2023 Global Education Cluster Annual Partners Meeting

Around the world, 224 million children are denied the right to education. The needs of these children and their communities are only growing as protracted conflicts continue, and climate-related disasters become more frequent and intense. With a record of 150 participants representing close to 30 country clusters and over 40 global partners, the Global Education Cluster convened its 2023 GEC Annual Partners Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, 14-16 June, around the theme: Gearing Up to Meet the Education Needs of Crisis-Affected Girls and Boys.

The Annual Partners Meeting shed light on the urgent climate crisis and its impact on humanitarian operations, EiE, and children on the frontlines. Global partners, education clusters, working groups and experts discussed the real-time implications of these trends and how we can gear up to meet the growing education needs. Thematic sessions explored using data and evidence, ensuring quality learning, and promoting inclusive education as key strategies to overcome EiE challenges ahead. Participants also had the unique opportunity to hear from clusters and partners on their work improving EiE around the world using innovative strategies and approaches. Valuable feedback and concrete suggestions were shared from the thematic deep dive sessions, paving the way for a roadmap on how we can gear up to ensure inclusive and quality education is delivered from day one of humanitarian emergencies. Building on the 2022-25 GEC Strategy, this roadmap, as one of the primary outcomes of the Annual Partner Meeting, pulled together collective actions to help us gear up to: 

1. Ensure every cluster and working group anticipates and is prepared to respond to new or deteriorating humanitarian emergencies
2. Place education at the forefront of the response, from day one of a crisis 
3. Drive inclusive, quality responses anchored in evidence 
4. Mobilize more partners to reach more girls and boys, more effectively, impactfully and inclusively

For a quick overview of the key messages and takeaways from the event, view the GEC Annual Partners Meeting Recap Video.

The slides/presentations from the 2023 Annual Partners Meeting and Country Coordination Teams Retreat can be accessed here. 

You can view photos from the 2023 Annual Partners Meeting and Country Coordination Teams Retreat here.

The Final Report is also available.