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Pledging Conference November 2011Representatives from over 52 countries gathered in Copenhagen to make financial and policy commitments to achieve quality education for all children  The first Pledging Conference of the Global Partnership for Education took place on November 8, 2011 and was the culmination of our replenishment campaign to mobilize resources and political commitments for basic education development and progress towards universal quality basic education for the period 2011-2014. Ministers and high-level officials from donor and developing countries, heads of UN agencies, CEOs from private companies and foundations, senior leaders from CSOs, teachers' unions, and development banks. The pledging event was hosted by Denmark and co-sponsored by Australia, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Rwanda and Guyana. THE PLEDGESThe Pledging Conference featured a total of 58 pledges by donor and developing country governments, multilateral, civil society and private sector organizations to advance progress towards Education for All between 2011 and 2014 in low-income countries. Donors pledged more than $1.5bn for the Global Partnership for Education from 2011-2014, and made a commitment to increase bilateral education aid and improve its effectiveness over the next three years. Developing country partners pledged to raise domestic funding for basic education by more than $2bn and committed to improve education access and quality. All government partners committed to the policy goals of improving progress in girls' education, fragile states, learning outcomes and education access. Civil Society Organizations pledged to monitor the donor country pledges, provide teacher training and school construction, fight for girls' education and eliminate child marriage, among other important commitments. The private sector and private foundations pledged to commit to improve learning outcomes and literacy outcomes as well as access to education for children in fragile states and decrease the overall number of out-of-school children through education programs valued at $687 million. International organizations such as UNICEF, UNESCO and the World Bank pledged their organizational leadership and financial resources to support the goals of the Global Partnership. 25 MILLION MORE CHILDREN IN SCHOOLWith 46 current developing country partners and more expected to join the partnership, the Global Partnership for Education will provide much needed grant funding to implement national education strategies around the world over the next three years. Funding dedicated to the Global Partnership for Education will help enroll an additional 25 million children into classrooms for the first time, train 600,000 new teachers and reduce illiteracy for primary school aged children. LOOKING AHEADThe Pledging Conference signaled the launch of the Global Partnership for Education replenishment campaign which will last through 2014. The Global Partnership for Education expects new donors to join the partnership in the coming years, and the delivery of additional funding from traditional donors in 2013 and 2014 which will help achieve the ultimate target of $2.5 billion Read all pledges in English and French from representatives from donor and developing country governments, multilateral, civil society, foundations and private sector organizations.
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