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Catch up on what’s happening in the world of global citizenship education.
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Strengthening data management for quality education in Niger 2018-09-20 "One cannot speak of quality education in the absence of rigorous and efficient management of statistical data, A GOOD PILOTING" said Mr Yahouza Ibrahim, Secretary General of the Ministry of Primary Education, Literacy, National Language Promotion and Civic Education of Niger. The production of reliable statistical data remains a priority for the Government of Niger in monitoring and evaluating performance in the implementation of the Education and Training Sector Programme 2014-2021. In this sense, the Directorate of Statistics of the Ministry of Primary Education, Literacy, National Language Promotion and Civic Education (MEP/A/PLN/EC) produces a statistical yearbook each year which compiles the information collected from each preschool and primary school (basic cycle 1). However, this yearbook does not provide all the data needed for the MEP/A/PLN/EC since it includes little data on literacy and non-formal education. Moreover, the data is collected at a time of the year that is out of step with the statistical period covered by the yearbook. The organization of simultaneous data collection for formal and non-formal education is therefore necessary to produce a single annual statistical yearbook for the sub-sector. To this end, UNESCO's Capacity Development for Education (CapED) Programme in Niger supported the MEP/A/PLN/EC to harmonize data collection for formal education (pre-school and primary levels), literacy and non-formal education and to reconfigure the data entry platform. Twenty-two managers from the regional and central levels of the Directorate of Statistics and the Directorate General of Literacy and Non-Formal Education were also trained in the use of the updated platform and in data processing under the same programme funded by Sweden, Finland and Norway. 358 heads of educational sectors and 206 inspection statisticians were then trained on techniques for completing questionnaires and checking the consistency of data before sending it back to the Directorate of Statistics. This CapED support makes it possible not only to collect relevant statistical data on the sub-sector as a whole but also to strengthen the capacities of the actors involved in conducting the process. The desire to fully involve all stakeholders in this process aims to deconcentrate control over the statistical information, data collection and processing system in order to make it sustainable. URL:http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/strengthening_data_management_for_quality_education_in_niger/ 
Prévenir la violence et promouvoir l'égalité des sexes par le biais des médias au Sénégal 2018-08-28 Le premier atelier itinérant du projet ‘’ Prévenir la violence et promouvoir l'égalité des sexes par le biais des médias au Maroc et au Sénégal’’ s’est tenu du 16 au 18 août 2018 à Thiès (Dakar-Sénégal). Une activité qui a permis aux différents journalistes participants de renforcer leurs capacités dans la maîtrise du concept de genre, des enjeux des droits humains ainsi que leur prise en compte dans la collecte et le traitement de l’information. Le projet « Prévenir la violence et promouvoir l'égalité des sexes par le biais des médias au Maroc et au Sénégal », subventionné par l’Espagne dans le cadre du Programme international pour le développement de la communication (PIDC), a pour objectif essentiel d’autonomiser les bénéficiaires pour la promotion de l'égalité des sexes et la lutte contre le reportage et la propagation des discours haineux dans les médias tout en favorisant une meilleure approche stratégique dans l’utilisation du digital. Le projet est mis en œuvre au Sénégal avec l’appui des partenaires au niveau national tel que le ministère de la Communication, des Télécommunications, des Postes et de l’Economie numérique, la Commission Nationale Sénégalaise pour l’UNESCO (COMNAT), l’Union des Radios Associatives et Communautaires du Sénégal (URAC), l’Association des Editeurs et Professionnels de la Presse en Ligne (APPEL) et le Réseau des blogueurs du pays. Une série de quatre ateliers itinérants sont prévus de se tenir sur l’ensemble du territoire sénégalais. C’est dans ce contexte que le premier évènement a été organisé. L’atelier qui s’est tenu les 16,17,18 août a accueilli près de 40 participants, membres des radios communautaires ainsi que de la presse en ligne, situés sur la région de Dakar et de Thiès. Pendant trois jours, ils ont été formés sur les notions de droits humains, de genre et sur la Convention sur l’élimination de toutes les formes de discrimination à l’égard des femmes (CEDEF) ; et en techniques journalistiques, sur les notions d’éthique et de déontologie dans le traitement de l’information. A l’issue des sessions de formation, les participants ont été amenés à faire des productions radiophoniques et écrites, respectant les notions de genre, éthiques et déontologiques en fonction des connaissances acquises. Ces productions feront l’objet d’un suivi tout au long de l’implémentation du projet, pour diffusion à destination des communautés locales. Cet atelier a été l’occasion, notamment pour les membres de la presse en ligne, de participer pour la première fois à une activité traitant des thématiques de genre, démontrant de façon claire que le besoin de renforcement sur ces thématiques est essentiel, et ce, à toutes les échelles. Les prochains ateliers itinérants se tiendront à Kaolack (septembre), Saint-Louis (octobre) et Kolda (novembre). La promotion de la culture de la paix et de l’égalité des genres occupe une place centrale dans la mission de l’UNESCO. Ce projet s’inscrit dans la dynamique de l’Organisation de renforcer la paix et la non-violence par les médias avec un focus sur le renforcement de leurs capacités, afin de faire progresser le journalisme éthique, objectif et de qualité. https://fr.unesco.org/programme/ipdc http://www.unesco.org/new/fr/dakar/about-this-office/single-view/news/legalite_de_genre_passe_par_les_medias_in_french/ http://www.unesco.org/new/fr/dakar/about-this-office/single-view/news/unesco_and_partners_build_capacity_of_journalists_to_prevent/ URL:http://www.unesco.org/new/fr/media-services/single-view/news/preventing_violence_and_promoting_gender_equality_through_th/ 
