Ei-iE

Jens Kalaene
Jens Kalaene

Equity and inclusion

We defend and promote the principles of equity and equality in education, in education unions and in society. We are fully committed to combating all forms of racism and of bias or discrimination due age, disability, ethnicity or indigeneity, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation, language, marital status, migratory status, political activism, religion, socio-economic status, trade union affiliation, among others. We are committed to addressing these forms of discrimination through an intersectional lens, which enables a deeper understanding of the complexities of lived experiences.

I think Education International has a leadership role to play… If we’re going to have a more civil society, a more inclusive society, then we have to model that by including men but women as well, people of different ethnic groups or religious backgrounds. All of us have to be involved and be at the table and have that kind of respect.

Professor Mary Hatwood Futrell, First elected EI President, 1993–2004

Promoting and advancing gender equality has always been an Education International priority. We believe that education can play a key role in empowering women and girls and can contribute to breaking through the cycle of gender discrimination. The Education International Gender Equality Action Plan highlights three main priorities:

  1. Promoting women’s leadership and participation within education unions;
  2. Taking action to increase intersectional gender equality in and through education;
  3. Promoting and securing women’s economic empowerment.

The unequal and gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic risks erasing years of progress on equity and inclusion throughout the world. Together with our member organisations, we mobilise to challenge and help dismantle all structures of inequality in education and beyond. As part of this work, we have called for equity audits to be conducted at all levels of education in order to ensure the pandemic does not define the lives of an entire generation of students.

Our work in this area

  1. News 13 June 2022

    Using women’s power for change: Education unionists come together for the 4th Education International World Women’s Conference

    From 13 to 16 June, record numbers of women education unionists from around the world are coming together online for the 4th Education International World Women’s Conference. Under the theme, “Using Women’s Power for Change”, the Conference is a festival of ideas, experiences, and strategies to advance gender equality in...

    Using women’s power for change: Education unionists come together for the 4th Education International World Women’s Conference
  2. Statements 10 June 2022

    Statement | World Day Against Child Labour

    On June 12th, World Day Against Child Labour, Education International calls on unions to urge governments to implement the Durban Call to Action on the Elimination of Child Labour adopted at the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour , held from 15-20 May 2022.

    Statement | World Day Against Child Labour
  3. Worlds of Education 9 June 2022

    Labels belong on bottles - not people

    Charles Adams

    NAPTOSA is the second largest teachers’ union in South Africa serving education through its legacy organisations since 1904. The NAPTOSA leadership and membership represent the racial diversity of the country and are inclusive of the LGBTQI+ community.

    Labels belong on bottles - not people
  4. News 9 June 2022

    Afghanistan: Union ensures the distribution of allowances to unpaid teachers

    The National Teachers Elected Council (NTEC) has played a key role in ensuring that UNICEF’s badly needed emergency funds reach teachers across Afghanistan and advocating for secondary girls access to education be reinstated.

    Afghanistan: Union ensures the distribution of allowances to unpaid teachers
  5. Worlds of Education 31 May 2022

    Towards schools that are inclusive and respectful of LGBTI people in Latin America

    Bolívar Rojas Vargas

    LGBTI people in Latin American education communities are faced, on a daily basis, with situations that require them to decide whether or not to share information about their sexual orientation or gender identity in the schools where they work, study or take their children. Can Latin American schools, colleges and...

    Towards schools that are inclusive and respectful of LGBTI people in Latin America
  6. News 23 May 2022

    Rabat Declaration underlines the need for international standards to bring all political abuses of religions to a halt

    The participants in the Rabat Global Conference held in Morocco’s capital city from May 11-12 adopted the Declaration reasserting the need to coordinate efforts to build global consensus on setting international rules to eliminate the use of religion in violating human rights. They called on the international community and all...

    Rabat Declaration underlines the need for international standards to bring all political abuses of religions to a halt
  7. Statements 17 May 2022

    International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia: Safe and inclusive schools for students and teachers in all their diversity

    On 17 May, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), Education International (EI), reaffirms our support and efforts to create safe and inclusive schools, universities, and other educational settings for learners and teachers in all their diversity. Safe schools are those where all teachers and students can feel...

