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© UNESCO Central Asian Symposium on Education Highlights the Crucial Role of Teachers 2021-10-21 ALMATY, October 13, 2021 – Government officials, education professionals, representatives of academia from Central Asian states, as well as international experts on teacher policy, discussed approaches to developing, attracting, and retaining the best talent in teaching at the online Central Asian “Skilled Teachers – Skilled Nation” Symposium on Education. The event was co-organized by UNESCO Cluster Office in Almaty and the World Bank’s Education Global Practice. The goal of the event was to launch a regional knowledge exchange program and policy dialogue on improving learning outcomes of Central Asian students through a more effective and empowered teacher force. The timing of the event was not coincidental: theCOVID-19 pandemic has undermined human capital development gains across the region, exacerbating learning poverty, and widening the gap between students of different backgrounds.“A successful education recovery hinges on increased investment in teachers to recover learning losses and manage transformations in teaching and learning imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Krista Pikkat, Director of UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. “We hope today’s discussions can help enhance the country policies on teacher development, so we can improve the quality of learning.”Teachers are the critical factors behind education quality. For instance, the difference between a weak teacher and a great teacher has been measured at 0.36 and 0.54 standard deviations (SDs) in student test scores in Uganda and Pakistan which is equivalent to more than one additional year of schooling. Studies also find that several consecutive years of effective teaching can offset the learning shortfalls of marginalized students.“The role of teachers in improving education quality cannot be overemphasized. Teachers hold the keys to inspiring and unlocking every child’s potential. Their responsibility is immense,” said Jaime Saavedra, World Bank Global Director for Education. “But teachers need opportunities, motivation, and resources to succeed in leading generations of leaders, thinkers, and innovators.”Recognizing the importance of teachers in improving learning outcomes, Central Asian countries are in the early stages of reforms, as they introduce more incentives to attract, develop, and retain good quality professionals into the teaching profession. In Kazakhstan, the authorities are raising requirements to enter teacher education colleges, offering more financial support to students in education, increasing salaries and the number of hours of practical training. Teacher salaries have also increased thrice over the last decade in the Kyrgyz Republic. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan passed a law in 2021 to ensure that trainings are targeted to teachers’ needs. Such developments will empower teachers to lead improvements in education quality in their classes, schools, communities, and countries.The online symposium consisted of two main discussions focusing on national perspectives and global best practices. Representatives of education ministries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan discussed policies and programs that can transform teaching into an attractive and progressive career.Symposium participants agreed that effective systems need to incorporate competitive recruitment, focused in-service training, school-based teacher research groups, teacher performance evaluation, and a structured career ladder that provides both motivation and a mechanism for teachers to progress in their careers.The symposium featured presentations by experts and researchers from the Education University of Hong Kong, Nazarbayev University, and Shanghai Normal University.***UNESCO has made the supply of well-trained, supported and qualified teachers one of its top priorities. UNESCO hosts the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 to address the “teacher gap” as well as tackle the issues raised in SDG target 4.c – to supply qualified teachers and ensure working conditions. In Central Asia, UNESCO is supporting teachers by equipping them with relevant skills and competencies, as well as providing them with teaching resources in the area of competency-based education and distance learning. Through its Global ICT Competency Framework for Teachers tool, UNESCO is supporting Central Asian countries in assessing teachers’ ICT competencies and strengthening ICT competency standards for teachers.The World Bank’s education portfolio is $23.4 billion, benefiting approximately 18 million teachers worldwide. The World Bank’s “Learning for the Future Project” in the Kyrgyz Republic is developing digital educational resources for teachers and training 30,000 teachers in digital literacy, 6, 000 teachers in remedial reading training and 14, 000 teachers in pedagogy. The “Education Modernization Project” in Kazakhstan is supporting reforms in pre-service and in-service teacher training. The “Early Childhood Development to Build Tajikistan’s Human Capital Project” is supporting teacher training and development. In Uzbekistan, the “Promoting Early Childhood Development Project” is also helping improve professional skills of 14,000 preschool teachers across the country. URL:http://en.unesco.kz/central-asian-symposium-on-education-highlights-the-crucial-role-of-teachers © UNDP Kazakhstan experience on prevention of violent extremism was presented at the Global PVE Conference in Oslo 2021-10-07 UNDP Kazakhstan presented its unique experience on preventing violence extremism (PVE) in Central Asia during the third Global PVE Conference in Oslo. The best practices on the ways how mental health and psychological support have been integrated in PVE initiatives in Kazakhstan were discussed at the session on June 15, which highlighted examples from Central Asia. Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) play a crucial role in building resilience of youth at risk of radicalisation. It  is also an important part of  PVE programming that allows to  explore the possible links between mental health and radicalization, as well as how psychosocial support – together with other activities such as livelihoods and capacity building – can help strengthen the impact of peacebuilding interventions . However, despite an increasing interest to MHPPS application to PVE programming, there are still many factors, challenges, and risks associated with it. The rise of violent extremism and its spread across national borders has become a pressing issue for all Central Asian countries. Lack of employment opportunities, unrewarding employment, limited or constrained access to quality public services and justice, coupled with inability to participate in social and civic life lead to the overall sense of discrimination, alienation, and exclusion among youth in the region. To eradicate isolation and expand economic opportunities of at-risk youth UNDP Kazakhstan launched an apprenticeship scheme in September 2019, providing job training and employment opportunities. The scheme falls within the regional project “Strengthening Community Resilience and Regional Cooperation for Prevention of Violent Extremism in Central Asia”, funded by the Government of Japan. Within the 3-year UNDP regional initiative almost 600 vulnerable young people from remote localities of Kazakhstan took part in the subsidized 3-month apprenticeship programme. “Overall, around 600 local young people were matched to local companies and mentors. Vulnerable youth worked in enterprises, local government bodies, private businesses and civil society organisations. 331 employers from project areas participated in the Programme. Around 43,5 percent of young people have been employed on full-time basis after completion of the apprenticeship programme”, said Makhabbat Yespenova, Executive Director of KAMEDA Public Foundation, a responsible partner of UNDP within the apprenticeships scheme component in Kazakhstan. In addition to professional skills, young people were equipped with leadership and emotional intelligence skills, in-demand professional and soft skills, and received counselling and mentorship support, which could help them to withstand extremism, develop and spread ‘positive’ narratives and overcome the isolation. “Youth noted the positive changes not only as obtaining professional skills, but also as the improvement of social interaction, finding new friends, joining interest groups, gaining confidence in their capabilities and improvement of the quality of life in general,” noted Ms. Yespenova. ‘Important work is being done within the European Union funded Project on Strengthening Resilience to Violent Extremism project (STRIVE Asia). We already provided mental health and psychological support to more than 160 young people, majority of them being young women, through a series of group sessions and individual consultations with qualified psychologists’, mentioned Konstantin Sokulskiy, Head of Governance Unit at UNDP Kazakhstan during the session on June 15. Last autumn, during five-day group trainings and individual consultations vulnerable youth from Aktobe and Karaganda regions got informed about the risks of violent extremism, stress and work-life balance issues and effective communication with others. The most common issues voiced by the youth during the workshops included family related conflicts, negative emotions, persistent worry and fear about the future, search for self-identity, apathy, and depression. “As a next step, we need to take our preventive work to a next level. For example, we are still to find a way to measure impacts of our development interventions more accurately. Another challenge is achieving transformative and lasting impacts in extended geographical areas across the country’’, concluded Mr. Sokulskiy. The third Global Conference on Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) in Oslo served a good platform to discuss the pressing issues of violent extremism, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought changes to many aspects. The conference participants heard the voices from the ground on how to promote positive alternatives to radicalization; discussed issues on risks and radicalisation defined in an era of digital revolution, developed insights on how inclusive dialogue and multi - stakeholder interaction could build trust for preventing violent extremism in the society. URL:https://www.kz.undp.org/content/kazakhstan/en/home/presscenter/news/2021/june/undp-kazakhstan-to-contribute-to-the-prevention-of-violent-extre.html © UNDP Гражданское общество Узбекистана вносит вклад в процесс реализации климатической политики страны 2021-10-07 25 июня, Ташкент.  Состоялось рабочее совещание по  утверждению позиционного документа  в отношении климатических действий со стороны представителей  гражданского общества. Мероприятие проходит в рамках регионального проекта «Политические меры по климатической безопасности в Центральной Азии», реализуемого совместно ПРООН и Министерством иностранных дел по делам Содружества и развития (FCDO) Соединенного Королевства. В ходе совещания  специалист ПРООН по изменению климата Рано Байханова  ознакомила участников о ходе подготовки  позиционного документа по использованию возобновляемых источников энергии в Узбекистане, его целях и задачах.  