With five years left before the 2015 target date for achieving EFA and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the EFA Working Group is the first of two meetings of the key Education for All (EFA) coordination mechanisms. It paves the way for the meeting of the high-profile High-Level Group (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 23-25 February 2010) and decides on the main items of its agenda. Both groups will recommend policies for education decision-makers which are geared towards concrete action and informed by the findings of the EFA Global Monitoring Report which carries key messages on the impact of the economic crisis on education and marginalization. 

Remarkable progress has been made globally in EFA, in particular with regard to access and gender parity. However, the remaining educational challenges are becoming increasingly complex in light of socio-economic concerns such as the global economic crisis.  

The EFA Working Group will build explore ways to further coordinate the efforts of different partners, including the EFA-Fast Track Initiative, the MDG processes, and the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative.  

The EFA Working Group, High-Level Group and International Advisory Panel are the three major EFA coordination mechanisms. Each year, participants of the Working Group prepare the meeting of the High-Level Group which takes place several weeks later. The International Advisory Panel meets throughout the year and provides advice to UNESCO on the preparation for and follow-up of the meetings HLG and WGEFA.   

The High-Level Group includes heads of state and government, education and other ministers, multilateral and bilateral organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector, parliamentarians and academics. Following their debates, they issue a call for action to accelerate progress towards EFA. Through the media and the influence of participants, it is hoped that the key messages for achieving EFA will be understood by policymakers worldwide.

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EFA Working Group