HH Sheikha Moza Visits UNHCR for Update on EAC Education Projects

Geneva, February 28 (QNA) - HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser on Thursday visited the headquarters of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva to discuss progress in the education projects that UNHCR is running with the support of HH's Educate A Child initiative. In her first visit to the UNHCR headquarters, HH was welcomed by High Commissioner Mr. Antonio Guterres. HH discussed with UNHCR representatives some of the positive results of Educate A Child (EAC) support to UNHCR's education activities in refugee camps. In November 2012, HH launched EAC to trigger significant progress in helping children in difficult circumstances, including poverty and conflict, gain access to education. EAC is working with a number of partners, including U.N. agencies and local NGOs, and has already supported over half a million children. The partnership between EAC and UNHCR benefited over 176,000 school children in 2012 in camps across Africa, Asia and the Middle East region. EAC support has helped with construction of classrooms and teacher accommodation, increased enrollment, teacher training and provision of textbooks and desks. In addition, EAC support to UNHCR has provided a platform to discuss the situation of refugees in some countries and to advocate for quality education as a necessity along with food, housing, and health care. Children affected by conflict and crisis are a long-standing priority for HH, who is a UNESCO Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education, U.N. Advocate for the second Millennium Development Goal to achieve universal primary education, and a member of steering committee of Education First, set up by U.N. Secretary-General in September 2012. (QNA)