Документ содержит видение и  миссию гражданского общества в сохранении  климата. В частности необходимость перехода на возобновляемые источники энергии.  По оценкам  экспертов Ассоциации «Предприятия альтернативных видов топлива и энергии» к 2030 году дефицит энергоресурсов в Узбекистане может составить 65,4 процента от общей потребности. Технический потенциал возобновляемых источников энергии республики составляет 182,5 млн.т.н.э., что более чем в три раза превышает ежегодную потребность в энергоресурсах. В соответствии с прогнозом Министерства энергетики Узбекистана в период до 2030 года прирост производства электроэнергии будет увеличен с 69 млрд квт*час до 121 млрд квт*час, в том числе за счет расширения использования возобновляемых источников энергии. Обсуждаемый на совещании документ станет частью  определяемых на национальном уровне вкладов (ОНУВ), которые являются ключевым элементом Парижского соглашения и способствуют достижению его долгосрочных целей. ОНУВ отражают усилия конкретных стран по снижению выбросов на национальном уровне и по адаптации к последствиям изменения климата. Каждая страна подготавливает и направляет в Секретариат ООН по климату свои ОНУВ, которые она намеревается достичь, а также придерживается их. Чтобы достичь целей таких вкладов, стороны принимают национальные меры по смягчению изменения климата.  Национально определяемые вклады по смягчению воздействия и снижению уровня выбросов парниковых газов обновляются каждые пять лет. Обновленные национальные меры, способствующие достижению цели Парижского соглашения, Узбекистан планирует подготовить в ближайшее время. Они будут представлены на 26-й Конференции сторон РКИК ООН, которая будет проходить в ноябре 2021 года в Глазго, Великобритания. URL:https://www.uz.undp.org/content/uzbekistan/ru/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2021/06/the-civil-society-of-uzbekistan-contributes-to-the-development-a.html © UNESCO On World Teachers’ Day, UNESCO and partners urge governments to prioritise teachers in education recovery 2021-10-06 A successful education recovery hinges on increased investment in the well-being, training, professional development and working conditions of the world’s 71 million teachers to recover learning losses and manage transformations in teaching and learning imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the key message of World Teachers’ Day, celebrated on 5 October under the slogan “Teachers at the heart of education recovery.” The global advocacy day calls on governments and the international community to focus on teachers and the challenges facing their profession, and to share effective and promising policy responses.  “Today we celebrate the exceptional dedication and courage of all teachers, their capacity to adapt and to innovate under very challenging and uncertain conditions. They are the principal actors of the global education recovery efforts and are key in accelerating progress towards inclusive and equitable quality education for every learner, in every circumstance,” said the conveners of World Teachers’ Day, UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, UNICEF’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, International Labour Organization’s Director-General, Guy Ryder, and Education International’s General-Secretary, David Edwards in a joint statement. “Now is the time to recognize the exceptional role teachers play and to empower them with the training, professional development, support and working conditions they need to deploy their talent. Education recovery will be successful if it is conducted hand in hand with teachers - giving them voice and space to participate in decision-making,” argued the conveners. The educational disruptions caused by the COVID-19 crisis highlighted the crucial role of teachers in maintaining learning continuity. They have been at the heart of the educational response, from leveraging technology creatively to providing socio-emotional support to their students and reaching those most at risk of falling behind with take-home packages. But the crisis has also highlighted major challenges facing the teaching profession, including the lack of career development opportunities in online teaching and distance learning, increased workloads associated with double-shift classes and blended models and occupational safety issues. As of 27 September, schools opened fully in 124 countries. They are partially reopened in 44 countries and fully closed in 16. These figures highlight both the need for attention to teachers’ health and well-being as schools reopen, and for continued professional development to integrate and use educational technologies. According to UNESCO’s research 71% of countries have given some priority to the vaccination of teachers, but only 19 countries included them in the first round of vaccinations, while 59 countries have not prioritized them in their roll-out plans. More effort is needed to support teachers in the transition to remote and hybrid teaching. According to the 2021 global survey conducted by UNESCO/UNICEF/World Bank and OECD released in July: 40% of countries trained three quarters or more of teachers on distance learning methods and the effective use of technologies in 2020 Only six out of ten countries provided teachers with professional development on psychosocial and emotional support Just over half of all countries (58%) provided teachers with content for remote learning, while 42% provided teachers with ICT tools and internet connections  Putting teachers at the heart of the education recovery will require increasing the size of the teacher workforce. According to the above survey, 31% of 103 countries recruited additional teachers for school reopening, but the global gap remains high. In total, 69 million more teachers are needed worldwide to ensure universal primary and secondary education by 2030 (SDG target 4.1) It is projected that sub-Saharan Africa will need to recruit 15 million primary and secondary teachers by 2030.  