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International

to Prince Saddrudin Aga Khan, who led
the Afghanistan relief effort in the Villa
La Pelouse down here in the Palais. Then
I went to Afghanistan. I have worked with
the UNDP, Peacekeeping Operations, with
different United Nations agencies such as the
UNHCR, OCHA, and now I’m the Executive
Director of Education Cannot Wait, which is a
global fund for education in emergencies and
humanitarian crises. It was established at the
world humanitarian summit in 2016.

We are hosted by UNICEF, but we serve the
whole United Nations system and civil society.
So, it is a hosting arrangement, like the Peace
Building Fund was once hosted by the UNDP. “...Education Cannot Wait, which is a global
We are quite happy where we are. In 50 fund for education in emergencies and
percent of my time, I have worked in conflict humanitarian crises. It was established at
affected countries and the rest at headquarters.
I worked with the UNHCR during the war the world humanitarian summit in 2016.”
in the Balkans, during the peace keeping
elections in Cambodia; also in Sudan, in the
Occupied Palestine Territory, in Jordan on the
Syria crises, Democratic Republic of Congo ministerial level, and then we have a director
Education Cannot Wait – and then of course I have travelled to almost level, an Executive Committee chaired by the
every single conflict country on missions United Kingdom.

a unique United Nations Success Story around the globe. So, it’s been a long time for
me, almost 32 years, in the United Nations. My When it comes to Germany, they have been
work has always been humanitarian contacts, a partner with Education Cannot Wait for
with humanitarian, development work or three years now. This is the biggest, single
Interview with human rights work. I have worked in Geneva, contribution anyone has given us in one day!
Yasmine Sherif but today I’m based in New York. 200 million euros! A year and half, maybe
two years of negotiations. It is not really
Director Education Cannot Wait Q: Today you received a huge grant of 200 negotiations, because they are our members,
million Euros from Germany. In these donor they get our reports, they see the results,
crisis times, how long time did it take to you build up credibility, and you build up
It is always nice to meet positive and dynamic Geneva. So, now we open the floor to her, so negotiate this? trust. They realise that Education Cannot
people, and Yasmine Sherif is one of them. She that you all can discover the achievements of We were established and became operational in Wait is a very lean global fund. We have 31
is modest, hardworking and loves her work in Ms Sherif and her dynamic team. 2017. At that time, we had headquarters only staff and secondments from United Nations
the United Nations. in New York, and then I made a decision to agencies and member states. So, we are very
Q: Could you please tell us a little about split so that we also had a presence in Geneva cost effective. 99.99 percent of the funds go
It was a pure coincidence that we heard yourself? because Geneva is the humanitarian capital directly to the children and youth we serve.
about the substantial gift from Germany It is interesting because we are sitting here whereas New York is the political capital of We do not have any big overhead costs. We are
of 200 million euros to the United Nations in the Palais des Nations, in Geneva, and the UN. It is also closer to Africa, Asia and the 31 persons, and that’s it, but we are reaching
global fund for education in emergencies and that is where I started my United Nations humanitarian community. We started with four millions and millions of children and youth.
protracted crises. With her staff, Ms Sherif career in 1988. I had just graduated from or five strategic donor partners, and now have So, I think donors, member states and private
has built up the fund to make it one of the Stockholm University with a master’s degree 21 strategic donor partners. They are part of sectors like this because they want their
United Nations’ success stories. Being of the in international humanitarian and human the governance board, so, they not only give us money to go where it is needed. So, that is
curious sort, we wanted to learn more about rights law, so, I’m a lawyer by training. I came funds, they are also part of decision making. what helps.
this unique fund and its exceptional director, as an Intern to the Centre for Human Rights,
and Ms Sherif was kind enough to agree to the forerunner to the High Commission We have an Executive Board and a Steering We are very strong on accountability,
answer our questions during her short visit to for Human Rights. From there I moved on Committee chaired by Gordon Brown at a and results. We have a slogan that the

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