John Bowis is executive director of Save the Children New Zealand.
KEY POINTS:
Back in 2000, education for all children was identified as a realistic Millennium Development Goal.
But Save the Children's latest report, Last in Line, Last in School 2008, shows that, eight years on, more than half the world's 72 million out-of-school children live in countries affected by war and conflict - and little is being done to help them.
Imagine life as a child living in a country ravaged by war and internal conflict. Your home has been bombed as well as those of your friends and family.
The local hospital has been reduced to rubble and so has your school. The streets are littered with the debris of warfare, the fields you long to play in hide a labyrinth of landmines.
With your parents, you watch as the endless cycle of poverty and conflict grinds on - with little hope of escape to a better life.
Today, 37 million children around the world live this way, in so-called "conflict-affected fragile states".
Given that most conflicts last for more than 10 years, these children are spending their childhoods living in fear and without access to education. On a larger scale, these individual tragedies have a devastating impact on the healthy development of families and society, and can take generations to repair.
Education breaks the lethal cycle of poverty and conflict. It is a high priority for children and parents in conflict and post-conflict situations. It should also be a priority for all those who work with them.
World leaders and leading development institutions have identified primary education for all children by 2015 as a realistic Millennium Development Goal. Unfortunately, trends indicate we will miss that target.
In spite of recent donor rhetoric, the international community is failing to prioritise support for education in these conflict-affected states.
Despite being home to more than half the world's 72 million out-of-school population, the children living in such countries receive only one-fifth of total education aid.
In 2006, Save the Children launched its first global campaign. Rewrite the Future focuses on securing quality education by 2010 for three million out-of-school children living in such areas. We are also working to improve the quality of education for a further five million already in school.
But we can't do it on our own. And little help is forthcoming. Our latest report highlights the stark disparity between education aid to middle- and low-income countries, and that made available to conflict states.
It shows that aid provided in recent years by rich governments has not targeted children in countries affected by conflict.
Of the US$9 billion needed to address basic education aid worldwide, US$5.2 billion - around US$45 for every school-age child - should be going to children in the affected states.
New Zealand's fair share of that US$5.2 billion (based on our gross national income), is US$17 million or US14c per child. So far we have committed US$600,000 - just US1c for every child. Australia's fair share amounts to US$105 million (US90c a child) yet it has committed even less than US1c per child.
Millions of children face a bleak future. Urgent action is needed to ensure they receive an education - their right. It is time to stop wringing hands and start making a difference.
Last year, education in conflict-affected places was finally acknowledged as a key issue on the international agenda.
This must be the year for concrete actions by donors and other international actors.
Save the Children is urging the international community to increase long-term aid to the conflict-affected states with at least 50 per cent of new, basic education commitments going to the affected countries.
Every year of schooling increases individual wages for men and women by a worldwide average of 10 per cent.
No country has reached sustained economic growth without achieving near universal primary education. So it makes sense that good-quality education is made a frontline service in every humanitarian response.
* Save the Children New Zealand's Rewrite the Future campaign is hosting Team Talk with Graham Henry and members of the All Blacks, its official sponsors, at a charity fundraising dinner on Thursday, in Auckland. Details at www.savethechildren.org.nz or www.internationalevents.co.nz
