Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2009: Overcoming inequality- why governance matters

by UNESCO

Gaping inequalities confront education today. Simply put, not all children have access to a good quality education and large numbers of youth and adults are excluded from participation in their societies. Deeply entrenched disparities based on wealth, gender, ethnic or cultural belonging,
disability and geographical residence represent tall obstacles to achieving Education for All, a set of six goals to which over 160 governments committed themselves in 2000.

Overcoming inequality--why governance matters is the seventh edition of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report . It maps the complex and multiple facets of inequality and examines some of the key questions that national governments and donors must address in attempting to ensure that the
benefits of education are shared by the poor, disadvantaged groups and regions that are being left behind. It shows that public policy and governance reform, together with sustained financial commitment, can break the cycle of disadvantage, improve access, raise quality and enhance participation and
accountability.

Prepared by an independent team of researchers based at UNESCO, this report is based on case studies, commissioned research and extensive data analysis relating to early childhood care and education programmes, primary and secondary education, gender, life skills, adult literacy and quality. It
includes an analysis of aid to basic education, crucial to supporting educational development, especially in fragile states, where conflict and weak governance have severely undermined the provision of education.

480 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2009

About the author

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (in French, L'Organisation des Nations unies pour l’éducation, la science et la culture) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. Its stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law and human rights including the fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the UN Charter. Projects sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical, and teacher-training programmes; international science programmes; the promotion of independent media and freedom of the press; regional and cultural history projects; the promotion of cultural diversity; international cooperation agreements to secure the world cultural and natural heritage (World Heritage Sites) and to preserve human rights, as well as attempts to bridge the worldwide digital divide.