Inclusive Education in Emergencies: Challenges and Perspectives

Abstract

The international scenario returns an alarming situation of childhood conditions in the contexts of humanitarian emergency caused by natural disasters, wars and pandemics. For many years the dimensions of emergency, education and inclusion appeared irreconcilable, until international cooperation policies began to adopt an approach that makes use of education and inclusion as indispensable tools and dimensions in crisis contexts for the children's rights protection. The difficulties present in this type of intervention are numerous and heterogeneous, opening the pedagogical reflection to fundamental questions on the meaning of an educational intervention during a humanitarian crisis, on the possibility of identifying the pedagogical axes to be adopted, on the basis of the social, cultural and political context, and finally on the importance of ensuring an inclusive approach. The reflection unfolds through the analysis of the inclusive educational approach “Diamond Kite Project” (DkiteP) within the Gaza Strip, making use of the testimonies of three key actors who have intervened in various capacities in the process of conception, training and implementation of the tool in the school environment. The analysis of the DkiteP has highlighted some relevant issues related to the theoretical framework on Education in Emergency: first of all, the challenge of school inclusion in emergency contexts is confirmed as complex as necessary.