On the passing of Kofi Annan: the world loses a great defender of peace and modern multilateralism 2018-08-20 "I am deeply saddened to learn of the sudden death of former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan," said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. "A great defender of peace, he was the very embodiment of peace and of a resolutely modern vision of the United Nations. His conviction that a culture of peace should be developed was fully in line with the mandate and daily commitment of UNESCO. I remember his kindness, his determination and his absolute elegance. I would like to extend my sincere condolences to his family and friends, to his fellow Ghanaians and join the international community in saluting his tireless efforts for a better world and lasting peace through international cooperation.” In 2011, writing for a UNESCO publication, he said : “We need to act at a deeper level for the prevention of violent conflicts before they arise. We need a culture of peace. The first and fundamental principle of such a culture must be tolerance. This means welcoming and celebrating the differences that make our planet such a varied and richly textured place.” On 8 December 1998, he took part in UNESCO's celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He recalled that "United Nations action on human rights is one and indivisible. ‘All human rights for all’ is our common goal.” It is in this spirit that he has embarked on a vast reform of the United Nations. As we prepare to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, its committed vision of multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations remains as relevant as ever. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/deces-kofi-annan-monde-perd-grand-defenseur-pon-passing-kofi-annan-world-loses-great-defender 
Le camp éducatif CJ-UNESCO offre aux filles les moyens d’accéder à l’éducation en STEM 2018-08-16 The CJ Group Donors Camp held a first ever CJ-UNESCO Girls’ Education Camp for Future Scientists from 16 to 18 June 2018 in South Korea to foster girls interest and talent in the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). The camp is part of the efforts made by CJ and UNESCO together through the UNESCO-CJ Partnership for Girls’ Education. While strides have been made in improving girls’ access to education around the world, girls are held back early in their education by biases and social norms that influence the quality of the education they receive and the subjects they study. This is particularly true for STEM education. Today, only 35% of higher education students studying STEM are women, and only 17 women have won a Nobel Prize in physics, chemistry or medicine compared to 572 men. In South Korea, the ratio of females in STEM professions is significantly low. Camp Director, Ji-sung Min, stated “it is a reality that girls’ entry into science and engineering fields is blocked in Korea. I hope that more girls will advance into the scientific community and grow to become the leaders of tomorrow through this camp.” The Girls’ Education Camp gathered 78 girls and young women aged 12 to 19 to engage in discussions, STEM-related activities and programmes including on Astronomy, Lego Robots, and Drone Making & Racing. Participating girls were tasked with particular obstacles to overcome through scientific creativity and problem-solving skills. According to UNESCO’s flagship report Cracking the Code: Girls’ and Women’s Education in STEM, girls appear to lose interest in STEM education with age. Cultivating girls’ interest in STEM education through programmes such as the CJ-UNESCO Girls’ Education camp is key to ensure that they take part in crafting solutions to improve lives and generate inclusive green growth that benefits all. We must continuously invest in their talent. The camp received an overwhelming positive feedback, with 96% of girls sharing their satisfaction with the approach. Girls particularly enjoyed the astronomy activity, which studied stars and constellations. Looking forward, 86% percent of participants responded that they would participate again or recommend the camp to their friends. Following its success, the Girls’ Education Camp aims to develop into a long-term and flagship education programme for girls and young women. Since 2014, the UNESCO-CJ partnership aims to provide a better educational environment and a brighter future for girls through education. CJ group is also a major contributor to the UNESCO Malala Fund for Girls’ Right to Education, which expands girls’ access to quality education, especially in countries affected by conflict and disaster. As South Korea’s largest entertainment company, CJ Group is spreading awareness on the importance of girls’ education through global cultural events, including MAMA (Mnet Asian Music Awards) and KCON, as well as popular television shows, such as Produce 101. UNESCO-CJ Partnership on girls’ education UNESCO Malala Fund for Girls’ Right to Education URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/cj-unesco-education-camp-empowers-girls-stem-education 
