Organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean demand UN to include SDG 4 in the draft of the declaration of the High Level Political Forum

June 5, 2019

Por: Thais Iervolino

CLADE, together with other local networks, coalitions and national organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean, sent a letter to UN authorities, expressing concern about the absence of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) in the draft of the political declaration

It is with great concern that the networks and civil society organizations that work for the realization of the human right to education in Latin America and the Caribbean review the “zero draft” of the Political Declaration of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) and note the total absence of State commitments in education and the acknowledgement of its crucial importance in the scope of the SDGs, human rights, democratic strengthening and peace”.

These words were presented in a letter signed by the Latin American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE) and other networks, coalitions and civil society organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean, which was sent today (6 June) to United Nations authorities, with the purpose of advocacing for the inclusion of references to the SDG 4 in the Political Declaration of the High Level Political Forum.

The FPAN is the official platform for monitoring compliance with the SDGs worldwide, and is carried out within the UN, focusing each year on the monitoring of specific Objectives of the Agenda, as well as the analysis of voluntary national reviews presented by the Member States

The next edition of the Forum will take place from July 9 to 18 of this year in New York, with an emphasis on the revision of SDG 4, as well as Objectives of number 8 (decent work and economic growth), 10 (reduction of inequalities), 13 (action for climate), 16 (peace, justice and solid institutions) and 17 (partnerships to achieve the objectives).

With the letter sent to the UN, organizations and networks demand the inclusion of SDG 4 in the next versions of the declaration. “We hope that this absence will be overcome in the following versions of the Declaration, so that the United Nations can transmit to the whole world, in a clear and forceful way, the importance of education for peace, justice, environmental sustainability, dignity, as well as the overcoming of patriarchy and all forms of discrimination. Education is key to promoting the implementation of the 2030 Development Agenda in its integrity, and we hope this be acknowledged by the High Level Political Forum”, says Camilla Croso, general coordinator of CLADE.

Read the full letter below.

Your Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations

Your Excellency Ms. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

Your Excellency Ms. María Fernanda Espinoza, President of the General Assembly of the United Nations

Your Excellency Ambassador Ms. Inga Rhonda King, President of ECOSOC

It is with great concern that the networks and civil society organizations that work for the realization of the human right to education in Latin America and the Caribbean review the “zero draft” of the Political Declaration of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) and note the total absence of state commitments in education and the acknowledgement of its crucial importance in the scope of the SDGs, human rights, democratic strengthening and peace.

This absence is particularly serious in the year in which Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which ensures inclusive, equitable and quality education throughout life, is among the main goals to be reviewed.

We know the HLPF is a key mechanism for SDG monitoring the worldwide and are fully committed, as civil society, to participate and strengthen it as a strategic multilateral dialogue space for democratic exercise and for leveraging the fulfillment of commitments taken on with the 2030 Agenda.

We hope that this absence will be promptly addressed in the next versions of the declaration, which should recognize the paramount importance of fully implementing SDG4 for the achievement of the entire 2030 Agenda.

In dialogue with sister networks from other continents and globally, as well as with the Education and Academy Stakeholder Group, we will send you concrete suggestions that could be included in this fundamental document.

Yours sincerely,

ADECO – México
Agencia Pressenza
Agenda Ciudadana por la Educación (ACED) Costa Rica
Asociación Latinoamericana de Educación y Comunicación Popular – ALER
Asociación Internacional de Lesbianas, Gays, Bisexuales, Trans e Intersex para América Latina y el Caribe – ILGALAC
Ayuda en Acción El Salvador
Campaña Argentina por el Derecho a la Educación (CADE)
Campaña Boliviana por el Derecho a la Educación (CBDE)
Campaña Latinoamericana por el Derecho a la Educación (CLADE)
Campanha Nacional pelo Direito à Educação – Brasil
Campaña Peruana por el Derecho a la Educación (CPDE)
Campaña por el Derecho a la Educación en México (CADEM)
Centro de Estudios Ecuménicos – CEE – México
CEP – Parras – México
Coalición Colombiana por el Derecho a la Educación (CCDE)
Colectivo de Educación para Todas y Todos de Guatemala
Colectivo Mexicano del CEAAL
Colectivo Voces y Colores Colombia
Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de las Mujeres (CLADEM)
Consejo de Educación Popular de América Latina y el Caribe (CEAAL)
Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales (CLACSO)
Contrato Social por la Educación en el Ecuador
COPEVI – México
Dinamismo Juvenil – México
EDUCA – México
Federación Internacional Fe y Alegría
FINEDUCA Brasil – Associação Nacional de Pesquisadores em Financiamento da Educação
Foro Dakar Honduras
Foro de Educación y Desarrollo Humano de la Iniciativa por Nicaragua
Foro por el Derecho a la Educación Pública de Chile
Foro Socioeducativo (FSE) de República Dominicana
Frente Amplio por la Educación los Derechos y la Paz
Marcha Global contra el Trabajo Infantil de Sudamérica
OMEP Latinoamérica
Pampa 2030
Portal “Otras Voces en Educación”
Reagrupación por la Educación para Todos y Todas (REPT) de Haití
Red de Educación Popular entre Mujeres de América Latina y el Caribe (REPEM)
Red Estrado
Red Global/Glocal por la Calidad Educativa
Red Paraguaya por el Derecho a la Educación
Red Regional por la Educación Inclusiva
Red Salvadoreña por el Derecho a la Educación (RESALDE)
Salud, Arte y Educación – México
Social Watch
Sociedad Venezolana de Educación Comparada