News
Catch up on what’s happening in the world of global citizenship education.
248 results found
UNESCO makes commitments to key-drivers to gender equality: education, science and culture 2021-07-02 As the world meets at the Generation Equality Forum, UNESCO is launching a set of concrete commitments to achieve tangible progress towards gender equality in key areas over the next five years while COVID-19 has magnified deeply rooted structural gender inequalities: On Girls’ Education, UNESCO will continue to lead a multi-stakeholder global coalition to support girls’ education in the wake of COVID-19, reaching 28 million learners in more than 80 countries with quality gender-transformative teaching and learning that promotes gender equality; On Technology and Innovation, UNESCO will work to close the digital gender divide, empower women scientists, and promote the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence which is free of gender bias and sexism. UNESCO will, for example, enable 10,000 women physicists to take leadership roles and provide access to at least 10,000 girls in Africa to studies on microscience; On Creativity, UNESCO will work to economically empower women artists and those working in the creative industries in Africa, by improving their access to audiences, funds, social protection schemes and increasing the number of creative industries enterprises owned and led by women, while promoting women’s rights to create, free of violence, sexism, and sexual harassment. Gender Equality is a global priority for UNESCO that cuts across its fields of competence: education, science, culture and communication. Gender equality cannot be achieved without concrete measures. Access to education for women and girls is a priority for UNESCO. Among other efforts, we are strengthening their access to scientific training where they are still under-represented. Our work also focuses on culture, where women’s representations are essential and where they are the most affected by the pandemic.-- Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO Although women have been on the front lines of the crisis, they are suffering sever backlashes. In education, 767 million young women and girls were impacted by school closures and 11 million may never return to class, joining the 132 million who were already out of school before the crisis struck. From the economic perspective, the recession is pushing 47 million more women and girls into poverty, destroying their economic independence and making them more vulnerable to gender-based discrimination and violence. We must ensure that progress achieved by countries around the world is sustained notably in education, where, according to a new UNESCO report, girls’ primary school completion rates have reached 87%, almost 20 percentage points more than 25 years ago. Women still face all too many obstacles in science, despite the brilliant success of researchers like Kati Kariko, from Hungary, who contributed significantly to the creation of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine against coronavirus. UNESCO’s data shows that women make up only one out of three scientific researchers although they constitute 45 to 55% of all university students and 44% of PhD students. Only 3% of female higher education students, however, choose to study information and communication technologies. This is why UNESCO funds young women PhD researchers through its Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World. It also provides STEM mentorship programmes for high school girls to nurture their interest in the sciences through role models and provides courses in coding, robotics and Artificial Intelligence. UNESCO further promotes the careers of young women scientists and gives visibility to their achievements through the annual UNESCO/L'Oréal For Women in Science Award. Since 1998, more than 3,600 women scientists have been recognized, 3,500 Young Rising Talents, PhD candidates and post-doctorates, were supported through financial support and leadership training. In addition, 117 Laureates have been honored for their excellence in science, including five who have gone on to win a scientific Nobel Prize. In the field of culture, UNESCO’s recent publication Gender & Creativity: Progress on the Precipice, analyses the gender gaps in the cultural and creative industries where women artists and creators continue to face unequal access to decent work, unfair remuneration, marginalization, as well as limited access to information and communication technologies. Related links: UNESCO Priority Gender Equality UNESCO Report: “I’d blush if I could” URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-makes-commitments-key-drivers-gender-equality-education-science-and-culture 
En contextos de desinformación y plataformas informativas dudosas, los medios independientes han estado a la altura en tiempos de pandemia 2021-06-24 Press Freedom Day and Week 2020 In a conversation with the Razones Editoriales program on Radio Universidad de Santiago, UNESCO Santiago Information and Communication Coordinator Nicolás del Valle, an academic at the university, stated that the major challenges in information systems have come in the area of controlling the proliferation of fake news and the full development of journalism in a context of restricted human rights. The interview came within the framework of the partnership between the Universidad de Santiago de Chile and the UNESCO Santiago Information and Communication Sector to broadcast content during World Press Freedom Week, held from May 4 to 8, 2020. UNESCO Santiago ran an awareness campaign over social networks during the week and an interview on the university radio station. Actions were focused on promoting journalism and freedom of expression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicolás del Valle spoke about the major challenges facing journalism in unprecedented times, with a worldwide pandemic in progress. "Amidst disinformation and the emergence of dubious news platforms, independent media have stepped up to the challenge, particularly community and university news sources." -- Nicolás del Valle Similarly, Del Valle added that –since the Chilean social crisis of October 2019– the local media had faced significant shortfalls in the financing, aggravated by the concentration of ownership in the media sector. Here, he stated that the COVID-19 factor had accelerated the displacement of media financing models, which “sets and medium and long-term challenge for us about what the financing system is and how we as a country want to address an integrated information and communications policy to think about more equitable and inclusive distribution.” Listen to the full interview on Radio Universidad de Santiago Further information: Día Mundial de la Libertad de prensa 2020. Por un periodismo valiente e imparcial Premio UNESCO Guillermo Cano por la Libertad de Prensa 2020 URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/amidst-disinformation-and-dubious-information-platforms-independent-media-step-times-pandemic 