To celebrate 2021 World Teachers’ Day, the conveners, together with partners, including the World Bank, the Hamdan Foundation, the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 (TTF), civil society organisations and members of the Global Education Coalition, will organize global and regional events and an advocacy campaign with the participation of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. The five-day series of events will include panel discussions, webinars and online training sessions to examine effective policies, evidence and innovative practices to provide the support teachers need for successful recovery, resilience-building and reimagining education in the post-pandemic world, and to advance SDG 4. URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/world-teachers-day-unesco-and-partners-urge-governments-prioritise-teachers-education-recovery ⓒ UNESCO Afghanistan – UNESCO highlights key challenges for Education, Science and Culture in the country 2021-09-13 Afghanistan stands at a turning point in history. It is critical for the country, and for the entire region, that progress made over the last two decades, in terms of human rights, education and international standards remains in place. Since 2002, UNESCO and its Afghan and international partners have carried out several nation-wide programs to reform the education system, to protect cultural heritage, to increase scientific capacity, and to ensure the safety of journalists. These initiatives helped advance Afghanistan’s progress towards meaningful development.  Afghanistan has made the following gains:  A major increase in literacy rate, from 34% (2002) to 43% (2020) Beginning in 2006 with the support of partners including Sweden, Japan, Norway, Denmark, UN agencies and civil society organizations throughout the country, UNESCO led the largest literacy program in Afghan history, reaching 1.242.000 learners, including 800.000 women and girls. 45.000 police officers have also been reached and trained through literacy programs.  From 2002 onwards UNESCO supported the government in the development of a nation-wide education revamp, encompassing all National Strategies for Education, the first-ever National Institute for Educational Planning, a global Education sector analysis, a General Education Curriculum reform (reaching over 1 million learners), and a strategic plan for higher education. UNESCO built capacity in Afghanistan: thousands of Afghan officials were trained:  In the Education sector: we trained 741 planning officers from all 34 provinces.  And in the Culture sector we trained several museum curators and professionals, as well as culture specialists capable of conducting inventories and monitoring heritage sites.  Large-scale safeguarding operations were conducted for the preservation of the remains of the Bamiyan Valley, the Minaret of Jam and other iconic monuments that must be preserved as symbols of Afghan identity and national cohesion. Several cultural initiatives have been taken to revitalize Afghanistan’s cultural fabric and creativity, notably through the launch of the Bamiyan Cultural Center, an exhibition and training space, and through the photographic competitions which have helped give birth to the Kabul Photographic Biennale in 2017. Since 2018, the Physics Without Frontiers (PWF) programme run by UNESCO’s Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics ICTP has been working with Kabul University to help faculty develop curricula in physics, including at undergraduate level. Some 400 Afghan students travelled to Kabul University from across the country to attend intensive Physics courses at Kabul University. Afghanistan is now home to one of the most dynamic media landscapes in the region, with 1,879 active media outlets, 203 TV channels, 349 radio stations, and 1,327 print outlets.  In 2020, there were 1,741 women media workers in Afghanistan, including 1,139 women journalists These achievements all show that today Afghan society is very different from 20 years ago. The country has made huge strides, but they must be preserved or the country’s development will unravel.  