Executive Director Mine and Visiting Fellow Kitamura Speak at an Official Side Event for the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2023

At the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development 2023, held at the United Nations headquarters from July 10 to 19, 2023, the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development (JICA Ogata Research Institute) Executive Director Mine Yoichi and Visiting Fellow Kitamura Yuto (also Professor at the Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo) took the stage for an official side event titled “Ensuring Education Continuity: The Roles of Education in Emergencies, Protracted Crises, and Building Peace.” This side event was initiated by the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations and co-organized by the JICA Ogata Research Institute in collaboration with other governments, international organizations, and civil society organizations.

As an introduction, Mine gave a speech at the beginning of the panel discussion. Drawing on statements by the late Ogata Sadako, he said, “whether it is policy making or research, we should always start from the urgent needs arising on the ground.” He continued to cite Ogata’s remarks about the need to get closer to the most destitute people and seek solutions from this point of contact. He also mentioned the following points:
1) Human security is an agenda that seeks to strengthen people’s power to choose by grounding security practices in the lived realities of people. It is also an agenda that protects the life, livelihood and dignity of each and every person from multiple risks, including armed conflict, forced migration, disasters induced by climate change, pandemics, and economic crises.
2) In times of crisis, it is critically important to continue educational activities both in and out of schools. Education protects and empowers children and youth, and this process should not be interrupted. In coordination with other donors and UN agencies, JICA has accepted young Syrian refugees as graduate students, and used IT technology to keep school education running in Ukraine. JICA has also supported the education sector in conflict-ridden Afghanistan, but is now facing serious challenges.
3) In times of compounded crises, there arises an urgent need to guarantee people’s right to education. However, aid should not be a one-sided charity. There is an absolute need for vulnerable people, including children, to have confidence in their potential and for external actors to respect local agency.

Mine concluded his speech by saying, “We are obliged to listen to people’s voices at the grassroots level and build policy frameworks from the bottom up.”

During the panel discussion, Kitamura moderated a discussion among the panelists about initiatives to continue education during crises. The panel discussed that in countries such as South Sudan, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Uganda, there were different crises in terms of continuing education—not only conflicts, but COVID-19 pandemics, as well. They emphasized that education is important in terms of conflict prevention, and that education is fundamental for social and economic recovery.

Reports were also given about the current situation of limited educational opportunities for vulnerable groups such as women and refugees. In light of the lack of access to education for many children due to various crises occurring around the world, the panelists from the Global Partnership for Education, Education Cannot Wait, UNESCO, UNICEF, and UNHCR introduced new tools such as digital technology, as well as initiatives incorporating psychosocial support approaches, as ways to support education during crises.

A lively discussion ensued on the significance and measures for continuing education in the midst of complex and protracted crises.

This side event can be viewed via UN Web TV below.