A pesar de los avances, la educación segregada persiste en Europa Central y Oriental, el Cáucaso y Asia Central 2021-06-13 Today, the regional edition of the GEM Report on inclusion and education in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia has been released in Russian, with an executive summary version produced in almost 30 regional languages, from Albanian to Uzbek and from Latvian to Georgian. A regional webinar and region-wide media release called on countries to shed one of the most poignant legacies of the second half of the 20th century: segregated education, once wrongly regarded as an efficient solution. All means all, produced by the GEM Report, the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education and the Network of Education Policy Centers, shows that in 15 out of 30 education systems, school admission depends on medical-psychological assessment and other selection procedures. While there has been progress, for instance as the percentage of children with disabilities in special schools fell from 78% in 2005/6 to 53% in 2015/6, segregation persists. One in three students with special needs in Central and Eastern Europe is placed in a special school. Even those no longer enrolled in such schools may be placed in other non-inclusive arrangements, such as special classes or home schooling. What is considered in some countries to be inclusive pedagogy may instead be a medically defined focus on disability. In Belarus, integrated classes use two curricula: a standard one for general education and another for special education; joint instruction is limited to a narrow list of subjects. Roma children continue to be the most excluded in the region. New analysis found that about 60% of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian youth in the Balkans do not attend upper secondary school; only 3% of the Roma complete secondary school in Montenegro. Roma children are also disproportionally diagnosed with intellectual disabilities. In Slovakia, learners with a Roma background, made up 63% of all children in special classes and 42% of those in special schools. A rights-based commitment to national minorities has resulted in 22 of the 30 education systems creating separate schools or classes in the home language, with additional content on history and culture for linguistic minorities. However, this parallel provision often works against inclusion; few examples provide truly inclusive practice with ethnic majorities and minorities learning together from one intercultural curriculum, as in Slovene-Hungarian bilingual schools. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the education system is segregated along ethnic lines. As the region enters the final decade of action to achieve SDG 4, with COVID-19 raising new inclusion challenges, the Report urges countries to follow these 10 recommendations: Widen the understanding of inclusive education: It should include all learners – and all means all. In laws and other documents, 19 of the 30 education systems reviewed in the region define special education needs in relation to disability. Put students at the centre: Inclusion is not just a result; it is first and foremost a process and an experience. A review of history, civics and geography curricula in 14 countries found no mention of national minorities in Albania, one in the Czech Republic, and no mention of Roma in 9 countries, including Bulgaria, Serbia and Slovakia, where they are a sizeable minority. Only the Republic of Moldova reported involving students in curriculum design. Aside from student councils in some countries, little evidence is found of student voices being heard and acted upon. Engage in meaningful consultation with communities and parents: Inclusion cannot be enforced from above. In total, 25 out of 30 education systems in the region have policies supporting parental involvement in school governance. Such involvement has helped provide feedback on curriculum and annual programme plans in Croatia and manage additional financial resources in the Russian Federation. But many efforts in the region to encourage parental participation are isolated initiatives carried out as pilot projects or implemented by NGOs. Make space for non-government actors to challenge and fill gaps: Ensure that they work towards the same inclusion goal. In Romania, a grassroots push for desegregation of schools for Roma led to legislation and policy changes. Armenia’s development of a national inclusive education policy is largely attributed to effective support by and collaboration with non-government organizations. In total, 24 education systems have legislation or policy setting out a role for organizations representing vulnerable groups, though not necessarily in both advocacy and watchdog tasks. Ensure cooperation across government departments, sectors and tiers: Inclusion in education is but a subset of social inclusion. Analysis of responses from the 30 education systems showed that inter-ministerial collaboration in policy development, implementation and coordination was common. In Lithuania, the education, health and social ministries have agreed to jointly develop measures to help children identified with autism or other developmental