Padman Africa celebrates first-ever International Day of Education on 24 January
The world will mark the first-ever International Day of Education on 24 January, which was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly last year in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. Padman Africa is joining UNESCO in calling on countries to increase political commitment to education as a force for inclusion driving the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Education is the most powerful force in our hands to ensure significant improvements in health, to stimulate economic growth, to unlock the potential and innovation we need to build more resilient and sustainable societies,” said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director General in her statement for the Day. “We will not succeed in breaking the cycle of poverty, mitigating climate change, adapting to the technological revolution, let alone achieve gender equality, without ambitious political commitment to universal education.”
Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.
The first celebration of the Education Day will be marked at an event hosted in Lagos, Nigeria by Padman Africa and co-organized globally at the United Nations in New York by UNESCO and the Permanent Missions of Ireland, Nigeria, Norway, the Republic of Singapore and the State of Qatar. The event’s theme “Education: A Key Driver for Inclusion and Empowerment” echoes the focus of the UN High Level Political Forum that takes place in New York this July, which will review SDG4, among other goals. Bringing together the voices of governments, the UN system, the private sector and youth organizations, the event will be a platform to highlight education’s vital contribution to the entire 2030 Agenda and to strengthen collective action to achieve SDG4.
In Nigeria, Danlami U. Basharu, Member United Nations Committee on the Rights of Person with Disabilities would lend his voice alongside renowned Author, Bankole Adeate to the theme of the event. Padman Africa would launch their Period Purses in their ‘She is the First’ series that would be to advocate for sustained commitment to education in the 2030 Agenda and for the girls not to miss out on schools as a result of their periods.
Today, 262 million children and youth still do not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. “How we implement the global education goal with the Period Purses will determine the success of ending period poverty or failure of the entire push of affordability for the girl child not to miss out on school as a result of her period, generate inclusive growth working with those living with disabilities, strengthen peace and protect the planet especially in the rural communities,” said Prudence Onyejiaka, Co-founder Padman Africa.
This event has been supported by Public Spirited individuals and inspired by KQ 42ND Anniversary, Edu 360 by Union Bank, World Merit, UNESCO & 68th @UN Civil Society Conference in August 2019. Official hashtag is #EducationDay and #Education2030!