Many challenges lie ahead for Afghanistan:  12 million Youth and adults (15+) in Afghanistan still lack basic literacy skills 81 journalists were killed between 2006 and 2021, including 7 as of August 2021 From September 2020 - February 2021, almost one in five women journalists left the profession, due to ongoing violence and threats. UNESCO is committed to step up its support to the Afghan people. Recalling what has been achieved over the past two decades, UNESCO wishes to remind the international community what is at stake in its fields of competence, to serve as a benchmark for the future. More about: UNESCO is monitoring the evolving situation in Afghanistan with particular attention to issues concerning the universal right to education, freedom of expression and heritage. For further details, please read our statements here:  UNESCO calls for respect of freedom of expression and safety of journalists in Afghanistan Afghanistan - UNESCO calls for the protection of cultural heritage in its diversity UNESCO Director General calls for unhindered right to education in Afghanistan For more information, please contact UNESCO Press Service: Clare O’Hagan URL:https://en.unesco.org/news/afghanistan-unesco-highlights-key-challenges-education-science-and-culture-country © UNESCO Essay competition dedicated to International Literacy Day 2021 2021-09-12 Participate in an essay competition by UNESCO Almaty dedicated to International Literacy Day 2021 and win a prize!ESSAYS SHALL BE SUBMITTED UNTIL 22 SEPTEMBER 2021 Background informationInternational Literacy Day (ILD) 2021 will be celebrated under the theme “Literacy and digital skills during COVID-19 pandemic”.The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted the learning of children, young people and adults at an unprecedented scale. It has also magnified the pre-existing inequalities in access to meaningful literacy learning opportunities, numerous literacy programmes have been forced to halt their usual modes of operation.Even in the times of global crisis, efforts have been made to find alternative ways to ensure the continuity of learning, including distance learning, often in combination with in-person learning. Access to literacy learning opportunities, however, has not been evenly distributed. The rapid shift to distance learning also highlighted the persistent digital divide, thus many students have problems the Internet connection, do not have the necessary equipment (computer, laptop, tablet) and not proficient in using technology. In addition, access to electricity is limited in some regions, which also hinders distance learning.The pandemic, however, was a reminder of the critical importance of literacy. Beyond its importance as part of the right to education, literacy empowers individuals and improves their lives by expanding their capabilities to choose a kind of life they can value. It is also a driver for sustainable development. Literacy is an integral part of education and lifelong learning premised on humanism as defined by the Sustainable Development Goal 4. Literacy, therefore, is central to a human-centred recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.ILD 2021 will explore how literacy can contribute to building a solid foundation for a human-centred recovery, with a special focus on the interplay of literacy and digital skills required by non-literate youth and adults. It will also explore what makes technology-enabled literacy learning inclusive and meaningful to leave no one behind. By doing so, ILD2021 will be an opportunity to reimagine future literacy teaching and learning, within and beyond the context of the pandemic.Essay themesWithin the competition, participants are invited to write an essay expressing their reasoning and thoughts on one of the proposed questions:1. What is the digital divide and how can it be prevented?2. How would you address the digital gap that exists in remote/rural areas?Evaluation criteria for competition entries1. Relevant to the proposed themes and questions;2. Follow the grammar and stylistics of English or Russian language;3. Essays must be original and unpublished. Plagiarized entries will be rejected;4. Ability to express own thoughts;5. Argumentation and critical thinking skills6. Essay must be up to 1-1.5 pages of typewritten text in English or Russian in Microsoft Word. Font: Times New Roman, size - 14, spacing - 1.5. All margins are 20 mm. At the top left is the surname, name of the author of the essay.DeadlineEntries must be received by September 22, 6 p.m. Almaty timeGuidelines1. Essays may be submitted by citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, who are from 13 to 22 years old2. Essays may be submitted in English or Russian languages3. Only one entry per person is accepted4. Participation in the competition is free of charge, participants incur their own costs5. UNESCO Almaty reserves the right to exclude participants from the contest, who haven’t met the participation requirements.6. Essays must be sent to unescoata@gmail.com no later than September 22, 2021, 6 p.m. Almaty time7. Seven winners of the competition will be selected by the jury and will receive prizesPrizesA pack of branded UNESCO merchandises for 7 winning essaysHow to Enter1. Write an essay expressing your opinion on one of the proposed themes/questions2. Accept the Competition Rules by filling out all the required fields of the Registration Form3. Send the essay along with the registration form no later than September 22, 2021, 6 p.m. Almaty time to unesata@gmail.com with the subject line of "International Literacy Day essay competition" by saving and sending your work in the following format: ILD_Essay Contest_Your Surname.For more information, please contact us by email: d.tuyakova@unesco.org URL:http://en.unesco.kz/essay-competition-dedicated-to-international-literacy-day-2021 © UNESCO International Youth Forum "Youth Leading for Peace” 2021-08-08 On 30-31 July, 2021 the Kazakhstan National Federation of Сlubs for UNESCO with the support of the UNESCO Cluster Office in Almaty organized an International Youth Forum “Youth Leading for Peace”, dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Day of Action against Nuclear Tests, as well as to the 30th Anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence and the 30th Anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear Test site. The forum covered 