disabilities. However, collaboration on data collection is missing in nearly half of the education systems. Share expertise and resources: This is the only way to sustain a transition to inclusion. Countries should allocate funds based on recognized needs of schools or local authorities for support services. In the Czech Republic, a per pupil allocation is being replaced by an amount per staff member with the aim to take into account the cost of support measures and salary levels. Schools should be granted autonomy to allocate funds flexibly to support those with the greatest needs, as in Slovakia. Apply universal design: Ensure that inclusive systems fulfil every learner’s potential. All students should learn from the same flexible, relevant and accessible curricula, which recognize diversity and enable teachers to respond to various learners’ needs. Romania’s curriculum has offered a comprehensive framing of Roma history since 2017. Various models of adapted assessment can help learners demonstrate their progress and increase opportunities for those with special education needs. In Georgia, sign language standards have been elaborated to assist inclusion of learners with hearing impairment, and standards for learners with visual impairment are in preparation. Nevertheless, national assessment systems have a long way to go to become fully inclusive and respond to individual needs. Prepare, empower and motivate teachers and support personnel: They should all be prepared to teach all students. Among 14 countries in the region, only about one in two lower secondary school teachers in 2018 felt prepared to work in mixed-ability classrooms and one in three in culturally diverse classrooms. The ageing of the teaching force makes this need more pressing. Support personnel are often lacking: In about a dozen education systems, for every 30 teachers, there is 1 specialist and 1 teaching assistant, on average. Teaching assistants are just becoming part of policy in countries such as Albania and Serbia. Collect data on and for inclusion with attention and respect: Avoid labelling that stigmatizes. Historically, the region has focused data collection efforts on learners with special education needs and disabilities. Identifying groups helps make those who are disadvantaged visible. But it can also reduce children to labels, which can be self-fulfilling. The desire for detailed or robust data should not take priority over ensuring that no learner is harmed. Learn from peers: A shift to inclusion is not easy. Inclusion in education represents a move away from discrimination and prejudice. Much can be learned from sharing experiences at all levels, whether through teacher networks and learning communities or through national, regional and global platforms. URL:https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/despite-progress-segregated-education-persists-in-central-and-eastern-europe-the-caucasus-and-central-asia/ 
Educational responses to COVID-19: What was the outcome of 2020? 2021-06-10 By Alejandro Vera and Martín Scasso, UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago) It has already been a year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when almost every country in Latin America and the Caribbean decided to suspend in-person learning. This was the education sector’s first swift reaction to a situation that was both unprecedented and uncertain. It was to be followed by a series of strategies designed to provide educational continuity, which involved diverse measures and stakeholders. It has been a year of uncertainty, dynamic scenarios and accelerated processes. Reflecting back on what happened in 2020 allows us to better understand the events in question and should help us to make better decisions in the future. This reflection is made possible by the numerous efforts that were made to monitor countries’ educational responses in different contexts and on different scales during the crisis. In this regard, due to their scope, two global initiatives have been particularly important: the Global Monitoring of School Closures Caused by COVID-19, conducted by UNESCO; and the Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures, conducted by UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Bank. Two surveys were carried out: one that took place in April and the other in October 2020. A third phase is currently underway. Based on the information collected from these inquiries, the National education responses to COVID-19: the situation of Latin America and the Caribbean report by the OREALC/UNESCO Santiago, presents a regional perspective on the in-person learning situation in 2020, the countries’ responses to ensure pedagogical continuity and support to the education community, and the status of plans for reopening at the moment that the survey was carried out. What does the data tell us about what happened in 2020? How did Latin American and Caribbean countries react to the crisis caused by COVID-19 in the educational sphere? Analysing the number of days accumulated without in-person learning reveals that the region’s nations reacted quickly in closing schools at the start of the pandemic, but that they have experienced difficulties in finding the right paths to return to in-person learning. By the end of 2020, various countries – including the most populous – had been unable to start the reopening process. From the beginning of the pandemic to December 2020, over 100 million of the region’s students had no access to any kind of in-person learning. Upon analysing the national educational responses that have been implemented, a markedly heterogeneous picture emerges. The data reveal that countries had to come up with their own answers, with no precedent that they could follow, without a script or a prescription. Perhaps the clearest indicator that can be used to identify similar responses is the start date of the academic year in each country. The number of school days affected tends to fall along these lines, with the number being lower in those countries that begin the academic year in August or September. Another finding of the strategies analysed is that the measures implemented are predominantly