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Since 2016, Burkina Faso has been experiencing political instability and violent conflict, leading to over 2 million internally displaced people and more than 200,000 refugees in neighboring countries. Maimouna Ba's organization, Femmes pour la Dignite du Sahel (), has offered since 2020 school fees for displaced children and skills training for displaced women. She collected donations, rallied support and encouraged volunteers to join her. Since then, her Un Enfant, Un Parrain (One Child, One Sponsor) programme has matched vulnerable children with individual sponsors who contribute towards their school fees.

Education is a basic human right and essential to fulfilling all human rights. On International Day to Protect Education from Attack (9 September) we are reminded of the devastating impact of war on young learners. Education provides knowledge, skills, and support for future generations, particularly for vulnerable groups such as girls, migrants, refugees, and people with disabilities. Places of education should be safe havens, but they are often targeted in conflict-affected areas, resulting in serious repercussions for students and teachers.

impacts millions of people worldwide, limiting their lives. Millions of individuals across the globe are not recognized as citizens of any country. This lack of nationality has severe implications for their lives, affecting their access to education, societal inclusion and economic opportunities. As of the end of 2023, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees () reported that 4.4 million people were stateless or of undetermined nationality. However, due to the lack of accurate data and the challenges in counting individuals without legal identity, the actual number is believed to be much higher.

Two Bajau girls in Mabul island are seen selling their catch of mostly shellfish, lobster, snails, sea cucumbers and sea urchins. The Bajau Laut are a sea-faring group that traditionally lived across the Sulu Sea on small wooden boats called lepa, getting everything they needed from the ocean. Due to the creation of maritime borders that disregarded the distribution of ethnic groups, as well as other modern developments that clashed with their nomadic way of life, new generations of Bajau Laut have been forced to settle on land, not recognized as citizens by any country. The denial of citizenship means stateless people are often unable to access basic rights and services, such as state education, water, healthcare, and legal employment, leaving them at higher risk of exploitation, discrimination and abuse.

In 2023, a youth-led movement received a grant from the GEF Small Grants Programme, implemented by , to aimed at raising awareness and preparing students to address the various issues affecting their community.

, , and the 's aims to quantify the economic ramifications of widespread educational exclusion among children and youth globally.

“I think the direction in which we need to go is for us to restructure education,” said Farida Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to education.

“I want it to be open. I want there to be much more appreciation of our artistic expressions. Education has to be rounded. It has to be based on human rights and it needs to explore and enable everyone to reach the full potential as human beings, whatever that may be.”  and other issues as part of Voices of Dignity, a series of interviews with thought leaders and experts on the 

Education is a fundamental human right. It is a key factor in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is affecting millions of people worldwide. Education can also address the root causes of hate speech and sensitize learners to its forms and consequences online and offline. However, there are still 250 million children and youth who are out of school, and 763 million illiterate adults. As the world is seeing a surge of violent conflicts paralleled by an alarming rise of discrimination, racism, and hate speech the International Day of Education (24 Jan) will be celebrated under the theme “”.  

Television has come a long way from being just a one-way channel for broadcast and cable content. In the 21st century, it has evolved into a multifunctional device that offers a wide range of multimedia and interactive content, including streaming videos, music, and internet browsing. Despite the emergence of different platforms for audiovisual content consumption and the ever-evolving technology, TV remains an important tool for communication. On World Television Day (21 November) we celebrate that this telecommunication medium has become a symbol of connection and globalization.

meets every two years to determine the policies and main lines of the work of the Organization. This year’s will focus on the commons - the cultural and natural resources shared by all members of society – and how they should be thought of and protected in the context of the major disruptions the world is currently experiencing. An inaugural lecture and a high-level session on partnerships will address climate disruption and digital transformation in a way that benefits people and the planet.

Education is a fundamental human right. For children and youth caught up in emergency situations and armed conflict, education provides not only continuity of learning, but also a sense of normalcy and the key to a different future. On the International Day to Protect Education from Attacks we must remember that assaults against schools can have serious, long-term physical and psychological repercussions for students and teachers. Governments should ensure that places of education remain safe havens for children and education personnel.

Teachers, schools, families, communities, policy-makers and young people all have essential roles to play in preventing and responding to school-related, gender-based violence (SRGBV), affirms . In this video, SRGBV prevention advocates from Asia-Pacific and beyond, share their diverse yet complementary perspectives on why efforts to #EndSRGBV and ensure that all education settings are #SafeToLearn require that all actors work together.

The pandemic deepened pre-existing gender inequalities, but Gloria is advocating for girls continued education through UNESCO’s  campaign.  

A new global report on technology in education highlights the lack of appropriate governance and regulation. Countries are urged to set their own terms for the way technology is designed and used in education so that it never replaces in-person, teacher-led instruction, and supports the shared objective of quality education for all. The report calls to put the learner front and centre while making sure that the focus is on learning outcomes, not on the technology itself. The global launch of the new  takes place on 26-27 July in hybrid format.

Technological advancements and shifting labour market dynamics increasingly call for agile and adaptable skill sets. It is crucial that young people are well equipped with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. On this World Youth Skills Day (July 15), let’s unite in recognizing the potential of young people as catalysts for change and commit to providing them with the skills and opportunities they need to build a prosperous and sustainable world for all. Together, we can shape a brighter future in which no young person is left behind.

Leaders across the globe will come together at the  to ensure every child, everywhere, is offered a quality education.