November 20 marked World Children’s Day. The fundamental right of children to an education is reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Unfortunately education is often not a reality for many children living in Western and Central Africa, where almost 80 percent 10-year-olds are learning poor, unable to read and understand a simple text - the highest percentage in the world. High rates of learning poverty indicate that too many children are either not attending school or are in school but not learning.
Our recent blog highlighted the stories of Leah, Hauwa, and Hussaini, three children from the region, whose education has been disrupted primarily due to conflicts. Their stories illustrate challenges millions of children face in accessing and completing education and demonstrate that learning and children’s rights in the region are under pressure.
The region has the potential to create equal and inclusive...
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