those requiring lower investment, while the costliest tend to be implemented less frequently, demonstrating the budgetary constraints under which countries are working. As an example, when analysing the measures taken to support teachers, those that involved training and the distribution of content for remote classes have been implemented by more countries than the provision of computer equipment or funds to improve connectivity. Many responses also demonstrate the climate of uncertainty in which decisions were made during 2020. It is notable that many countries have no answer when asked about their future plans, such as changes to the school calendar, strategies for returning to in-person learning or the financial resources available for the next school year. This underlines the exceptional nature of the COVID-19 crisis: not only has it been an unprecedented situation, but its duration and evolution have also been undetermined, which have affected decision-making. The survey addresses various areas, one of the key aspects of which is the clear lack of information about the loss of learning opportunities at the national level, which is expected to be a relevant issue for 2021. As countries have suspended or postponed the majority of their national and international-level assessments, the information available at this time, and the information that is expected to be available in the near future, is anticipated to be provided mainly by individual schools. Although this information is a key resource for teachers on a local level, it has fundamental limitations when it comes to providing a diagnosis at the national level. These scenarios may have changed since Latin American and Caribbean countries completed the survey, but it is probable that the structural conditions in the region’s education systems have remained unchanged and will obstruct the implementation of many measures necessary to respond to the effects of the pandemic. A lack of access to different educational resources, as well as their unequal distribution within each country, pose additional challenges in planning for education. It is important to insist that education is prioritized in national response and recovery plans and that, above all, educational budgets are maintained, particularly when considering that many of the region’s countries have recently begun a new school year. Another priority is the strengthening of information sharing and the development of a rapid diagnosis system to understand the severity of effects, evaluate the scope of the measures implemented and the ability to respond. In this regard, it is important to place those populations with a higher risk of exclusion at the centre of government policy. Now more than ever, they need concrete effective action to ensure that inequalities are not deepened. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/educational-responses-covid-19-what-was-outcome-2020 
Appel à candidatures : Récompense UNESCO des villes apprenantes 2021 2021-05-23 Celebrating cities’ innovation in lifelong learning The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is calling for applications for the UNESCO Learning City Award 2021. The award recognizes impactful, creative and innovative lifelong learning strategies and practices at urban level. All 229 members of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) are invited to apply by 25 June 2021. Awardees will be honoured on 27 October 2021 during the fifth International Conference on Learning Cities in Yeonsu, Republic of Korea. Education is key to sustainable development and, with more than half of humanity living in urban areas, cities are at the forefront of efforts to live more sustainably. The cities making up the UNESCO GNLC aim to provide quality education and lifelong learning opportunities within their local communities to people of all ages and from all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. While each learning city has its unique story, all UNESCO GNLC members benefit from the sharing of best practices within the network. UNESCO established the UNESCO Learning City Award in 2015. It is open to all member cities of the UNESCO GNLC and recognizes best practice in lifelong learning at urban level, the promotion of lifelong learning through effective and innovative projects or programmes, and innovative work in the field of lifelong learning. Key dates25 June 2021: Submission of application by the applicant city to the National Commission for UNESCO in the respective country.16 July 2021: National Commissions approve applications for a maximum of two cities per country.1 September 2021: Awardees decided by an international jury on behalf of the UNESCO GNLC; announcement of awardees.27 October 2021: Award ceremony during the fifth International Conference on Learning Cities in Yeonsu, Republic of Korea. Share your learning city story with us and apply for the 2021 Learning City Award! Further information How to apply Learning City Award concept note Learning City Award flyer with key dates URL:https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/learning-cities/call-applications-unesco-learning-city-award-2021-0 
UNESCO declares environmental education must be a core curriculum component by 2025 2021-05-21 Over 80 ministers and vice ministers and 2,800 education and environment stakeholders committed to taking concrete steps to transform learning for the survival of our planet by adopting the Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at the end of a three-day virtual World Conference held from 17 to 19 May. The Conference, followed online by over 10,000 viewers, was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany and the German Commission for UNESCO as advisory partner. UNESCO has called for Education for Sustainable Development to be a core component of all education systems at all levels by 2025. Education can be a powerful tool for transforming our relationship with nature. We must invest in this field in order to preserve the planet.-- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General UNESCO’s launch of a new publication, which analyzed educational plans and curricula frameworks in close to 50 countries informed the discussions. UNESCO found that more than half make no reference to climate change, while only 19% speak about biodiversity. The Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development outlines a range of policies to transform learning encompassing teaching, learning, professional training and civic engagement. It also highlights the need to implement Education for Sustainable Development with focus on cognitive skills, social and emotional learning, collaboration skills, problem solving, resilience-building. We need training for sustainable development not to be a privilege but accessible to all people. The success of the Education for Sustainable Development programme for 2030 will bring us closer to all the SDGs.-- Angela Merkel, German Chancellor “We need training for sustainable development not to be a privilege but accessible to all people. The success of the Education for Sustainable Development programme for 2030 will bring us closer to all the SDGs,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her welcoming address, describing Germany’s broad network of partners working on sustainability at all levels of education and training. Throughout the Conference, countries shared plans to integrate Education for Sustainable Development. Ms Anja Karliczek, Germany’s federal minister of education and research, shared the commitments of 18 countries of the European Union to implement the Education for Sustainable Development for 2030 framework, underscoring it as a driver for the achievement of all the SDGs. We must focus not only expanding access and improving learning outcomes, but also on the kind of education needed in our world. Education for Sustainable Development will be at the core of reimagining education.-- Amina Mohammed, UN’s Deputy Secretary-General Laurent Fabius, who presided COP21 where the Paris Agreement was sealed, stated the “fight against climate change begins at school.” He recalled commitments in the Paris Agreement to education, and called for increased efforts to improve teacher training on ESD and increase financing. “2021 is the year in which we will overcome the pandemic and embark on a sustainable development model for the future that must include ESD. If we miss this occasion, we will lose decades. This is a race against the clock.” The voices of young people were given a platform throughout the Conference, as those leading the call for change so that they can #LearnForOurPlanet. Building a whole new lifestyle is not an easy, but slowly and together I’m sure we can do it. But education needs to give us the tools to do this. Learning not just about our planet but for our planet needs to be part of every young person’s education, everywhere in the world.-- Rajwa Pandhita, a student from Indonesia The adoption of the Berlin Declaration will create momentum for the implementation of ESD for 2030 Roadmap – the framework for this decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Every UNESCO Member State will be asked to create a network of actors who together can implement the ambitious vision for education. From Berlin, 2021 will provide key opportunities for governments to apply this commitment, including the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-declares-environmental-education-must-be-core-curriculum-component-2025 
UNESCO urges making environmental education a core curriculum component in all countries by 2025 2021-05-14 Education is not giving students sufficient knowledge to adapt, act and respond to climate change and environmental crises, according to a new report published by UNESCO on the eve of the World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, which will take place on line from Berlin (Germany), from 17 to 19 May. The study, Learn for Our Planet, analyzed educational plans and curricula frameworks in close to 50 countries across all regions. More than half make no reference to climate change while only 19% speak about biodiversity. The study notes a lack of attention to socio-emotional skills and action-oriented competences that are central to environmental and climate action. In an on-line survey of some 1,600 teachers and education leaders conducted for the study, one third of respondents indicated that environment-related issues were not part of teacher training. Education must prepare learners to understand the current crisis and shape the future. To save our planet, we must transform the way we live, produce, consume and interact with nature. Integrating education for sustainable development into all learning programmes must become fundamental, everywhere.-- Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General UNESCO has therefore set a new target: to make environmental education a core curriculum component in all countries by 2025. The Organization is working with its 193 Member States to support curriculum reform and track progress to ensure everyone acquires the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to introduce positive change and protect our planet’s future. The World Conference will bring together some 2,500 participants, including 81 education ministers and leading players committed to the transformation of education so that all learners can address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and all other sustainable development challenges. It will aim to create strategies for the integration of education for sustainable development into every level of education and training, in line with a new framework. Over three days, sessions will focus on optimal ways to harness education to address interconnected global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, green and circular economies, technological advancement and building resilient relationships with the planet through education. It will look at ways to reinforce the capacity of educators, empower youth and take local actions through education for sustainable development. All participants will be called upon to commit to the Berlin Declaration on Education for Sustainable Development that will outline a range of policies encompassing teaching, learning, professional