West African delegates map the future of Education for Sustainable Development in the Sahel 2018-08-15 Over 270 participants from 116 UNESCO Member States and Associate Members gathered in Bangkok, Thailand on 9 and 10 July 2018 to discuss which future direction governments and UNESCO should take in promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Among them 4 delegates were from West Africa (Sahel), representing the Ministries of Education and Higher Education from the Gambia, Mali and Senegal and an expert from a partner organization, ENDA Energie from Senegal, who actively contributed to the consultation. The consultation was timely to prepare future programme for ESD, as a follow-up to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014) and a subsequent initiative, the Global Action Programme on ESD (GAP) on ESD, which will end in 2019. The future programme will be linked to relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNESCO Member States were invited to Bangkok to discuss a draft position paper on the future of ESD, prepared by UNESCO, to ensure the transparent and participatory preparation of the post-Global Action Programme through collecting input from the UNESCO Member States and to invite their commitment and ownership on the process. The technical consultation meeting provided opportunities for reflection and discussion in different settings, such as town hall debates touching on themes including the SDGs, transformative action, and technological future; a plenary interview with a sustainability practitioner who provided unique insights into sustainable lifestyles and values in a rural village; a plenary debate on consumerism and sustainable development, which discussed the challenges of reconciling economic growth and sustainable development and implications for the future of ESD. In preparing the future ESD programme, particular attention was paid to regional specificities. The second day was devoted to group work and regional discussions. Member States thus had the opportunity to discuss implementation at the country and the regional levels. During the regional discussion, the proposed roadmap for ESD implementation was discussed by reviewing the situation analysis of ESD implementation during the GAP period and emerging trends relevant to the future of ESD in African countries. Good practices were presented from Chad, Kenya, South Africa, Namibia and Senegal. Mr. Djimingue Nanasta, Programme Manager, Environment and Development Action (ENDA) from Senegal presented the gender equality good practice. The next step for UNESCO will be to finalize the position paper, integrating UNESCO Member States and Associate Members' comments, but also adding the feedback of a broader audience obtained through an online questionnaire. The final document will be submitted to the UNESCO Governing Bodies in 2019 for their decision on the future of Education for Sustainable Development. The information contained in the position paper will be used as baseline data in preparation of the new ESD program to be implemented from 2020 to 2030, in accordance with the sustainable development program. Links: Conference website ESD theme page Global Action Program on Education for Sustainable Development UNESCO Dakar Office on ESD UNESCO Bangkok Office on ESD Technical Consultation UNESCO-Japan Prize on ESD URL:http://www.unesco.org/new/en/dakar/about-this-office/single-view/news/west_african_delegates_map_the_future_of_education_for_susta/ 
Culture as a tool for creating a climate of peace, a prerequisite for Sustainable development 2018-08-13 Launch of the UNESCO brochure "Culture for the 2030 Agenda", on 17 July 2018 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The brochure "Culture for the 2030 Agenda" was launched at a high-level business breakfast organized by UNESCO and the Permanent Mission of Peru to the United Nations, on the sidelines of the 2018 High-Level Political Forum. "It demonstrates the vast scope of culture's contribution to sustainable development. It aims to shape a clearer understanding of the crucial role of culture in implementing the 2030 Agenda, share best practices and showcase examples of UNESCO's activities" says Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of the Organization, in the hope that "a renewed emphasis on culture will help spur greater intercultural dialogue to encourage a climate of peace, a prerequisite for sustainable development." URL:http://www.unesco.org/new/en/africa-department/resources/africa-department/news/culture_as_a_tool_for_creating_a_climate_of_peace_a_prereq/ 
