Press Release from International Center On Child Labor And Education
Washington, D.C. April 25, 2004

Left to right: Mr. Hillary Benn UK Minister for Development Aileen Carroll. Development Cooperation Minster from Canada, Mr. A.Zene, Finance Minister from Niger, Kailash Satyarthi, Chair, Global Campaign for Education. Left to right: Mr. Hillary Benn UK Minister for Development Aileen Carroll. Development Cooperation Minster from Canada, Mr. A.Zene, Finance Minister from Niger, Kailash Satyarthi, Chair, Global Campaign for Education. Mr. Xavier Darcos, French Minister of Development, Ms. Hilde Hohnson, Norwegian Minister of Development, Mr. James Wolfensohn President The World Bank, Hillary Benn British Minister of Development at the Press briefing during the spring meeting of World Bank April 25, 04 Mr Satyarthi with Ms. Hilde Johnson Minister of Development, Norway and the French and the Canadian Development Cooperation Ministers standing next to them.

Speaking on behalf of 100 Million children deprived from their fundamental right to education. Mr. Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson of the Global Campaign for Education / Global March Against Child Labour slammed the rich countries for breaking their promises made time and again to them their parents and even their grand parents since 1948 when the education was enshrined as a human right. He said, "Is it not a shame that when we talk of military and defense and war budgets, we use the figures of billions, but when it comes to education, we always talk in millions? Why can't we go beyond that and talk of billions which is required for education? How long will we keep talking about more money for education? We have to talk about enough money for education, which has been promised by the international community."

He was addressing the official press conference of the IMF-World Bank Development committee spring meeting here in Washington, D.C. today along with the President of the World Bank and Development Cooperation Ministers from Netherlands, Norway, France, Canada and UK.

He further said that 246 million children are caught in the vicious circle of poverty, child labor and illiteracy, and out of them, approximately two-thirds or even more are languishing in the worst forms of exploitation, including slavery. Similarly millions are innocent sufferers of HIV/AIDS. He questioned the rich countries leaders that "what is their fault? Is it their sin to be born in the Southern Hemisphere or to be born in poor families or to be born as girls? Unfortunately, this is the truth of the day. Education is not a charity for them. Education means freedom, freedom from slavery, freedom from poverty and injustice. Education is life for these potential HIV/AIDS victims. Today, the Global Campaign for Education / Global March Against Child Labour is launching a new research, showing that achieving universal primary education can protect at least 7 million new HIV/AIDS victims in one decade. Similarly, the recent ILO study shows that investment in education for elimination of child labor will give approximately seven times return."

Mr. Satyarthi reminded that "Perhaps you and me can wait, but not the children. Their childhood is stolen every minute, every day, and we have to protect it now, not tomorrow. He said that the good news is that during the last one week, under the auspices of the Global Campaign for Education / Global March Against Child Labour , over 1 million children were on the streets on behalf of these 100 million children. Over a dozens heads of nations and heads of state joined hands with these children. Hundreds of parliament members all over the world and dozens of ministers for education and development joined hands with these children for education in the world's biggest lobby week, which we organized. Now it time to deliver the better news that put money on table.

Earlier speaking on the occasion the Netherlands Development Minister Agnes van Ardenne said that there are still over 100 million girls and boys who do not attend school, and we are still far short of the US$5.7 billion of external support that we need every year to assure Education for All. Education is not only about getting children to school. It's also about focusing on quality, combating child labor and teaching people vocational skills. The Netherlands is ready. Backed by strong popular support at home, we are committed to tripling our support for education in the coming three years to 600 million euros a year, and you know the euro is stronger than the dollar.

Norwegian Development Minister Hilde Johnson lamented that military spending takes approximately US$850 billion; US$5.6 billion is not much money. She expressed her desire that if all developed countries met the UN target of 0.7 percent of their GDP to development assistance and set aside 15 percent of that for education, there would be more than enough funds to offer every child on this Earth what is her right, access to basic education. She reminded that this is what Norway is doing, this is what the Netherlands is doing, and if it can be done similarly by all the developed countries, the Dakar Education targets can be met.

French Development Minister Xavier Darcos said that If the international community backs primary education, we will be able to attain this ambitious objective. He welcomed the Fast Track Initiative, because according to him it has made this initiative credible by grouping multilateral donors in support of common objectives.

UK International Development Secretary Hillary Benn committed that the U.K. is playing its part. This year, U.K. has spent US$280 million on supporting education and next year, that will rise to US$425 million, and over the next four years. He also announced that the U.K. will be contributing US$20 million to the Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund and underlying that is an initial contribution.

Canadian Minister for International Cooperation Aileen Carroll said that Canadian Government is scaling up support, to ensure that every child has access to and the ability to complete primary education. The Niger Finance Minister Ali Lamine Zene also spoke on the occasion.

World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn said that it is the moment of truth now for the EFA Fast track initiative. It is the time now for the donors to be consistent and assure certainty of funds.

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For further details or picture of the event contact: Sudhanshu Joshi 202-258-8873

For full text of the transcripts of speeches please visit the link::
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