Christian Wenande
September 22nd, 2016

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Jensen speaking at the Global Business Coalition for Education (photo: Kristian Jensen)

The foreign minister, Kristian Jensen, has revealed that the Danish government will grant 75 million kroner in aid for the education of children of refugees in Syria and neighbouring countries.

The Danish contribution will go to the new aid fund Education Cannot Wait, which works to ensure schooling for children in areas experiencing crises, such as Syria.

”We must give children and young people in the surrounding areas meaningful content in their existence and a hope for a better future for them and their family. In this, education plays a very important role,” said Jensen.

”Young people are the world’s future. But this demands our investment in them. Otherwise, we risk losing their entire youth, thereby creating a breeding ground for new waves of refugees, radicalisation and instability. This is why young people are a clear priority area in our new political development strategy.”

READ MORE: More Danish aid heading for Sudan and South Sudan

Private sector critical
Yesterday, Jensen met with political leaders and more than 100 global companies in order to shift focus on children and their access to education in areas of humanitarian crisis.

Aside from Denmark, the Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education) – which represents over 100 of the world’s leading companies – has invested massively in Education Cannot Wait. Jensen also met with the companies that form GBC-Education yesterday.

”We need to tighten our collaboration with the private sector, if we are to deliver on children’s right to education,” said Jensen.

“Which is why I want to work actively towards creating strong partnerships between states, NGOs and private companies – not just to raise more funds, but also to generate innovative solutions to global challenges such as education for the benefit of the world’s children and young people.”