International Day of Education (24 January 2023)

On this International Day of Education, France renews its commitment to promote universal access to an inclusive, equitable, quality education. That includes emergency and crisis situations. While 244 million school-age children and teens are deprived of education worldwide and access to education has experienced setbacks, France maintains that education is a right. It must be defended wherever it is called into question; this is the case in Afghanistan, where girls’ and women’s right to education must be fully respected.

Established in 2018 by the UN, the International Day of Education celebrates the vital role played by education in peace and human development. On this 5th edition, France will promote education and sustainable development by bringing together experts and young activists with Komal Narayan, the Fijian defender of climate justice and winner of France’s 2022 Simone Veil Prize.

France is strongly committed to including education on the international agenda. In 2022, France renewed its commitment to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), contributing some €333 million to be disbursed over five years, and continuing to support Education Cannot Wait, a multilateral fund for education in emergencies. Together with our partners, we have made girls’ education a strong priority. Our contribution to GPE finances half of the projects dedicated to equality between boys and girls.

In 2023, France will continue to mobilize its efforts in support of education and to stress this issue in multilateral forums and in its bilateral cooperation efforts. In order to meet environmental challenges, France will step up its efforts to provide education on sustainable development.