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EU increases humanitarian aid for education

Xinhua, December 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Commission announced on Wednesday a further increase of humanitarian aid budget in supporting education projects in emergency situations around the world.

The increase from 4 percent in 2016 to 6 percent in 2017 of the humanitarian aid budget, puts the Commission well ahead of the global average, said the EU executive arm in a statement.

"Education is not a privilege, education is a right. It is one of our top priorities in our humanitarian aid programs, from the Middle East to Africa and beyond," said Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.

"Our aim is to enable access to quality education in a safe learning environment for vulnerable children caught in situations of emergency," said Stylianides.

The percentage of EU humanitarian support allocated to education in emergencies support is now six times higher than it was in 2014.

The aid will be channeled through non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UN agencies and international organisations to reach the most vulnerable.

About 75 million children living in crisis-affected countries and forced displacement lack access to quality education. Endit