US comprises an alliance of civil society organizations, including faith groups, teachers, parents and students.

Roughly 776 million adults are considered illiterate, according to figures shared by GCE-US. About 75 million children remain out of school, and more than half of these are girls. Forty million children are in conflict-affected countries or emerging states, GCE-US emphasized.

End poverty through education

“The Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA) support ending poverty through education,” said Mark Harrison, director of GBCS’s Peace with Justice work area. “GCE-US urges the U.S. government to ensure universal primary education for all by 2015.”

GCE-US urges the U.S. government to ensure universal primary education for all by 2015.

GCE-US was relaunched because 2009 is considered critical in achieving this global vision. GCE-US said realization of the goal requires $16 billion: $11 billion for annual primary education access of all children, and $5 billion for 12-14 years old.

GCE-US pointed to the promise of the Obama administration to provide $2 billion for the creation of a global fund for education. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of Congress, such as House Foreign Operations Appropriations Chair Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., have also put education among their global priorities.

1 Goal Campaign

Internationally, the “1 Goal Campaign,” sponsored by FIFA, which oversees World Cup soccer, brought the need for education funding to the forefront this year. FIFA asked fans to raise $75 million to educate children and defeat poverty.

FIFA asked fans to raise $75 million to educate children.

FIFA’s campaign served to jumpstart the year, according to GCE-US, in urging world leaders to keep their promises to support education. Supported by the likes of Bono and Jordan’s Queen Rania, and by international soccer stars, 1 Goal sets “Education for All” as the key theme at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

GCE-US urges the Obama administration to fulfill its fair share to “Education for All.” The coalition has called for reform of U.S. foreign aid to ensure efficiently coordinating nationally driven education projects.

Coalition members at the relaunch discussed advocacy strategies directed at both Congress and grassroots outreach throughout the United States. In addition to its national call-in day of action, GCE-US is also working to increase participation in next April’s Global Action Week.

A vital role

“Recognizing the power of education in ending poverty, inequality and injustice, the General Board of Church & Society joins other faith-based organizations, union labors, and other NGOs in mobilizing the effort for universal access of basic education,” Harrison said. “Yes, global education still plays a vital role in eradicating global poverty.”

Harrison suggested not only participating in the national call-in to the White House on Dec. 10, but also taking steps to educate your members of Congress about the need to fund a global education initiative.

A flier about the call-in day and statistics about the importance to support the global fund for education can be downloaded from this website: National Day of Action. Resources also include a postcard for persons to sign indicating their support.

Harrison suggested distributing the information and postcards in local churches. He said any signatures collected on the postcards need to be returned by Dec. 8 to Donna Brandyberry, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave., NE, Washington, DC 20002.

For more information, contact Harrison at (202) 488-8465 or mharrison@umc-gbcs.org.

For further information about the campaigns or coalitions, visit the following websites:

Editor’s note: Daphne Fernandez, social justice intern at the General Board of Church & Society contributed to this article.