    International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia: Safe and inclusive schools for students and teachers in all their diversity
  8. Worlds of Education 17 May 2022

    On Teachers’ Responsibility Towards LGBTQI Students

    Jeremy Gobin

    IGLYO — The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) Youth and Student Organisation is the lead youth development and leadership organisation working with LGBTQI young activists, counting more than 100 Member Organisations in over 40 countries in the Council of Europe Region. IGLYO has just released their...

    On Teachers’ Responsibility Towards LGBTQI Students
  9. News 10 May 2022

    Ukraine: Education unions, national and local authorities, and international organisations mobilise to ensure access to education for all refugee students

    Education unions from Ukraine and other European countries, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, local authorities in neighbouring countries, and international organisations came together in Warsaw on May 3 and 4, to step up collaboration to ensure that education continues for all Ukrainian refugee students.

    Ukraine: Education unions, national and local authorities, and international organisations mobilise to ensure access to education for all refugee students
  10. Publications

    Well-being and the education of the whole child

    A background paper by the OECD and Education International for the Pre-Summit Seminar at the International Summit on the Teaching Profession 2022
    10 May 2022

    Published in April 2021 by the OECD and Education International, the Ten Principles for Effective and Equitable Educational Recovery (hereinafter Principles) were intended to facilitate the collaboration of education authorities and the teaching profession, and their organisations, navigate the health crisis effectively and reshape education systems after the pandemic. The...

    Well-being and the education of the whole child
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  11. Worlds of Education 28 March 2022

    Teachers and students in Lebanon need global solidarity to save their education system and their hope for the future. The world must answer.

    David Edwards

    The failure of governance and the inability to deal with over-lapping crises has paralysed Lebanon. A whole generation of young people risks losing life opportunities due to the meltdown of the education system.

    Teachers and students in Lebanon need global solidarity to save their education system and their hope for the future. The world must answer.
  12. News 24 March 2022

    EI President takes floor at the United Nations: Social dialogue and climate education for a just transition

    On March 22nd, Education International President Susan Hopgood addressed the 66th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Speaking on behalf of Education International and the global trade union delegation to the CSW, EI’s President highlighted the critical role of social dialogue and climate education...

    EI President takes floor at the United Nations: Social dialogue and climate education for a just transition
  13. Statements 23 March 2022

    Afghanistan: The Taliban regime denies girls’ right to education

    March 23rd was supposed to be a day of hope and a bright new beginning for girls across Afghanistan. The Taliban regime had promised to reopen secondary schools to girls eager to restart their education after months of disruption. These hopes were dashed by a last-minute change in policy that...

    Afghanistan: The Taliban regime denies girls’ right to education
  14. News 17 March 2022

    Gender equality and climate justice in the spotlight at the 66th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

    The 66th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) opened on March 14 at UN headquarters in New York, as well as online across the world, with a focus on “achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of...

    Gender equality and climate justice in the spotlight at the 66th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
  15. Statements 11 March 2022

    Protecting the rights and dignity of all refugees

    Joint EI-ETUCE statement on Ukraine's refugee crisis

    The global turmoil of recent decades causing crises, conflicts, and wars and the consequences of climate change worldwide have led to millions of individuals fleeing their countries in search of safety and shelter.

    Protecting the rights and dignity of all refugees
  16. Worlds of Education 7 March 2022

    Education – a crucial piece of the climate justice and gender equality puzzle

    Susan Hopgood

    For decades we have mobilised across the world and have worked towards gender equality, and increasingly over the last few years to address climate injustice. However, both fights have often been waged separately with far too little attention given to the critical areas where they overlap.

    Education – a crucial piece of the climate justice and gender equality puzzle
  17. Statements 17 February 2022

    Promoting the rights, dignity, and agency of migrants for an inclusive recovery

    In the lead-up to the first-ever International Migration Review Forum taking place later in the spring, to assess progress on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), the second report of the Secretary-General is a reminder of the impact the pandemic and natural disasters...

    Promoting the rights, dignity, and agency of migrants for an inclusive recovery