Professional Documents
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Study Guide
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Table of Contents
About the Committee .......................................................................................... 3
About UNESCO ............................................................................................... 3
Mandate of the Council ................................................................................... 4
Introduction to the topic ..................................................................................... 4
SDG 4: Quality Education .............................................................................. 5
Current Situation ................................................................................................ 7
International Framework ................................................................................... 9
Questions A Resolution Must Answer ............................................................11
References ..........................................................................................................12
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About UNESCO
In doing so, the Organization takes the advice of the international, regional
and national professional organizations concerned and of the National
Commissions. The Organization’s mandate is formally defined in Article 1,
paragraph 3 of the Charter of the United Nations, and Article 1 of the UNESCO
Constitution (1945).
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For the world as a whole, as of 2010-2017, such ratios are equal to 62.5 for
females and 70.9 for males, while they are closer, at 84.6 and 87.3 respectively,
among OECD countries, and considerably further away, at 25.0 and 34.3, among
least developed countries. However, participation rates in primary and secondary
education, taking into account the relevant age brackets, have reached near-
equality for girls and boys, while in tertiary education a reversed bias is emerging
in favor of women, who are enrolling at faster rates than men.
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The principles, strategies and actions for this target are underpinned by the
contemporary understanding of literacy as a continuum of proficiency levels in a
given context. It goes beyond the understanding of a simple dichotomy of
‘literate’ versus ‘illiterate’. Therefore, action for this target aims at ensuring that
by 2030, all young people and adults across the world should have achieved
relevant and recognized proficiency levels in functional literacy and numeracy
skills that are equivalent to levels achieved at successful completion of basic
education.
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Current Situation
Today, progress is being made in many places, but, overall, action to meet
the Goals is not yet advancing at the speed or scale required. 2021 needs to usher
in a decade of ambitious action to deliver the Goals by 2030. With just under nine
years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, world leaders at the
SDG Summit in September 2019 called for a Decade of Action and delivery for
sustainable development, and pledged to mobilize financing, enhance national
implementation and strengthen institutions to achieve the Goals by the target date
of 2030, leaving no one behind.
Numerous civil society leaders and organizations have also called for a
“super year of activism” to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development
Goals, urging world leaders to redouble efforts to reach the people furthest
behind, support local action and innovation, strengthen data systems and
institutions, rebalance the relationship between people and nature, and unlock
more financing for sustainable development.
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At the core of the 2020-2030 decade is the need for action to tackle growing
poverty, empower women and girls, and address the climate emergency. More
people around the world are living better lives compared to just a decade ago.
More people have access to better healthcare, decent work, and education than
ever before. But inequalities and climate change are threatening to undo the gains.
Investment in inclusive and sustainable economies can unleash significant
opportunities for shared prosperity. And the political, technological and financial
solutions are within reach. But much greater leadership and rapid, unprecedented
changes are needed to align these levers of change with sustainable development
objectives.
Since 2000, there has been enormous progress in achieving the target of
universal primary education. The total enrolment rate in developing regions
reached 91 percent in 2015, and the worldwide number of children out of school
has dropped by almost half. There has also been a dramatic increase in literacy
rates, and many more girls are in school than ever before. These are all
remarkable successes.
Progress has also been tough in some developing regions due to high levels
of poverty, armed conflicts and other emergencies. In Western Asia and North
Africa, ongoing armed conflict has seen an increase in the number of children out
of school. This is a worrying trend. While Sub-Saharan Africa made the greatest
progress in primary school enrolment among all developing regions, from 52
percent in 1990, up to 78 percent in 2012, large disparities still remain. Children
from the poorest households are up to four times more likely to be out of school
than those of the richest households. Disparities between rural and urban areas
also remain high.
Achieving inclusive and quality education for all reaffirms the belief that
education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable
development. This goal ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and
secondary schooling by 2030. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable
vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve
universal access to a quality higher education.
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Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic
human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering
women and girls helps economic growth and development. UNDP has made
gender equality central to its work and we’ve seen remarkable progress in the past
20 years. There are more girls in school now compared to 15 years ago, and most
regions have reached gender parity in primary education.
But although there are more women than ever in the labour market, there
are still large inequalities in some regions, with women systematically denied the
same work rights as men. Sexual violence and exploitation, the unequal division
of unpaid care and domestic work, and discrimination in public office all remain
huge barriers. Climate change and disasters continue to have a disproportionate
effect on women and children, as do conflict and migration. It is vital to give
women equal rights land and property, sexual and reproductive health, and to
technology and the internet. Today there are more women in public office than
ever before, but encouraging more women leaders will help achieve greater
gender equality.
International Framework
The right to education has also been recognised in ILO Conventions and
international humanitarian law, as well as in regional treaties
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Most of the time, human rights bodies attached to these treaties monitor its
implementation through reporting mechanisms and complaint mechanisms in
cases of violations. They are also responsible for providing authoritative
interpretations – and so better understanding – of treaties’ provisions through the
adoption of General Comments, Recommendations to States, and decisions.
Possible Solutions
Teachers are the key to achieving all of the SDG 4 targets. It requires urgent
attention, with a more immediate deadline, because the equity gap in education
is exacerbated by the shortage and uneven distribution of professionally trained
teachers, especially in disadvantaged areas. As teachers are a fundamental
condition for guaranteeing quality education, teachers and educators should be
empowered, adequately recruited and remunerated, motivated, professionally
qualified, and supported within well-resourced, efficient and effectively governed
systems.
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Given the key role that language plays in shaping cultural and social
attitudes, using gender-inclusive language is a powerful way to promote gender
equality and eradicate gender bias. Being inclusive from a gender language
perspective means speaking and writing in a way that does not discriminate
against a particular sex, social gender or gender identity, and does not perpetuate
gender stereotypes. Governments should be made aware of the increased risk of
violence against women during this pandemic and the need to keep in touch and
support women subjected to violence, and to have information about where help
for survivors is available. It is important to ensure that it is safe to connect with
women when the abuser is present in the home.
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References
1. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld#:~
:text=We%20resolve%2C%20between%20now%20and,protection%20of
%20the%20planet%20and
2. https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/2030agenda-sdgs.html
3. https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/the-sustainable-development-goals-in-
2019-people-planet-prosperity-in-focus/
4. https://www.coe.int/en/web/un-agenda-2030/goal-16
5. https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-
goals.html
6. https://www.osce.org/sustainable-development-goals
7. https://en.unesco.org/creativity/sites/creativity/files/247785en.pdf
8. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/SDGS/Pages/The2030Agenda.aspx
9. https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/UN%20and%20SDGs_A%20
Handbook%20for%20Youth.pdf
10.https://www.sdgfund.org/2030-agenda-sustainable-development-
achieving-industry-related-goals-and-targets
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