At the World Education Forum (Dakar, 2000), the international community recognized the central role of civil society in the achievement of the EFA goals and committed to "ensure the engagement and participation of civil society in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of strategies for educational development" (Paragraph 8 of the Dakar Framework for Action). 

The Collective Consultation of NGOs on Education For All (CCNGO/EFA) is a thematic mechanism created by UNESCO to reflect the recommendations of the Dakar Framework for Action and to facilitate reflection, dialogue and joint action between NGOs and UNESCO in the area of EFA. The CCNGO/EFA network includes close to 300 national, regional and international member organisations.