Latin America and the Caribbean prepare a regional consultation to drive Global Educational Progress

On 9 and 10 September 2024, the Regional Consultation for Latin America and the Caribbean was held in preparation for the 2024 Global Education Meeting (GEM). The event saw participation from 25 education ministries and nine regional organisations. This hybrid-format meeting, hosted by UNESCO's Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (based in Santiago, Chile), in its capacity as the technical secretariat of the Regional Steering Committee, aimed to identify key strategies to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which focuses on ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.

This regional consultation is part of a global process that will culminate in the adoption of the Fortaleza Declaration, the final document of the 2024 GEM, which will be held in Fortaleza, Brazil, from 30 October to 1 November. The text will reflect contributions from various regional consultations, incorporating the input of numerous stakeholders from every part of the world.

Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of UNESCO's Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, underscored the importance of this consultative process, stating that "education is the fundamental pillar for building just, equitable, and sustainable societies. Regional consultations, such as those we are conducting in Latin America and the Caribbean, are essential to ensuring that every country has the opportunity to share its experiences, challenges, and solutions on the path towards achieving SDG 4. We are convinced that regional dialogue and joint work will enable progress towards transformative education that unlocks the potential of every student in the region and globally."

The regional consultation in Latin America and the Caribbean focused on the advances and proposals developed through the Regional Framework for Public Policies on educational reactivation, recovery, and transformation, as well as the preliminary proposal on inclusive and effective financing. Both initiatives have been developed in collaboration with ministries of education, intergovernmental organisations, civil society representatives, teachers, students, and multilateral development banks.

"As a country, we are very proud to host this valuable consultation, highlighting the commitment expressed by our head of state in his role as co-chair of the High-Level Steering Committee for SDG 4. The 2024 Ministerial on Education tasked the Regional Steering Committee with developing two key proposals: a public policy framework for educational recovery and a preliminary proposal for inclusive financing. These mandates, established in the Santiago Declaration, serve as a roadmap and are essential for advancing the protection of the right to education for children and adolescents across the region and the world," stated Alejandra Arratia, Chile's Undersecretary of Education.

Meanwhile, Paula Alves de Souza, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Brazil to UNESCO, remarked, "as a member of the High-Level Steering Committee for SDG 4, Brazil has insisted on an integrated vision of education that aligns with all the goals of the 2030 Agenda. Education is key to transforming lives, but it cannot be seen in isolation. It must advance hand in hand with other dimensions of social development, such as decent work, security, human rights, food, and health."

During the two-day consultation, participants addressed crucial topics for the future of education in the region, including: the transformative power of education, the actions necessary to accelerate progress towards SDG 4, climate change, peace, gender equality, education financing, and equity.