Town and country exchange on traditional sustainable development in Jordan 2018-08-12 An idea to transform people's views on rural people and traditional charity methods has grown into a ground-breaking initiative in Jordan. Zikra for Popular Learning, one of three winners of the UNESCO Japan Prize on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in 2017, is now looking at ways to expand its highly popular programme which brings people from urban settings to rural villages to learn first-hand about sustainable development. Co-founded by social entrepreneurs Rabee Zureika and fellow Jordanian Lama Khatieb, Zikra promotes 'exchange tourism' offering alternative learning to reconnect people with local knowledge. "I began to think about giving back using a model that did not impose the 'hero-victim' relationship on the recipient. Instead we work to get people inspired – both Jordanians and visitors from other countries – by encouraging them to stop considering rural people as simply ‘poor’ and to motivate positive behaviour changes in participants,” says Rabee. Zikra began in Ghor Al-Mazara'a, a village 100km south-bet of Jordan's capital Amman and in one of the country's poorest regions where the inhabitants are discriminated against because of their dark skin colour. To enhance the livelihoods of the villagers Zikra has supported them to welcome visitors who come to learn and engage with the local community. They pay a small amount to spend time in the village learning about food production, culture, and how best to use natural resources. "One of Zikra's most successful outcomes are the relationships and networks constructed between rural and urban community members," said Lama. The visitors do more than observe craftsmen like Khaled Nawasrah who builds artistic and intricate models of cars using wire, they get to try their hand at the skills too. The project has also established the School of Jameed drawing on local women's expertise in making a range of dairy products including the yoghurt traditionally produced in the area called Jameed. The women demonstrate the production of the yoghurt to visitors while teaching them about the wild plants and herbs special to the area that are used in its making. Despite challenges including accessing the very rural settings for the scheme and often fighting against slow bureaucracy Rabee and Lama are full of enthusiasm and ideas for the future. Since winning the Prize, Zikra has further developed an embroidery project working with female Syrian refugees who stitch storyboards based on local knowledge and stories from their hometown onto products such as bags which they then sell. They also plan a programme for architecture students to learn techniques used in the villages to build houses, roofing and ventilation systems using mud bricks. "We have found here that everyone has something to offer," says Rabee. The winners of this year's award, the 2018 UNESCO-Japan Prize on ESD, will be announced in September with an award ceremony to be held in Paris in October. The Prize, funded by the Government of Japan, consists of three annual awards of USD 50,000 for each recipient. It was awarded for the first time by the Director-General of UNESCO in 2015. The Prize and award winners recognize the role of education in connecting the social, economic, cultural and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Read the full story about Zikra for Popular learning. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/town-and-country-exchange-traditional-sustainable-development-jordan 
The 3rd International Conference on GCED: Platform on Pedagogy and Practice 2018-08-08 Co-organized by APCEIU, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and in partnership with UNESCO HQ, the 3rd International Conference on GCED: Platform on Pedagogy and Practice will take place on 5-6 September 2018 at Lotte Hotel Seoul in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Global Citizenship Education (GCED) aims to foster global citizens to understand, appreciate, and act in terms of universal values such as peace, human rights, culture diversity, and sustainable development. GCED has emerged as one of the global goals in recognition of the prominent role of education while addressing interconnected global challenges. APCEIU organizes this Conference to be a prime platform to boost networking on GCED, proposed as an education goal of UN and UNESCO. The Conference, initiated in 2016, ranged over GCED’s role and direction under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Last year, the Conference touched upon the challenges GCED faces, while presenting pedagogical approaches and supportive conditions to put GCED in action. This year, the Conference plans to explore how to approach and apply concepts similar to GCED under the overarching theme ‘GCED in Every Corner of the World: Local-Contextualization of GCED’. Approximately 500 people consisted of policy makers, teachers, and experts from academia, international organizations, and NGOs are expected to participate. The Conference will share different characteristics when applying GCED based on culture and region. APCEIU hopes that this Conference can act as a platform to effectively spread and implement GCED while reflecting the local context fully. The 3rd International Conference on GCED welcomes everyone interested in GCED. Registration is available online until August 20 at http://gced.unescoapceiu.org/conference. URL:The 3rd International Conference on GCED: Platform on Pedagogy and Practice > APCEIU News - APCEIU (unescoapceiu.org) 
L’UNESCO et le MJCC lancent une campagne médiatique pour des élections apaisées au Mali 2018-08-06 Bamako, 27 July 2018 - In order to sensitize young people and women for a peaceful election in Mali, the Ministry of Youth and Citizen Construction, in partnership with UNESCO, launched the media campaign with a press briefing at the Bamako Youth House on Friday 27 July 2018. The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Amadou Koita, Minister of Youth and Citizen Construction, in the presence of Mr. Pierre Saye, representative of the Head of the UNESCO Office in Bamako, Ms. Albane Dorsaz, PBF project coordinator, project partners and a large number of media representatives. The general objective of this campaign is to raise awareness through messages that will equip young people and women with the values of justice, identity, self-respect, respect for