UNESCO, UNICEF Hosted Eastern and Southern Africa sub-Regional Consultation to the Global Education Meeting 2024

As part of its commitment to the Education 2030 Framework for Action, UNESCO, in collaboration with the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee (HLSC), regularly convenes Global Education Meetings (GEMs) to assess progress on the SDG4-Education 2030 agenda and drive collective action for quality education worldwide. The 2024 GEM, set to take place in Fortaleza, Brazil, on 31 October and 1 November 2024, will be a pivotal moment for shaping the future of education. At its conclusion, participants will adopt the Fortaleza Declaration, a non-binding document crafted through global consensus to reflect the shared aspirations of Member States and non-State actors.

In preparation for this critical event, UNESCO's Regional Office for Eastern Africa, in partnership with UNICEF's Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, hosted the Eastern and Southern Africa Sub-Regional Consultation from 2 to 3 September 2024 in Nairobi. The two-day event brought together UNESCO National Commissions, government officials, and education experts from 22 countries, both in-person and online, to review the draft Fortaleza Declaration, assess progress toward SDG4 at the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda, and discuss strategies to accelerate educational transformation across the region.

The event began with opening speeches from Alexandros Makarigakis, Director of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Eastern Africa; Lieke van de Wiel, Deputy Regional Director, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office; and Nisha, Regional Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.

The event featured discussions on education financing, cross-sectoral collaboration, and transformative education. Participants explored the integration of climate, health, and gender issues into education strategies and worked on refining the Fortaleza Declaration to address the region's specific needs.

"Meaningful change requires equitable education financing and decentralized accountability," noted Michael M. Ukurwoth from Uganda's Ministry of Finance. Experts like Charlie Habershon of Dalberg Advisors emphasized the importance of measurable outcomes, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.

Key actions identified during the event included integrating climate education into curricula, promoting values-based education, advancing gender equality, and strengthening health and nutrition programs.

Participants expressed appreciation for the collaborative efforts and the progress made. The consultation concluded with closing remarks from Lamine Sow, Head of the Education Sector at the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, who described the event as a success: "Together, we've made significant strides toward a brighter future."