On April 26-30, Global Campaign for Education-US (GCE-US), along with partner organizations, coalition members, the Global Campaign for Education Secretariat and regional affiliates, celebrated Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) 2021, a concentrated week of advocacy in support of the human right to quality, inclusive universal education. 

Global Campaign for Education-US hosted several events as a part of GAWE. Most notable include the Global Action Week for Education Coalition and Kick-Off Meeting, which took place on April 26. The session featured the following speakers: 

• LeAnna Marr, Director of the Office of Engagement at USAID, who affirmed continuous USAID support to education in the wake of the COVID-19 recovery.
• Yasmine Sherif, Director at Education Cannot Wait, who underscored the need to prioritize education in emergency services to children displaced and living in conflict settings.
• Natasha Somji, Senior Policy Manager at The ONE Campaign, who presented the launch of The Lost Potential Tracker, an interactive tool designed to measure the growing scale of the global learning crisis.
• Mariana Palacios, Communications and Global Citizenship Education Officer at Magis Americas, who provided insight on La Silla Roja campaign, which is focused on defending the right to education for the 260 million children and youth who are out of school.

The following resources were shared at the Global Campaign for Education-US and GAWE Kick-Off Meeting: 

GCE-US

• Recording of the event on Facebook
• Take Action to support Education for All
• Letter supporting global education funding

LeAnna Marr, USAID

• Remote Learning Platform in Nepal referenced in LeAnna Marr’s remarks
• Fact Sheet on USAID’s Education + COVID-19 response

Natasha Somji, ONE’s Lost Potential Tracker

• Lost Potential Tracker website
• A short briefing paper detailing the Lost Potential Tracker

Rachel Wisthuff, UNICEF USA

• G7 Summit Recommendations
• C7 Communique

Mariana Palacios Valderrama, Magis Americas

• La Silla Roja campaign

Geoff Adlide, Global Partnership for Education

• Global Partnership for Education’s website
• GPE’s inclusive education page 

On April 29, Global Campaign for Education-US and the Global Campaign for Education Secretariat hosted a joint Twitter Chat, #GAWEChat, which addressed themes of equity and inclusion in education, pandemic recovery to education, and education financing. Partners including the UN Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), Elimu Yetu Coalition, Education Cannot Wait, East African Center for Human Rights (EACHRights), World Vision Kenya, Childhood Education International, AMPLIFY Girls, ONE Campaign, Global Partnership for Education, and Girl Up, among others, who all joined in to share resources and voice commitment to education for all.

Here are a few answers for Question 8 of the #GAWEChat, “What do you or what does your organization do to #advocate for #education, and how can others get involved?” 

At Global Campaign for Education-US, our education advocacy centers around building coalitions of education advocates for an amplified voice. Executive Director, Jennifer Rigg encouraged all to join in advocating for education for all, and subscribe for action alerts here.

On April 30, Global Campaign for Education-US and the Global Campaign for Education Secretariat closed out the 2021 Global Action Week for Education with an Instagram Takeover that featured youth, students, and teachers from around the world detailing the impact of COVID-19 on their education, and urging their leaders to take action in prioritizing education. View these powerful messages here.

Take Action for Education Every Day

Please advocate and contact your policymakers in support of education! GCE-US featured the following urgent advocacy actions. We encourage you to contact your members of Congress and invite others to join in:

• For every $1 spent on education, as much as $15 is generated in economic growth. That’s why we must fund global basic education. Tell your Member of Congress today!
• Join the movement and urge your Member of Congress to co-sponsor this important congressional resolution in support of the Global Partnership for Education.
• Ask your members of Congress to support the Global Learning Loss Assessment Act to address education challenges due to COVID-19.
• If you could help girls lead & have a voice in matters that impact their lives, wouldn’t you? Congress can! Tell your members of Congress to support the Girls LEAD Act & foster a new generation of empowered girls and women.

Globally, this year’s Global Action Week for Education focused on issues of education financing, with regional events each day of the week, including:

• ASPBAE hosted an Asian regional policy dialogue on Monday, April 26
• ACEA organized a regional policy dialogue on the Arab coalition’s debt campaign on Tuesday, April 27
• CLADE held a regional policy dialogue focused on issues of education privatization across Latin America on Wednesday, April 28
• ANCEFA launched a report on education and debt across Africa on April 29
• Friday, April 30 marked the global culmination day, with a high-level policy dialogue on mobilizing education financing, in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education and GCE

Thank you to all who participated in during Global Action Week for Education 2021! Please join in taking action and promoting equitable, inclusive education for all today and every day. Click here to give today to help ensure that all children have access to quality education.

Learn more about:  Advocacy