others and citizenship for the peaceful conduct of elections in Mali. This media campaign will be done through radio messages in French, Bamanankan and Fulfulde and through other communication channels (tee shirt, cap, and banner). For a period of one month, synchronized messages will be broadcast on about twenty radio stations in the Mopti and Segou regions. In his address, the Minister thanked UNESCO and all the other partners working to consolidate peace in Mali. He encouraged Malians to vote massively in peace and especially to accept the results of the ballot boxes. Mr. Koita hoped that all political actors would be able to commit themselves to making the elections a "peaceful, free and transparent" process and, in the event of disputes, to resort to the institutions provided for that purpose. Mr. Saye recalled that the project "Young Actors for Peace and National Reconciliation", was set up to accelerate the implementation of the agreement for peace and reconciliation in Mali (resulting from the Algiers process), through the operationalization of the new Regional Support Teams for Reconciliation, as well as through the involvement and empowerment of youth and women in the implementation of the G5 Sahel youth strategy and the fight against cross-border trafficking and exploitation of youth. "So far, most of the peace-building projects have been implemented in northern Mali, but today the center of the country also has strong needs in terms of conflict prevention and resolution. These regions have experienced for several years a worrying increase in social and political tensions, marked by repeated episodes of collective violence," he mentioned. Mr. Saye, on behalf of his organization, congratulated the Government of Mali for its efforts and commitment to promoting peace and social cohesion before, during and after the presidential election. The ceremony ended with a series of questions / answers between the journalists and the representatives of the structures, followed by the symbolic presentation of the communication materials to URTEL Mopti representatives, partner of NGOs and representatives of the regional youth directorates. It should be recalled that the project "Young Actors for Peace and National Reconciliation" responds to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals, namely, SDGs 4: Quality Education, 5: Gender Equality, 10: Reduced Inequalities, 16: Peace, Justice and Effective Institutions and 17: Partnerships for Achieving Goals. It is being implemented in the Segou and Mopti regions, together with UNICEF and IOM, and aims to strengthen the role of young people in women as peacebuilders in Mali. ORTM report: https://youtu.be/B4UK7manzA0?t=1629Link to Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/155712355@N08/sets/72157699104921404 URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-and-ministry-youth-and-citizen-construction-launch-media-campaign-peaceful-election-mali 
Yegna girl-band: harnessing the power of creativity for social change 2018-08-06 All over the world, young women are rising up – Exercising their rights to education; saying ‘no’ to early marriage and unintended pregnancy; and demanding equal employment opportunities. There is still a long way to go, but young women like Ethiopian girl-band, Yegna are paving the way to ensure that future generations of women and girls are even more empowered and supported. To find out more about their work harnessing the power of creativity for social change, we caught up with Teref; Zebiba; Eyerusalem; and Rahel as they endeavour to raise awareness of some of the biggest issues facing young women in Ethiopia and beyond! “Girls in our country face serious challenges every day, including early marriage, harassment and violence. Given these challenges, it is not surprising that many fail to reach their potential and drop out of school or get married very young. It is so important that we start breaking down the barriers that are holding girls and their communities back. If more girls are encouraged to reach their potential, it is good for everyone! Yegna is an acting and pop-group that uses the creative arts to raise awareness of issues such as migration, abuse, and school drop-out – issues that young girls in Ethiopia really face. The members of Yegna perform in a radio drama and a talk show but we also go on roadshows in order to bring our messages to the Addis and Amhara regions and to meet with young women, men and their parents. Using the arts to communicate a message is so effective because we’re not preaching or telling people what to do, but providing young women with positive role-models and appealing to them through the things they love – music, drama and real-life stories. This has more strength than you can possibly imagine. Yegna not only provides young women with an opportunity to come together to discuss challenges, but we also look at ways that together, those challenges can be overcome. Our aim is that, through doing this, we start to change how our society views girls and that this message is then passed on to future generations so that the impact is even bigger. We want girls from Ethiopia, where I am from, and from everywhere else in the world to continue supporting and empowering each other. Let’s not let anything hold us back. Be brave – the future is looking bright!” *** More information about UNESCO’s work with young women and men To join UNESCO’s youth community, visit www.facebook.com/UNESCOyouth Related link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8DnfuUTD_k&feature=youtu.beURL:https://en.unesco.org/news/yegna-girl-band-harnessing-power-creativity-social-change