Honour Peshawar Children

Dear friends,

Yesterday a band of men walked into a school in Pakistan and massacred over 100 kids. These Taliban extremists see education as a threat and the best way to respond to their heinous crime is to meet their attack with a global call to get every child in school:

Yesterday a band of men walked into a school in Pakistan and massacred over 100 kids. 100 CHILDREN! What kind of person does something like this?

Someone who sees schools as a primary driver to keep young people from recruitment into a life of violence. Education isn't just the best antidote to poverty, it is one of the best anti-terrorism tactics -- it helps kids get out of hopelessness and into opportunity. Let's meet this tragedy with a massive global call to get every child in school.

Our governments promised they would get all kids across the world in school by the end of 2015. Let's make it happen now for Pakistan and other countries — join the campaign to honour the memory of the children of Peshawar — it will be delivered by Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy on Education, to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and leaders who can make it a reality. Add your name now:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/honour_peshawar_children_e/?bIiqNab&v=50110

When 15-year old Malala was shot by the Taliban, nearly 1 million of us called on the Pakistani government to fulfill her dream of education for all. Gordon Brown delivered our petition directly to the Pakistani President, who signed it himself and announced a stipend programme for 3 million children.

But there are still 5.5 million kids out of school in Pakistan today, and over 58 million around the world. Since 2010 the drive to get kids in school has stalled, especially in places of conflict like Peshawar. But if current aid was targeted to primary schools, we'd only need just over $6b to fund education for every child for the first time in history! 

Facing down the Taliban, rebuilding parents’ trust that schools are safe and ensuring the government stands firm will be a battle. But if we do nothing the extremists win, and every child loses. A massive global push now can help ensure kids are behind desks not guns -- click below to sign the petition:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/honour_peshawar_children_e/?bIiqNab&v=50110

From Syria to Sudan, our community has come together time and again to demand innocent children are protected and not the victims of violence. Now let’s come together to demand education for all -- the biggest long term solution to violent extremism -- and give the world’s children a better future.

With hope,

Alice, Emma, Sam, Pascal, Laila, Ricken, and the whole Avaaz team  

MORE INFORMATION

Pakistan Taliban: Peshawar school attack leaves 141 dead (BBC)
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30491435

5.5 million children out of school in Pakistan: UNESCO report (Tribune)
http://tribune.com.pk/story/666285/5-5-million-children-out-of-school-in-pakistan-unesco-report/

Education budget decreased despite promises (Dawn.com)
http://www.dawn.com/news/1110706

Govt announces 700bn defence budget (Tribune)
http://tribune.com.pk/story/716913/budget-2014-defence-budget-increasing-at-diminishing-rate/

Pakistan marks 'Malala Day' with school aid (AlJazeera)
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2012/11/20121110535489628.html

UN initiative tackles inequality of educational opportunity around the world
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/un-initiative-tackles-inequality-of-educational-opportunity/

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