“We’re not asking, we’re demanding.”: #UpForSchool petition reaches 8 million signatures.

As world leaders met in Oslo this past week to formulate a response to the declining support for education around the world, the #UpForSchool petition surged past 8 million signatures. A World At School’s Youth Ambassador Hellen Griberg took the stage and delivered a unequivocal speech on their behalf.

More than one million signatures were added in the past week after Angry Birds released a new #UpForSchool tournament to support the campaign and global star Justin Bieber became the latest celebrity to sign and asked his fans to do the same.

Petition signatures have been collected all around the world by young people and organisations. Muslim Aid has collected more than 1.8 million signatures Gaza, Lebanon and other countries, education network Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) has collected 1.6 million signatures in Pakistan and World Vision and BRAC collected 2.7 million in Bangladesh.

We know that nothing changes without pressure. This is a global movement led by young people around the world and supported by a diverse network of faith groups, businesses, charities and campaign organisations – all coming together to demand world leaders to keep their promise and get every child into school. Every day a child is out of school they are at risk of child labour, early marriage and deeper poverty.
Ben Hewitt, A World at School