What UN initiatives have targeted African education?

The United Nations has launched several initiatives targeting African education, including the Global Education First Initiative and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The United Nations (UN) has been instrumental in promoting education in Africa through various initiatives. One of the most significant is the Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2012. This initiative aimed to accelerate progress towards the Education for All (EFA) goals and the education-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The GEFI focused on three priorities: putting every child in school, improving the quality of learning, and fostering global citizenship. It sought to rally a broad spectrum of actors around a common education agenda, and Africa was a key target region.

Another major UN initiative is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4, which aims to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all". This goal, adopted in 2015, has a specific focus on developing countries, including those in Africa. It seeks to address various challenges, such as access to quality education, gender equality in education, and the promotion of lifelong learning. The UN works with governments, civil society, and other partners to achieve this goal, providing technical assistance, policy advice, and funding.

The UN has also launched the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI) to narrow the gender gap in education. This initiative aims to ensure that all girls complete primary and secondary education, which is a significant challenge in many African countries. The UNGEI works with governments and other stakeholders to remove barriers to girls' education, such as early marriage, violence, and discrimination.

Furthermore, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been at the forefront of promoting education in Africa. Through its various programmes and projects, UNESCO works to improve the quality of education, promote literacy, and strengthen education systems in African countries. For instance, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics provides reliable data to inform education policies and monitor progress towards international education targets.

In conclusion, the UN has made significant efforts to improve education in Africa through various initiatives. These initiatives aim to increase access to quality education, promote gender equality, and foster global citizenship, among other goals.