«We are not going to lose a generation», said Christos Stylianides
English version of my interview for QN
The refugee crisis cannot be handled by a single country, as well as cannot be addressed only in Europe. It has to be addressed also in its external dimension, as shown by the action fo the European Commission, where many different commissioners are involved in separate and different actions. One of these commissioners is Christos Stylianides, responsible for Humanitarian aids and crisis management. He explains QN why Italy cannot address the migration crisis alone why education in refugee camps is key.
Do you thing Italy is acting properly in managing the migration crisis both in Italy and abroad?
«As Europeans we have to face the refugee crisis together. And in Italy you know the facts as well as anyone. What is happening in Syria is the main source for the unprecedented refugee crisis. The conflict has triggered the world's largest humanitarian crisis worldwide since World War II, with Syrian refugees now accounting for the largest single refugee population in our generation. Considering the scale of this crisis, it's clear not a single country can handle this alone. We need a common European response, because the refugee crisis cannot be the responsibility of single member states but something we face together».
It has been said and repeated that education has to be one of the main tools to deal with the migration crisis. How to act in practice?
«I've been to Jordan and Lebanon one month ago and met Syrian refugee families. Today many families are leaving their country not only to get food or shelter, but also to give their children a future. To get access to education.I think we can all agree that education is a positive investment. In practice this means increasing our EU humanitarian support for education in emergencies to avoid a lost generation of young people. Education is an investment against radicalization. Teachers to give them important life skills and restore their hope for a better life».
What the European Union has already done and what is going to do in third countries for the refugees education? What EU Commission proposal can we expect in the coming months?
«The EU supports education through various support measures, not only through humanitarian aid, for example through development or neighbourhood funding. A concrete example regarding humanitarian aid of our past and current work is the EU Children of Peace initiative set up in 2012, which funds humanitarian projects providing education and psychosocial support for children in situations of emergency. Since 2012, funding has increased every year: 2 million Euro in 2012, 4 million in 2013, more than 6 million in 2014 and 11 million Euro this year. Overall we have given 23 million Euro for EU Children of Peace projects. By the end this year, more than 1.5 million children will have benefitted from the initiative in 26 countries around the world. I'm pleased to say that next year in 2016 we are going to give our highest amount ever to education in emergencies».
Are member States involved in this process?
«I have committed to increase the EU humanitarian aid budget for education in emergencies to 4%, at the moment it is around 1%. I take the opportunity to urge all other donors to follow the Commission’s example and allocate more funding to education in emergencies, at least to reach the global target of 4 %. Member states can also contribute funds to the common EU trust funds and/or to the EU Children of Peace Initiative, as the government of Austria and Luxembourg did in 2014. I hope Italy can also?»
How to be sure money are used properly?
«We work with key international partners and well established organisations such as the United Nations agencies. We have strong monitoring mechanisms in place. Our staff, based in the field, monitor all EU funded projects to ensure money is spent correctly».
The refugee crisis cannot be handled by a single country, as well as cannot be addressed only in Europe. It has to be addressed also in its external dimension, as shown by the action fo the European Commission, where many different commissioners are involved in separate and different actions. One of these commissioners is Christos Stylianides, responsible for Humanitarian aids and crisis management. He explains QN why Italy cannot address the migration crisis alone why education in refugee camps is key.
Do you thing Italy is acting properly in managing the migration crisis both in Italy and abroad?
«As Europeans we have to face the refugee crisis together. And in Italy you know the facts as well as anyone. What is happening in Syria is the main source for the unprecedented refugee crisis. The conflict has triggered the world's largest humanitarian crisis worldwide since World War II, with Syrian refugees now accounting for the largest single refugee population in our generation. Considering the scale of this crisis, it's clear not a single country can handle this alone. We need a common European response, because the refugee crisis cannot be the responsibility of single member states but something we face together».
It has been said and repeated that education has to be one of the main tools to deal with the migration crisis. How to act in practice?
«I've been to Jordan and Lebanon one month ago and met Syrian refugee families. Today many families are leaving their country not only to get food or shelter, but also to give their children a future. To get access to education.I think we can all agree that education is a positive investment. In practice this means increasing our EU humanitarian support for education in emergencies to avoid a lost generation of young people. Education is an investment against radicalization. Teachers to give them important life skills and restore their hope for a better life».
What the European Union has already done and what is going to do in third countries for the refugees education? What EU Commission proposal can we expect in the coming months?
«The EU supports education through various support measures, not only through humanitarian aid, for example through development or neighbourhood funding. A concrete example regarding humanitarian aid of our past and current work is the EU Children of Peace initiative set up in 2012, which funds humanitarian projects providing education and psychosocial support for children in situations of emergency. Since 2012, funding has increased every year: 2 million Euro in 2012, 4 million in 2013, more than 6 million in 2014 and 11 million Euro this year. Overall we have given 23 million Euro for EU Children of Peace projects. By the end this year, more than 1.5 million children will have benefitted from the initiative in 26 countries around the world. I'm pleased to say that next year in 2016 we are going to give our highest amount ever to education in emergencies».
Are member States involved in this process?
«I have committed to increase the EU humanitarian aid budget for education in emergencies to 4%, at the moment it is around 1%. I take the opportunity to urge all other donors to follow the Commission’s example and allocate more funding to education in emergencies, at least to reach the global target of 4 %. Member states can also contribute funds to the common EU trust funds and/or to the EU Children of Peace Initiative, as the government of Austria and Luxembourg did in 2014. I hope Italy can also?»
How to be sure money are used properly?
«We work with key international partners and well established organisations such as the United Nations agencies. We have strong monitoring mechanisms in place. Our staff, based in the field, monitor all EU funded projects to ensure money is spent correctly».
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