training and civic engagement. High-level participants scheduled to attend the conference: Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO Angela Merkel, Chancellor, Germany Amina Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC Princess Lalla Hasnaa, President, Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection, Morocco Laurent Fabius, President of COP21 (France) Alexander Gerst, European Space Agency Astronaut and advocate for sustainability (Germany) Jeffrey Sachs, Director, the Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University and President, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In the lead-up to the Conference, people have been adding their voices to a global campaign launched by UNESCO to call for changes in education so we can all #LearnForOurPlanet, for our own survival and for the future of life on earth. UNESCO is the leading United Nations organization on Education for Sustainable Development, which aims to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge, skills, values and initiative to act for the planet and live sustainably. In 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on the international community to scale up education for sustainable development in order to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The resolution recognized UNESCO’s leadership in this field. The conference is organized in cooperation with Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research and with its generous support. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-urges-making-environmental-education-core-curriculum-component-all-countries-2025 
With UIL support, six countries develop their education systems from a lifelong learning perspective 2021-05-14 On 21 and 22 April 2021, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) brought together representatives of six UNESCO Member States – Cambodia, Kenya, Namibia, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines and Viet Nam – to discuss the development of education systems from a lifelong learning perspective. The online meeting built on previous capacity-building workshops by UIL and Shanghai Open University (SOU) in 2018 and 2019 and showed impressive progress in advancing national policies and lifelong learning implementation strategies despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The follow-up meeting was organized to provide country teams with the opportunity to share their progress, exchange ways to overcome the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and reinvigorate the process of making lifelong learning a reality in UNESCO Member States. One delegate, Mr Mok Sarom, Deputy Director General of Education in Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, commented: Experiences from the UIL meeting on lifelong learning helped me understand and appreciate systematic educational differences and increase my professional awareness. Indirectly, my work will increase the number of youth and adults with strong literacy, numeracy and soft-skills, combined with technical and vocational skills, for employment and entrepreneurship in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Presentations showed that several themes were key to all participating countries, such as the development of national qualifications frameworks and the recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of learning outcomes, the building of learning territories (including learning cities), the provision of lifelong learning through community learning centres, the strengthening of advocacy for and understanding of lifelong learning, and the inter-governmental and sub-national coordination of lifelong learning. UIL shared recent and current projects linked to these cross-cutting themes and SOU described how it has continued to provide lifelong learning opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic. By the conclusion of the meeting, representatives of the six countries had planned a series of priority actions to further the development of their education systems from a lifelong learning perspective. Mr Li Jiacheng, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Institute for Lifelong Education in the People’s Republic of China, said:It is very exciting listening to, talking with, and working with the colleagues from UIL and different countries! As lifelong learning is so important for human being, we need to work together with the belief of making learning a reality. UIL will support the countries’ priority actions in the coming months. In November 2021, the series of capacity-building workshops will continue with the third instalment, again co-organized by UIL and SOU. It will take place online. URL:https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/uil-support-six-countries-develop-their-education-systems-lifelong-learning 
UNESCO and partners host high-level meeting and discussed the advancement of gender equality and inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean 2021-05-12 Paris/Santiago, 11 May– Two studies on gender equality and inclusion were presented today at a high-level event comprising of experts and authorities from the Latin American and Caribbean region. The first report, Todos y todas sin excepción was produced by the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, the Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago) and the Laboratory of Education, Research and Innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean (SUMMA). The Report urges countries in the region to prioritise disadvantaged children and young people, to promote inclusion in education, not least in the face of COVID-19. The report shows how gender intersects with poverty, ethnicity, and location to exacerbate disadvantage and its impact on education. The second study produced by the GEM Report, entitled: A New Generation: 25 years of efforts for gender equality in education shows that globally, 180 million more girls have enrolled in primary and secondary education since 1995. It takes stock of progress in girls’ education over the last two and a half decades since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark