The United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) just issued its latest policy advocacy agenda, available here:

The United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) is a multi-stakeholder partnership committed to improving the quality and availability of girls’ education and contributing to the empowerment of girls and women through transformative education. It is founded on an understanding that all girls have the right to learn in a safe and supportive learning environment.

UNGEI, as a designated flagship of Education for All (EFA), strives to support governments and the international community to deliver on the gender-related EFA goals and education related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Our partners unite under the UNGEI umbrella with the belief that a collaborative advantage can be gained through collective efforts.

In order to maximize efforts which are the most needed and which will have the highest impact on girls’ education around the world, UNGEI is focusing policy advocacy efforts on four key strategic priorities which are outlined further in this document:

• An enhanced focus on marginalized and excluded groups: “Evidence shows that disadvantage builds on disadvantage and gender gaps often widen among the poor and other marginalized groups.”
• The reduction/elimination of school-related gender-based violence: “A safe space for all girls to learn and fulfill their potential is a fundamental human right. Anything less should never be accepted.”
• Improved learning outcomes for girls: “Although overall learning outcomes are low across all groups in poor countries, there are disparities in learning outcomes according to gender, location and socio-economic status: poor, rural girls are the least likely to learn anything in school.”
• An increased number of girls transitioning to secondary education and accessing post-primary opportunities: “UNGEI believes that post-primary schooling is critical for equipping girls with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to transition to work or higher education, and to be healthy and productive citizens; hence access to post-primary opportunities and completion of secondary education should be a key ask for the post-2015 development agenda.”

In order to make progress on each of the four policy priority areas, UNGEI will primarily use the following advocacy approaches to influence decision-makers at the global, regional and country levels:

• Collective Advocacy: UNGEI will participate at key global, regional and country level events to encourage political action, social mobilization and acceleration of support for girls’ education and gender equality.
• Coordinated Action: UNGEI represents a diverse array of interests, from global development organizations and academic institutions to regional education bodies and local programs.  UNGEI provides a platform that allows partners to connect with each other, reach out and form regional and country-based partnerships, and maximize educational benefits for girls and young women around the world.
• Evidence-based Solutions: UNGEI will support the development and dissemination of research that will provide  evidence needed to develop policy, allocate budgets, and implement programmes in a manner to support girls achieving and learning.
• Sharing of Good Practice: UNGEI will act as a knowledge broker, providing partners and stakeholders with access to tools, good practices and experience, and allow for greater connectivity between individuals and organizations working in the field of girls’ education and gender equality.

Source: UNGEI