140 delegates represented by schoolchildren and students from Russia, China, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Mongolia, South Korea, Romania, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Each team had the opportunity to present the strategy in the nuclear industry of their countries and took part in the practical stage of the forum to solve a hypothetical case. Participants developed solutions for the case based on international law and international documents in the field of conflict management and made their proposals from the positions of the economic, social, environmental and military committees.The forum was given a high level by experts-speakers of the theoretical part from Vienna, the Czech Republic, Russia and Kazakhstan, who shared their knowledge about the nuclear policy of different countries and international organizations in this area. The final stage of the event was the adoption of the resolution by all the delegates of the International Youth Forum “Youth Leading for Peace”, which included strategies for solving the problems of a hypothetical case.At the end, a competent jury selected 16 winning countries in such categories as “The Best video report” and “The most active delegation”.The Forum participants noted the high level of organization of the Forum and the importance of creating such platforms where young people can express their opinions on important topics, exchange knowledge and create a community of a new generation committed to the ideas of peace and tolerance. “First of all, thank you very much for organizing this event. The forum really helped to improve my analytical and communication skills. I learned a lot of interesting and useful things about nuclear weapons and energy from experts and delegates from other countries. Thank you!" - Nischal Bania, Nepal. “It was a really interesting experience that I will remember for a long time. Since it was an international conference, I met delegations from different countries. So many different people – so many different opinions. I had some expectations from this conference, and I can say with confidence that they were fulfilled. Thank you very much for creating such a wonderful opportunity for international youth”- Lee Taekyong, South Korea. You can watch the full video recordings of the forum via this link. URL:http://en.unesco.kz/international-youth-forum-youth-leading-for-peace © UNESCO 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 © UNESCO IITE Modern technologies in inclusive education during the COVID-19 pandemic 2021-06-22 The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequities in access to educational opportunities of marginalized populations, especially people with disabilities. While many countries in the world have taken a number of measures to address these inequities through a range of open and distance learning (ODL) solutions, emerging evidence indicates that these solutions have rarely been inclusive of students with disabilities. To support countries and other global initiatives to incorporate a strong disability inclusive perspective to COVID-19 response and recovery, the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) launched the Global Programme Supporting Disability Inclusive COVID-19 Response and Recovery at National Level. This global programme, entitled ‘Building Back Better for All’, has enabled research investigations that leverage the experience of UN agencies, organizations of persons with disabilities and broader civil society. In 2021, IITE, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) and UNESCO Headquarters (HQs) joined forces to contribute to the successful implementation of this programme. In January-June 2021, IITE and IIEP jointly undertook a research project aimed to increase national understanding of the range and reach of inclusive open and distance learning (ODL) solutions applied for students with disabilities in Rwanda and Mauritius and the barriers to their implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and inform upcoming national education COVID -19 recovery initiatives. To achieve the project’s tasks, IITE and IIEP conducted rapid assessments of the implementation of inclusive ODL solutions by inclusive, special schools, and resource centers in Rwanda and Mauritius to address the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on learning for students with disabilities, as well carried out a case study in Mauritius to collect and analyze best practices in this field. Based on the findings of the conducted analysis, IITE and IIEP developed a Case Study ‘COVID 19, technology-based education and disability: The case of Mauritius. Emerging practices in inclusive digital learning for students with disabilities’ and the Analytical Report on ‘A rapid assessment of the development and implementation of inclusive open and distance learning solutions for students with disabilities served by inclusive, special schools and resource centres in Rwanda and Mauritius’. On June 15 2021, IITE and IIEP organized an international webinar on ‘Technology-enabled inclusive education: Emerging practices from COVID-19 for learners with disabilities’ with the participation of 230  experts from different countries. The webinar allowed to present key research results and recommendations related to the implementation of technology-enabled ODL initiatives and to have an open discussion about lessons learned in order to explore ways to enhance future initiatives. In June 2021, based on the gathered data from the rapid assessment and case study reports, IITE and the Division for