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JOINT STATEMENT BY THE CONVENORS
OF THE WORLD EDUCATION FORUM |
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 Paris,
April 21 - The convenors of the World Education Forum which
will take place in Dakar (Senegal) from April 26 to 28 are issuing
a joint statement calling for, and pledging, reinforced support
for basic education world-wide. |
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| Here
is the statement, issued jointly by Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator
of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Koïchiro
Matsuura, Director-General of the United Nations Educational,
Scienctific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); Carol Bellamy,
Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF);
Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the United Nations Population
Fund (UNFPA) and James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World
Bank: |
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| "We,
the Convenors of the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal,
in April 2000, "Recall that education: |
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is a right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights;
is a
sine qua non for all economic, social and human development
and for ensuring each country's equitable access to the
benefits of globalization;
plays
a fundamental role in promoting civil and international
peace as well as mutual respect for cultures and peoples;
|
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| "Assert
that Education for All should be placed within a sustainable
and well-integrated policy framework linked to poverty eradication,
population strategies, and promotion of gender equality and
equity; |
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| "Fully
support the basic vision and objectives promulgated by the world
community in the Declaration on Education for All adopted in
Jomtien in 1990; |
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| "Acknowledge
the considerable progress made in providing basic education
in some countries; |
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| "Alarmed,
however, about the unacceptable, and often deteriorating situations
in other countries, marked by persistently high illiteracy rates,
large numbers of children, especially girls, not in school,
gender and other disparities in education, and educational systems
and content of inadequate quality and relevance; |
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| 1.
Stress the imperative need for immediate, strong and
lasting commitments at all levels so as to ensure the effective
provision of Education for All, in response to this inadmissible
and reversible global calamity; |
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| 2.
Appeal to national governments, especially in those countries
where neglect of basic education has resulted in crisis or near-crisis
situations, to give Education for All, as a matter of urgency,
the highest political, budgetary and legislative priority, to
reach out to all those excluded from education, and to recognize
that the pressing challenges facing Education for All will not
be met without resolute political will, radical reform and new
approaches, at both the conceptual and practical levels. |
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| 3.
Pledge to increase significantly the allocation of resources
to Education for All and to redouble our efforts in respect
of policy advice, technical cooperation, training and capacity-building,
enhancing cooperation between governments and civil society,
providing increased financial assistance to countries with a
credible plan and demonstrated commitment to education, and
expanding and strengthening the partnership for Education for
All; |
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| 4.
Call upon the international community, development and
financial institutions, multilateral, bilateral and private
donors to support the cause of Education for All as an integral
part of their global responsibilities; to ensure effective mechanisms
of coordination and collaboration, in particular at country
level; and thus, to ensure that no country with serious resolve
and viable plans to achieve Education for All is thwarted by
lack of resources; |
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| 5.
Urge non-governmental organizations, the media and civil society
at large, including the private sector, to continue their mobilization,
and strengthen their participation in Education for All, particularly
through innovative strategies, in support of the public authorities'
efforts to discharge their obligation of ensuring education
universally." |
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For
more information:
contact
the World Education Forum media co-ordination office
at tel (221) 826 80 52 or (221) 641 8281
or email a.muller@unesco.org
WEBSITE: www.education.unesco.org/efa
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