Former child laborers from Africa, Asia and Latin America were joined by 50 United States student leaders from various states in fighting illiteracy, child labor and poverty. They expressed that education is a fundamental right of all children and the denial of education is the failure of the world leaders. They challenged the US leadership on remaining at the bottom of the rich countries countries in its funding for education of children in the poor countries. These children and youth reminded the world leaders to keep their promises and demanded immediate steps to open the classroom doors to the 80 million children still standing outside of classrooms.

Middle and high school students from across the United States assembled in Washington, DC, to take part in the Youth Conference on Education as a Human Right organized by the International Center on Child Labor and Education, the global advocacy office of Global March Against Child labor, to observe the Global Action Week on Education for All last Thursday. The event was supported by the US Child Labor Coalition, American Federation of Teachers and the National Consumers League.

Ashely, a junior from Thomas Dale High School, Chester, Virginia said, “The most effective vaccine for HIV/Aids, fighting poverty, unemployment and child labor is education.” Claire, a junior from the same school, said, “The United States, as the most powerful nation,
should take the responsibility in providing for underprivileged children in poor countries.” Another junior from Thomas Dale High School Brittany gave the example of Niger where the Government is running short of 36,000 teachers. She suggested that students majoring in education or foreign languages and eager to volunteer can be sent to Niger by the United States government to help the underprivileged children who are eager to learn, to encourage the youth eager to travel, and to help others with lesser opportunities.

Mariah, a junior from Bainbridge Island High School, Washington, said that she was shocked to learn that United States per capita spending on education is only one dollar annually compared to 20 US dollars spending by Briton. She further emphasized that two and a half days of military expenditure can meet the annual expenses of educating children standing outside classrooms.

Edward A, a sophomore from Central Islip High School, New York, asked why our brothers in poor countries are not given a fighting chance to receive an education by our leaders and reminded that the US Government should lead the way by meeting the promises made to Education for All.

Kinsu Kumar, 12, a former domestic child worker and now a student of grade seven in India, asked the US law makers to show their leadership in making this world safer for the children by meeting the educational demands of 280 million children forced to work today. The promises must not remain on paper but be proven by actual disbursement of funds.

A former slave boy Freeman, 15, from Ghana said, "Education gave me the power to speak and courage to confront my situation," and he desires to become and Architect now.

Brillith, 17, from Colombia, who could enter the classroom only at the age of 11 as she was forced to work as a street vendor, expressed her viewpoint, “Poverty cannot be eradicated without education.” She said, “it is so empowering to be here with US children who speak on our behalf and joined us in our struggle.”

Taylor from Lexington Catholic High School in Kentucky said, “Interaction with these children has opened my eyes as never before I realized that illiteracy is such a big curse.”

Speaking on the occasion, the President of the Global Campaign for Education Kailash Satyarthi said, “At least 8-10 million children across 120 countries are joining hands this week to demand an urgent action in solving the biggest global crisis of our times. What else could be a bigger scandal than 80 million children are denied their fundamental right to Education? The doors of the classroom are not merely steel and wood but they are openings to the world of equal opportunities, rights, justice and dignity for the poor.” Addressing the youth, Mr. Satyarthi said, “You are the most sacred and strongest voices against the silence and the brightest faces in the dark. No one can stop us to put an end to the educational crisis.”

Ruth Kagia, Head of the Education Unit of The World Bank, expressed her optimism that the increased social mobilization and youth participation is the most promising signal to end the vicious circle of illiteracy, child labor, poverty and violence.

Gene Sperling, Chair, Campaign for Education, USA, and former Chief Economic Advisor to US President Clinton, informed that some 40,000 schools across the country are joining hands on this occasion of Global Action Week. He demanded that the US administration must enhance its overseas aid to education.

The representative of IPEC-ILO Shireen Khan said, “The new joint initiative of the UN agencies and the Global March, the Global Task Force on Child Labor and Education, is an expression of the willingness of the international community in addressing the issue of child labor and education as an integrated issue.”

Dr. Sudhanshu Joshi, Executive Director, International Center on Child Labor and Education, thanked the Congressional supporters Senator Tom Harkin (D- IA) , Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA), Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC), Congressman Joe Baca (D-CA), Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) for supporting the event. During the day the students also called on Congressman Ben Chandler (D-KY), Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA), and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA). The students also handed the declaration of the Youth Conference to the offices of Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA).

