UNESCO

Purpose

This grant represents Canada’s long-term institutional support to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM Report). The initiative contributes to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4), which aims to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Achieving the SDG4 on education requires sound evidence and analysis to support policymaking, facilitate the sharing of good practices, and hold those responsible to account for fulfilling their commitment. The GEMR serves this purpose as the global public good. The GEM Report, established in 2002, is an editorially independent report, hosted and published by UNESCO. The GEM Report’s mandate is to monitor and report on (1) progress on education in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) concerning the SDG 4 monitoring framework and (2) the implementation of national and international strategies to help hold all relevant partners to account for their commitments, as part of the overall SDG follow-up and review process. The GEM Report provides analyses on different regions focusing on specific issues such as gender, education in conflict situations, migration, and skills for youth, which permits a comparison between education systems at a global scale. The GEM Report also serves as a basis for evidence-based advocacy to promote progress toward achieving the education targets set out in SDG4. This is done by acting as a convener, and brokering dialogue on education issues with policymakers, academics, education stakeholders, and young people, to effect policy changes.