Education International (EI) is the global voice of the teaching profession and education support staff. It represents the national education unions of 170 countries with a combined membership of 32 million. Among its main objectives are the achievement of quality education for all and the promotion of the professional status of teachers. Education International promotes education as a fundamental human right and as the principal key to social, economic and democratic development. Education International’s Seventh World Congress, held in Ottawa, Canada (July 2015) adopted a resolution on the right to education of displaced people, refugees, and stateless children: http://pages.eiie.org/library/en/libraries/detail/231. It was resolved that EI should: •
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KEY POINT TO BE CONSIDERED
Education Advance the ideals, aims, and objectives of the EI Unite for Quality 6 programmes in Education campaign in the interests of refugee and displaced refugee centres children; ensuring that the problem of the language of schooling is should be led by not an obstacle for refugees. qualified teachers provide support and assistance to member organisations in countries where there are large numbers of refugees and displaced children. Maintain pressure on national governments and on international institutions to prioritize financial assistance for the education of refugees and internally displaced people, especially in states having a common border with a country in conflict and welcoming a very important number of them. Work with affiliates, the UNHCR, and other partner organisations to assist refugees in developing the skills and knowledge they need, and to plan activities and actions that promote self-reliance and sustainable, peaceful coexistence.
The policy framework in which Education International operates is determined by a number of resolutions and statements of which the following are relevant to the rights of refugees and refugee education. All of these included below can be found on the EI website: Policy Paper on Human and Trade Union Rights (July 2015)
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The Unite for Quality Education Campaign was launched in September 2013 with the purpose of persuading the United Nations to declare "free quality education" as a Sustainable Development Goal. The active engagement of many EI member organisations in this global campaign and the political pressure they were able to exert on UN member states, resulted in the acceptance by the international community of SDG4: "Inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all." The EI 7th World Congress decided in July 2015 to extend the Unite for Quality Education Campaign with a focus on the achievement of SDG4 and on advocacy against privatization and commercialization of education services.
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