Dr. Joshi appreciated the increased involvement of the U.S. teachers in this issue. He further emphasized that the US spending on global education will in fact be viewed as the most effective spending on national security. He mentioned that the students walking in the hallways of the Capitol Hill buildings and wearing the shirt "Education for Liberation" has generated spectacular attention and their voices will echo in these hallways of the Hill to urge urgent action from the US leadership.

To view slide shows of the event, please go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/sudhanshu.joshi/ICCLE2007DayOne

http://picasaweb.google.com/sudhanshu.joshi/ICCLEDayTwoCapitolHill

What: Please join the International Center on Child Labor and Education, high school students from across the U.S. and their teachers for a two-hour conference with child laborers from Colombia, Ghana and India during the Global Campaign for Education's Action Week for Global Education. The conference will focus on U.S. students sharing what they hope their leaders will do. It will also be a moment of truth to hear the inspiring stories of child laborers and their vision of the future world.

When: Thursday, April 26, 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Where: Russell Senate Office Building, Room 385, Capitol Hill

Congressional Cosponsors:

• Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) 
• Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA)
• Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA)
• Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC)
• Congressman Joe Baca (D-CA)
• Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY)

Please RSVP to Beth at 202-974-8124 or blindley@iccle.org

Objective: The United States needs to fill in the financial and moral deficit that is denying the children of the world the Right to Education.

Program:
12:00 – 12:05 p.m.            Welcome address by Gene Sperling, Chair - U.S. Global Campaign for Education
12:05 – 12:10 p.m.            Introduction of the conference by youth leader
12:10 – 12:15 p.m.            Introduction of the child laborers by Kailash Satyarthi, President - Global Campaign for Education
12:15 – 12:35 p.m             Remarks by child laborers turned child rights activists:

• Luz, 13, Colombia
• Brillith, 17 years, Colombia
• Freeman, 16, Ghana
• Kinsu Kumar, 12, India

12:35 – 12:55 p.m.          Presentations by U.S. student leaders
12:55 – 1:55 p.m.            Address to the youth from their Leaders

• Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA), 1:00–1:10 p.m.
• Ruth Kagia, Head of the Education Unit, The World Bank
• Shireen Khan, IPEC, ILO, Geneva
• Kailash Satyarthi, President - Global Campaign for Education

1:55 – 2:00 p.m.             Concluding remarks by Gene Sperling, Chair - U.S. Global Campaign for Education

Press Conference addressed by leaders, child laborers, and two U.S. student leaders. Expected Media: BBC World Service, Al-Jazeera Washington Bureau, Reuters, Associated Press. For media inquiries, please Sudhanshu Joshi, 202-258-8873, sjoshi@iccle.org

Why:  It is important to recognize that donor governments are leaning away from the funding the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC) and, instead, are investing in Education for All with the view that all children can go to school provided the hardest to reach children out of school are included in national education plans and strategies. Child laborers are the largest segment of hardest to reach children out of school.

Total funding for the IPEC program draws close to 50-55 million USD. The United States provides about 70 percent of this budget, and the remaining 30 percent is provided by 19 other donor governments. On the other hand, the current total commitments to Education for All are close to 4 billion USD. Yet the United States remains at the bottom of all the rich industrialized countries in terms of its financing of the education compact.

Over the last five years, the Global March against Child Labor has fought for policy consensus that child labor is the biggest barrier to achieving Education for All. This is showing results in terms of commitments made by the external donors, particularly from the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and United Kingdom. The cause of child labor is better served if we are also able to situate the issue of child labor within the education sector financing, which is attracting overwhelming support from donor governments.

Many causes are served if we are able to provide quality education for all. Upping United States leadership and commitment to sustained aid flows for education, will better serve the purpose of fighting child labor, building lasting peace and security, protecting human rights, expanding democracy, empowering people and, above all, investing in a right vision of the world.

Expected Outcomes:

• Youth Declaration for members of Congress
• A road map for enhancing U.S. leadership in meeting the requirements of long-term sustained and predictable funding for a global education initiative to promote lasting peace, security, democracy, and human rights

Invitees:

• U.S. Representatives and Senators of U.S. student participants
• Congressional Prayer Caucus
• Congressional Human Rights Caucus
• Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans
• Congressional Hispanic Caucus
• Head ILO-IPEC, Geneva
• Members organizations of the Child Labor Coalition
• Member organizations of the U.S. Chapter of the Global Campaign for Education
• The general public