commitment by 189 countries to advance the rights of girls and women. In Latin America and the Caribbean, there has been good progress in girls’ education with nearly all children going to primary school. In Guatemala, for example, the rate at which the poorest girls are finishing primary school increased by nearly two and half times in just 15 years, almost closing the gap with boys. Great progress has occurred at the upper secondary level in countries like Mexico where the percentage of girls enrolling increased from 38% in 1995 to 84% in 2018. Costa Rica has also seen a big increase in secondary school enrolment for girls - from 38% in 1995 to universal access in 2018. However, there are 6 countries in the region where less than half the women complete upper secondary school: Haiti, Guatemala, Suriname, Honduras, Uruguay and Nicaragua. But large gender disparities persist particularly for disadvantaged learners. In Belize, for instance, hardly any poor rural young women have completed upper secondary school. But overall, it is young men who are more likely to be disengaged from education and leave school early. Globally, three times more women are also now enrolled in universities than two decades ago. There are now less men than women enrolled in tertiary education in practically every country in the region. “The world has changed a lot in the past 25 years, when girls were struggling to have their right to education fulfilled. Today, more girls enrol in schools and universities than boys. Does this mean we have achieved gender equality in education? We may have come a long way but parity does not mean equality” said Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring Report. “A gender equality in education agenda for the next 25 years requires a fresh approach, including in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Claudia Uribe, Director of OREALC/UNESCO Santiago stated: “Twenty-five years since the historic Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action girls face far fewer barriers to schooling. However, there are other factors that keep them from reaching their potential, such as cultural norms that set low expectations for them in education." Much of the slow progress in gender equality in education is due to persistent negative gender norms in society. In rural areas of many low- and middle-income countries, girls are often expected to get married and to take on domestic roles, which act as a barrier to their education, as among indigenous girls in Guatemala and Mexico. Javier González, Director of SUMMA, added: “Entrenched gender norms in our Latin American societies are often detrimental to the education of both girls and boys. Unfortunately, schools often perpetuate this vicious circle from one generation to the next, rather than breaking it. Our study detects the existence of gender discrimination, prejudice and stereotypes in curricula and textbooks in many countries. To address this situation, we must not only address these elements, but also train and support our teachers to promote a more inclusive culture." The report calls for action in the following areas: Eliminate gender disparity in education access, participation, and completion in countries where girls are less likely to be enrolled and complete school. All pregnant girls and young parents must be supported to go to school. Despite the global decline, early pregnancy rates remain high across the region. In Argentina, a holistic approach combining two laws, flexible learning programmes, nurseries in schools, re-entry programmes for vulnerable children and non-formal alternative secondary education programmes has helped protect pregnant girls’ and young parents’ right to education; meanwhile the adolescent fertility rate fell from 61 in 1995 to 49 in 2018. All teachers and career counsellors must have training to prevent negative gender stereotypes spilling over into teaching and students’ subject choices. Globally, the percentage of females studying engineering or ICT is below 25% in over two-thirds of countries. In Colombia for example only 10% of girls expect to work in science and engineering professions compared to 25% of boys. Few women pursue careers in ICT. Curricula and textbooks must represent females in a way that does not perpetuate gender stereotypes. Textbook reviews in many countries found that text and images do not portray women in active social and economic positions but in traditional home-bound roles. In Peru, despite initiatives, such as the use of inclusive language in communication guidelines and improved balance in representations of men and women, textbooks still reproduce traditional gender roles. All students must have access to comprehensive sexuality education, which has been shown to prevent school-related gender-based violence by promoting understanding and respect of students’ gender identities. It also leads to a reduction of the prevalence of early pregnancies. Grassroots organizations in Nicaragua work on the intersection of gender and disability, providing comprehensive sexuality education and training on responses to gender violence. Encourage more women in leadership positions to help change social and gender norms – and act as role models for female students. Negative stereotyping of women as unsuited to be leaders are reinforced by a scarcity of female teachers in higher education. Globally, women make up 94% of teachers in pre-primary but only 43% in tertiary education. Even fewer women hold leadership positions in universities and in education administration. Overall, Brazilian women are as qualified as men, or more so, to occupy leadership positions in tertiary education, yet only 28% of federal university presidents were women in 2018. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-and-partners-host-high-level-meeting-and-discussed-advancement-gender-equality-and 
