On November 14th the APPG on Global Education was proud to host a parliamentarian drop-in session for MPs and Peers to meet with youth campaigners from the Send My Friend to School Campaign.
Send My Friend to School (SMF) is a coalition of UK-based civil society organisations who campaign on global education issues. Through its School’s Campaign, Send My Friend supports 250,000 UK children who campaign each year for every child around the world to receive their right to a quality education. The coalition currently is campaigning for the UK Government to take further action on education in emergencies.
Across the globe, crises of conflict and disaster are preventing millions of children from accessing their right to education. Education in emergencies is a life-saving and life-protecting service, providing a lifeline for young people to access safe and supportive spaces where they can gain practical and academic skills, maintain a sense of normalcy, and, most critically, restore their hopes for a brighter future. Yet when responding to these crises, education is often neglected or under-resourced when children need support the most.
SMF’s Parliamentary Action Day was led by 20 youth Campaign Champions (years 9 and 10) from 10 schools across the UK. APPG Co-Chair Vicky Ford welcomed the Campaign Champions upon their arrival as they set out on a full day of meetings, tours, and sitting in the public gallery.
25 parliamentarians attended the drop-in session organised with the APPG to discuss with Campaign Champions the importance of the UK Government working to Prepare, Protect, Invest and Act to ensure that children experiencing disasters, conflict and protracted crises are able to access school and continue their learning.
Thank you to all of the brilliant youth campaigners for their visit and for championing this important issue within global education!