Education 2030 Support and Coordination at UNESCO HQs prepared a Policy Brief on ‘Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on education of persons with disabilities: Challenges and opportunities of the distance education’. The Policy Brief included conclusions and recommendations developed based on the findings of recent studies undertaken in the COVID-19 context in Africa (specifically, in Rwanda and Mauritius), Asia (Bangladesh) and South America (Colombia) regarding inclusive education for learners with disabilities. The activities performed by IITE, IIEP and UNESCO Headquarters within the UNPRPD programme contribute to strengthening  global collaboration and creating an encouraging ecosystem for ongoing ODL and help  promoting  the idea of the development of a system–wide educational reform where multiple channels to diverse learning opportunities are recognized and learning beyond formal education is encouraged. Webinar Information Note URL:https://iite.unesco.org/news/modern-technologies-in-inclusive-education-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/ ⓒ UNESCO Молодые люди с 4 континентов встретились вместе для дискуссии как жить и учиться вместе 2021-05-31 The UNESCO and LingoBridge's team celebrated World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development by organizing an event that brought together young people worldwide including, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, the USA, and Italy, Bulgaria to promote cross-cultural understanding and international dialogue. Three speakers with broad experience of living and studying in international and multicultural environments were invited to share their stories and ideas about exploring the world. The speakers highlighted the significance of developing cultural awareness and the benefits of interacting with people across cultures. They also touched upon matters of the comfort zone and shared their thoughts on why it is essential to get comfortable being uncomfortable.Caitlin Durnbaugh from the United States has recently graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Human Development & Family Studies as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. She traveled more than 6000 km to Spain to witness different cultures and a pace of life. She says, “This exposed me to a blend of cultures ranging from Islamic and Arab influences of the South, to Spanish and European influences of the North. It is this trip in particular that changed the direction of my career to return to Europe and serve for NGOs in refugee relief.”Anthony Bou-Chrouche represented North America and the Middle East. He is a native speaker of English, French, and Arabic. He was born in Lebanon and lived there until his family immigrated to Canada because of the war. By the time Anthony turned 16, his family had to move to Dubai due to personal circumstances. Now he is enrolled in the Joint Honours program in Political Science and Economics at the University of Ottawa. Having extensive experience of living in three countries, he made some recommendations on how to adjust to an unaccustomed environment. Anthony also explained the adaptation graph he drew based on his observations.Tomasso Aguzzi is a Ph.D. candidate within the Innovative Training Network MARKETS program (EU-MSCA Fellowship) at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Estonia. He holds a double MSc degree in Global Studies from the University of Vienna, Austria, and Roskilde University (RUC), Denmark, as well as a bachelor’s degree in International Development and Cooperation from the University of Bologna, Italy. He lectured at Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages and worked at the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia in Almaty, Kazakhstan. During the meeting, everyone was impressed by his wide traveling experience.The speakers and participants also played Kahoot, prepared by Anthony Bou-Chrouche, and tested their geography, general-knowledge skills, and how well they listened to the speakers. We also looked at where the meeting attendees would like to study; the destinations included the USA, some European countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Asian countries (Japan, China), but the most creative and unexpected place to study appeared to be the moon. Lessons learned from the meeting:  The pros of living and studying in a different country outweigh the cons. Therefore, step out of your comfort zone, explore the world and meet new faces.  Studying abroad broadens your international connections, which in turn helps you build up a sense of empathy.  The cultures can be very different, but it is noteworthy to realize that we all share the same values and goals; we all want to love and be loved, be safe and happy.  Befriend locals, allow yourself to adapt to a new environment, and get the most out of every single experience.  Living in a country where you do not speak the language can be challenging. The advice is to find friends who can speak both the language you know and the local language so that you can get insights into the mother tongue of the locals step by step.Going abroad to study is life-enriching and can inevitably broaden the horizons and open up one’s eyes! The best part of exposing yourself to an entirely different culture is being able to gain new perspectives and sharing your background and culture to promote understanding and peace.Happy World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development! URL:http://en.unesco.kz/youth-from-4-continents-met-together-to-celebrate-world-day-for-cultural-diversity