The HLP meeting was preceded by a civil society meeting, held at the same venue on 28 and 29 January. The speeches presented at the official opening of the civil society preparation meeting and the subsequent discussions mainly addressed issues of economic empowerment, livelihoods and family income, child protection, climate change, good governance, gender and sexual reproductive health, with little or no reference to education at all. 

EI argued that none of the priorities discussed could be achieved without education, and for quality education to be included in the post 2015 development agenda. Drawing from EI’s Education Policy Paper, ‘Building the Future through Quality Education’ and from EI’s ‘Principles for A Post-2015 Education and Development Framework’, EI Senior Coordinator, Dennis Sinyolo, argued that education is a fundamental human right and the key to development.

In his remarks to the civil society forum, Sinyolo argued: ‘Education gives children, young people and adults the knowledge, skills and competences they need to be productive citizens and develop to their full potential’. He went on to say:  ‘You cannot achieve any of the MDGs, nor the priorities for a post-2015 agenda without education. In addition to being a goal in its own right, education is the mortar that binds the goals together’.

EI worked closely with children, the youth and other global unions to push for the inclusion of quality education in the post 2015 agenda. As a result, education was highlighted in the messages presented to Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and in the civil society communique, available here.

EI and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and other Global Unions also called for decent employment for all and universal social protection. The communique from the civil society preparation meeting was presented to members of the HLP on 30 November. EI also addressed members of the HLP and urged them to include quality education, delivered by well-qualified, well-supported and motivated teachers.

EI and its affiliate, the National Teachers Association of Liberia (NTAL) also met with the Minister of Education, Etmonia David Tarpeh, and urged the Liberian Government, as co-chair of the HLP, to ensure that education is included as a priority in the post-2015 agenda.

The UN High Level Panel was appointed by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, in July last year to recommend priorities for the post-2015 development agenda. The new development framework will succeed the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Outcome Document of the Civil Society Organisations' Monrovia Consultation for the Post 2015 Development Agenda is available for download here.