Let’s Transform Our World For The Better

Audrey Osler is Professor of Citizenship and Human Rights Education, University of Leeds, UK and University or South-Eastern Norway.

I specialise in education for citizenship and human rights, in both established democracies and post-conflict societies. This has led me to diverse places and regions, including sub- Saharan Africa; Aceh, Indonesia; Iraq-Kurdistan; and, most recently, Sri Lanka. Experience confirms my belief that education is key to the realisation of human rights and gender equality. UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, quality education, is central to the wider sustainability agenda. Without appropriate education many of the other goals are effectively non-starters.

The Sustainable Development Goals, agreed in 2015, are a set of aspirations with concrete targets. The first step in realising their ambitious agenda is to hold our governments to account. It’s important to remember that they are not legally binding. They form an ambitious agenda to transform our world for the better by 2030. They are only likely to be realised if we, as citizens, working with others, including elected representatives, ensure our government and political leaders are held accountable both for these promises and for legally binding human rights obligations.

A second step in realising SDG 4 is to prompt an in-depth discussion about the meaning of an inclusive and equitable quality education. Much is made of the need to ensure adequate resources and teacher education. Clearly these are essential. But we also need to debate the aims and content of education. The near-universally ratified Convention on the Rights of the Child, along with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, spell out the basis for a quality education. These agreed international standards propose curriculum aims. These include development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations; respect for the child’s cultural identity, language and values and other cultures and civilizations. A quality education must necessarily include human rights education and intercultural education. Equally, the curriculum should equip the learner with the skills to participate in society ‘in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples’, and ensure social and environmental sustainability.

Some may question this agenda, arguing that universal primary education must, in the first instance, promote literacy and numeracy. Yet this isn’t an either/or choice. We are living in dangerous times, with increased authoritarianism across the globe; a global climate emergency; and an increasing tendency for governments to deride international institutions, undermine democratic processes, avoid journalistic scrutiny, overlook human rights standards, and play to populist agendas that promote blind nationalism and xenophobia. The curriculum knowledge and skills outlined here are more necessary than ever, if we are to avoid global conflict.

A third step is to foster global solidarity and a stronger cosmopolitan outlook, not just among young learners but all citizens, including teachers. Even wealthy countries need international support and solidarity to address crises, as illustrated by the international response to Australia’s devastating bush fires in 2019-20. Those who have lived under repressive regimes are often most acutely aware of the need for cosmopolitanism.

The artist C sar Manrique, who lived in Franco’s Spain, expressed this provocatively: ‘I believe in humankind as a totality. I don’t believe in religion, or in borders, or in nationalities, or in flags.’ He went on to say: 'We live on this planet for such a short space of time that each one of our steps should lead towards building the dreamed space of utopia more and more. Let us build it together. That is the only way of making it come true.'

Citizenship action for government accountability, a deep discussion about a quality curriculum, together with a utopian cosmopolitan vision, offer a pathway towards greater social justice through education.

From Engage issue 20.

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AUDREY OSLER • December 8, 2021

An Education Revolution

By Ann Beatty • April 6, 2025

This week while out and about in Hertfordshire and we visited the British Schools Museum. We discovered the first school opened by Joseph Lancaster, was known as the ‘Poor Childs Friend”, was in 1810. It was his lifelong mission that all children regardless of their circumstances, should benefit from an education. Apparently, Joseph heard a small girl say, “Oh that I could read!” and this inspired him to create a simple education system that eventually would benefit children across the world. Joseph was the tenth son of a poor man himself from South London. His aim was to offer free education for everyone. However, it would be 93 years before the U.K. government finally made education free for all. There are still many countries today where education is still not free to access and it is certainly not compulsory for primary and secondary age pupils. Joseph’s mission really resonates with that of the Foundation, to support access to education for all. We enjoyed our visit and appreciated the tour given by two of the Museum’s volunteers, Angela and Clare. They described some of the challenges faced in the early years of formal education and shared some of the rules that teachers and students had to abide by with us.

Sparks Bristol

By Ann Beatty • April 4, 2025

Sparks Bristol is a collaborative community project initially envisioned by The Global Goals Centre, (GGC) more of which below. A few years ago, GGC took over an empty Marks and Spencer store and that’s how Sparks was born. Sparks is a department store with a difference, co-created by Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace. On the ground floor is a huge range of shops, installations, events and more. Upstairs is a hub for local artists, it offers affordable studios as well as rehearsal and performance space. The Global Goals Centre is a Bristol-based educational charity inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDGs). GGC believe the SDG’s or Global Goals as they are sometimes known, can be reached, with imaginative solutions and widespread education and engagement. They work with partners to promote creative solutions and deliver ground breaking projects that work towards these ambitious goals. The Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the Global Goals Centre with seed funding when it first started over 5 years ago. This month we went to visit them to see how they are getting on and we were taken aback by the volume of work they have achieved since they started. It is amazing to see how though working together with other local community groups it has grown into the vibrant centre it is today. All of the creative projects they host are linked to the SDGs. They cover topics that tackle poverty, education, climate change, fashion recycling and upcycling, to name a few.

Spring is Here! Looking Ahead!

By Ann Beatty • March 28, 2025

Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.