Interview ‘Transforming lives through reading’ 2021-05-10 As we mark World Book Day, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning spoke to Dawn Stitzel, National Program Director of the Library of Congress Literacy Awards (USA), about the importance of literacy and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic of two internationally-focused Library of Congress Literacy Award-winning organizations. Dawn, what is the importance of reading in your view? Reading and the information obtained from books and other sources are essential to life’s basic functions as well as to more elevated technical and cultural pursuits. As Carla Hayden, the United States’ Librarian of Congress, observes, ‘Literacy powers the pursuit of learning, knowledge and opportunity around the world’. Beyond the classical library work, how does the Library of Congress promote a culture of reading? Through its outreach programmes, the Library of Congress seeks to nurture and expand this culture of literacy and reading. The Literacy Awards Program is one such effort. David M. Rubenstein launched the literacy awards with the Library of Congress in 2013 to honour national and international nonprofit organizations that were doing exemplary, innovative and replicable work to advance literacy in their communities. Each year, the Library of Congress awards close to $350,000 to deserving organizations. What impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have on your awardees? With the arrival of COVID-19 and the closure of schools and other (physical) learning spaces, learners served by literacy organizations have been among the hardest hit. In the best of times, these learners are more likely to struggle with their own education as well as that of their children. Access to the internet and digital devices is often limited and there may be fewer literacy resources at home. The pandemic highlights the need for additional assistance to support these learners to continue building essential digital skills for themselves and to facilitate the remote learning of their children. In sum, the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of lockdown are magnifying existing literacy challenges. Therefore, calling attention to the work of these remarkable organizations and sharing how they have adjusted to their new circumstances is more important than ever. Could you name two examples of projects that have been successful in promoting literacy skills throughout the pandemic and explain how they do so? While many of our awardees deserve to be highlighted, let me name two: Pratham Books in Bangalore, India, and Room to Read in San Francisco, California. Both organizations are fully engaged in ensuring that learners in many parts of the world continue to build critical literacy skills through an emphasis on books and reading and via innovative and inclusive distance learning opportunities. © Pratham Books Pratham Books is a recipient of the 2017 International Prize and the 2020 David M. Rubenstein Special Response Award. It is a children’s book publisher that has helped millions of children gain access to engaging, affordable books in multiple languages. As demand surged during the pandemic for digital learning resources, Pratham Books created programmes that can be used in low-resource environments, including a Learn at Home programme, thematic reading lists, audio-visual books and a phone-based dial-a-story programme that allows a child to locate a story in a chosen language by dialing a toll-free number. StoryWeaver, Pratham’s online, openly licensed, digital repository of multilingual children’s stories, allows users free access. The platform also enables the creation, translation, downloading and printing of stories. The repository has over 23,000 stories in 259 languages and continues to grow. In addition, StoryWeaver translated 3,000 books into 28 new languages, including books about the coronavirus, health and hygiene, and social and emotional issues. UNESCO and the World Bank listed StoryWeaver as a resource for homebound children during the pandemic. © Room to Read A second example is Room to Read, which is also featured in UIL’s literacy database. Room to Read received the David M. Rubenstein Prize in 2014 and the David M. Rubenstein Special Response Award in 2020. It seeks to transform the lives of children in low-income communities by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education. Its Literacy in Primary School initiative helps children become independent readers through community engagement, provision of quality books and teaching tools, and advocacy beyond the classroom. The Girls’ Education in Secondary School Initiative supports girls in building skills to succeed academically and make key life decisions through mentorship and other means. To date, Room to Read has worked in 16 countries and benefited 20 million children. How did the project respond to learners’ needs during the pandemic? During the pandemic, Room to Read’s digital platform, Literacy Cloud, originally developed for educators and book creators in Indonesia, expanded exponentially. It now includes over 1,000 original Room to Read children’s book titles in 19 languages. The titles are available as a free resource for students, parents and teachers. Simultaneously, the organization is working to harness the power of education to end systemic inequality and to build a more inclusive view of the human experience. Room to Read’s 1,600 culturally diverse book titles teach children how to relate to others with empathy, tolerance and justice. What is your key take-away from the pandemic when looking at the development of these two initiatives? As COVID-19 and recent social unrest continue to divide us, Pratham Books and Room to Read have found multiple ways to promote books and reading to connect to their audiences and adapt to the evolving circumstances and needs of the communities they serve. The pandemic has been a stark reminder of how critical the work of literacy organizations can be as they enhance distance learning opportunities and provide resources for learning at home. Such programmes are critical as they assist learners in adapting to new learning environments. The Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program website and interactive map provide additional information on the awards and previous winners. URL:https://uil.unesco.org/literacy/interview-transforming-lives-through-reading