Policy Advocacy Lessons and Platform for Post CONFINTEA VI Phase

1. Policy Advocacy Lessons and Platform for Post CONFINTEA VI Phase Basic Leadership Development Course Baguio City, Philippines September 19-27, 2010 Handout prepared by Tanvir Muntasim Policy Team ASPBAE

2. CONFINTEA? • International Conference on Adult Education • Convened by UNESCO • Happens every 11/12 years • Last one took place in Hamburg in 1997

3. CONFINTEA VI: Basic Information • Dates: December 1-4, 2009 • Venue: Belem, Para, Brazil, • Theme:"Living and Learning for a Viable Future – The Power of Adult Learning“ • Category II official inter-governmental UNESCO-led conference; UIL is Secretariat • Approx. 150 countries participated, with strong and visible CSO participation

4. Belem Framework for Action:The Outcome Document • Drafted by UNESCO as the template for the conference declaration • Participating Country delegates reviewed, discussed, debated and approved the final version

5. Belem Framework for Action: What is in it? • Recommendations and strategies on • Policy • Governance • Financing • Participation, inclusion and equity • Adult Literacy • Quality • Monitoring Implementation • Statement of Evidence • Issues and Challenges • Progress since CONFINTEA V

6. Advocacy Gains in the Conference • For the first time, 2 CSO representatives on the drafting committee, despite overall CSO space being reduced in terms of participation • Strong support from national delegation for CSO 10 point demands

7. Advocacy Gains in the Conference • Renewed commitment to adult education • Acknowledgement of the urgent need for action on adult literacy • Recognition that we need to move beyond simplistic understandings of literacy, to recognise a continuum of learning. • Commitment to produce fully costed and well-targeted plans backed up by legislation – and with active participation from civil society, educators and learners themselves.

8. Advocacy Gains in the Conference • There was strong language recognising different forms of discrimination that undermine access to education. • The commitment to monitor progress on adult education was significantly reinforced with clear timelines. • commitment to ensure that the major global financing mechanism for education for all (Education Fast Track Initiative) should explicitly support adult literacy.

9. Policy Losses? • Mostly non binding commitments • No benchmark proposed for adult education financing • No proposition of adult education as a inviolable human right

10. Lessons for Reflection • Long term planning and preparation for advocacy are likely to bear fruit • In lobby efforts, key and concise demands are much more useful than long thematic documents • Home work on existing and alternative policy texts are vital

11. Lessons for Reflection • Knowledge of procedurals, along with advocacy and diplomacy skills are essential in major lobby events • Skills of adult education practitioners and advocates not necessarily part of the same set • Demands based on evidence are more likely to be met than demands based on rhetoric only • Formal linkages between govt. and CSOs are vital in ensuring policy commitments

12. Looking Forward: Post CONFINTEA Phase and ASPBAE Plans • Strategic Approach • Mobilising National Constituencies • Forging stronger links between CSOs and Policy Makers using the ongoing momentum and identifying policy hooks and handles • Deepening research and analysis to fuel national mobilisation, regional lobbying and reshaping of global discourse

13. Updates Post CONFINTEA • CONFINTEA Advisory Group formed and one meeting held (convened by UIL). The mandate of the group is •  To help to shape and update a follow-up plan for CONFINTEA VI • To advocate for increased resources for adult education • To act as an institutionalised advocacy group for adult education at international level and in conjunction with national groups

14. Updates Post CONFINTEA • CONFINTEA Advisory Group formed and one meeting held (convened by UIL). The mandate of the group is • To help to shape and update a follow-up plan for CONFINTEA VI • To advocate for increased resources for adult education • To act as an institutionalised advocacy group for adult education at international level and in conjunction with national groups

15. Updates Post CONFINTEA (Contd.) • First big international event on adult learning, the Forum on lifelong learning took place in Shanghai, 19 - 21 May. However, its focus was on promoting the concept of life long learning, rather than looking at concrete follow up mechanisms to CONFINTEA VI. • China and Korea planning Post CONFINTEA meetings organized respectively by CAEA and NILE in cooperation with government • Some countries conceptualising and implementing major literacy/adult learning projects

16. Some Actions for Consideration by National Advocates for Adult Education • Widely share the commitments made by the government in CONFINTEA VI (being signatory to Belem Framework) • Review the consistency of and alignment with national policies and programmes • Identify key policy moments and advocacy opportunities and lobby with the government

17. Policy and Campaign Spaces • International • MDG and EFA End of Decade (EDA) Assessment • MDG Summit in September 2010 • G 20 Meeting in Korea in October • National • Education Policies • Midterm and Annual development plans/ • Budget formulation and review, • Literacy Day in September • 1 Goal Campaign

18. For more information/ resources Links • Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) - http://www.unesco.org/en/confinteavi/ • National Reports on Adult Education for CONFINTEA - http://www.unesco.org/en/confinteavi/national-reports/ • EFA Global Monitoring Report - http://www.unesco.org/en/efareport • ASPBAE website – www.aspbae.org Contact For updates and information, please contact – Tanvir Muntasim, Post CONFINTEA Campaign Coordinator, ASPBAE – mtanvir.aspbae@gmail.com