MDG Summit reaffirms support for gender equity
Heads of state and government joined international and research organisations, as well as civil society groups, trade unions, and the private sector, in New York, from 20-22 September, to check on progress made towards attainment of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
EI was represented at the summit by its president, Susan Hopgood, and Assibi Napoe, EI’s chief regional coordinator for Africa who also chairs the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) of which EI is a founding member.
The GCE called on world leaders meeting at the summit to make funding for education a priority in order to meet the target of universal access to basic schooling by 2015. It argued that poor countries shouldspend 20 per cent of their national budget on education, abolish school fees and hire an additional 1.9 million teachers so that every child can have access to education.
President of the GCE, Kailash Satyarthi, said: “Girls are the real victims of the world’s failure to invest in education with millions unable to enter school. The argument for prioritising education is clear. If scientists can genetically modify food and NASA can send missions to Mars, then politicians can find the resources to get millions of children into school and change the fortunes of a generation.”
In their final declaration, the heads of state and government recalled the development goals and commitments of the Millennium Declaration and ‘reaffirmed the resolve to work together to promote of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.’
They also recognised that ‘achieving gender equality and empowering women is a key development goal and important means to achieve all MDGs,’ welcomed the establishment of UN Women, and pledged full support for its operations. Leaders also committed themselves to accelerating progress in achieving MDG 2, through ‘realising the right of everyone to education and re-emphasising that education shall be directed at the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity and shall strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.’ They commited to achieving MDG 3 by ‘ensuring access to education and successful schooling of girls by removing barriers and expanding support for girls’ education.’
Over the past decade, many policy initiatives have led to real progress in the right of girls to receive an education, guided by international frameworks such as the MDGs, and Education For All goals. These policies have been backed up by a number of studies showing that educating girls can make more dramatic positive changes than any other single intervention – both for the individual and for society as a whole.
Each of the MDGs can only be realised through substantial improvements in the field of gender equality and women’s rights. As the UN’s Fund for Women reported in 2008, ‘women’s empowerment is not a stand-alone goal. It is the driver of efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, reduce child and maternal mortality, and fight against major diseases like HIV, AIDS and malaria. Women’s empowerment is also a driver of sound environmental management and is essential for ensuring development aid reaches the poorest through making women a part of national poverty reduction planning and resource allocation.’
By Claude Carroué
