Ei-iE

In a world where education systems are increasingly under threat from austerity measures and privatization, EI’s Go Public! campaign has emerged as a powerful force for change, as demonstrated during a recent EI Development Cooperation (DC) Café gathering union leaders and partners.

The Go Public! campaign is not just a call to action; it is a testament to the power of organized labor, as seen by the experiences shared by EI members in Ethiopia, Nepal and beyond.

Success stories from around the world

In Nepal, the campaign led to significant victories for education workers. Kusmita Tiwari, a member of the Institutional School Teachers' Union (ISTU) of Nepal, shared: "We took to the street for 29 days. Around 15,000 teachers were there from all parts of Nepal. This relentless action resulted in a federal agreement and an increase of 110 million U.S. dollars in public education funding over the next three years.”.

Tiwari shared the campaign experience in Nepal, and how cross union organizing led to significant victories.

Yohannes Benti, President of the Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA), highlighted the campaign impact in Ethiopia: “ETA benefited from the Solidarity Fund two years ago for the Go Public! campaign. The project in Ethiopia had several components, including a survey on government expenditure, broadcast media spots, and training for campaigners.” Benti, who is also a member of EI’s Executive Board, noted that the campaign increased the visibility of ETA and helped the wider community understand that the association advocates for both education and teachers' rights.

Building solidarity and capacity

The campaign's success is rooted in part in its ability to build solidarity and capacity among unions. Dr. Dennis Sinyolo, Director of the EI Region Africa office, emphasized that the African region knows three different trends related to the campaign: “We have those countries and unions supported through the EI Solidarity Fund. We also have countries and member organizations that have been funded through the Foundation Friedrich Ebert (FES). And we have those member organizations that have taken their own initiatives to launch the campaign, and only asked EI for technical support, for materials, and advice. All in all, if you put all these together, we have had the combined launch of the campaign in 26 countries in Africa.”

He went on to stress the importance of research and evidence in advocacy: “It is critical to carry out research first, collect data and evidence to support your advocacy, your campaigns.” Sinyolo shared success stories from Uganda, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, where the campaign influenced parliamentary debates and increased education budgets.

Anand Singh, Director of the EI Asia-Pacific office, also discussed the campaign's organizing focus: "We have a deliberate organizing strategy. We are using the campaign as a capacity building tool also, but the focus is on member engagement, on political engagement and using the union strength to raise the campaign goals.”

He also noted the deliberate strategy to align or integrate existing projects with the campaign. “For example, in Indonesia, we have been working there for 20 years, and the focus was on developing a strong, democratic and independent union. Now, we are using that strength to build the campaign and we have been able to attain certain successes, where the Teachers' Association of the Republic of Indonesia (PGRI) has been leading this campaign very well.” In a recent event, he recalled, “there were around 200 people in the meeting hall and more than 2.000 people attending, joining us online, and we could see how PGRI has been able to disseminate the campaign message to all its provinces, to all its branches, to all its subbranches, etc.”

Singh also acknowledged that the campaign is “a member organization-led campaign, we just go and support. Then there are countries where we do not provide direct financial support, but more technical assistance. For example, last year we brought the North Asia subregion together, which is Japan, Mongolia, South Korea and Taiwan.”

Underlining the importance of regional and subregional focus, he said that “we try to bring in our partners, for example UNESCO and the International Labour OrganIzation (ILO). We have had in the last two years at least five subregional and regional events attended by heads of offices of UNESCO and ILO and they are committed to support the campaign.”

Looking ahead

As the Go Public! campaign moves forward, it continues to adapt and grow. “We are also thinking of our transformation towards organizing through the campaign,” said Rebeca Logan, EI Campaigns and Communications Director.

She explained that the campaign's focus on organizing, and member engagement ensures that it remains a dynamic and responsive force for change. it is more than just a series of initiatives; it is a movement that brings together education unions from around the world in a shared mission to advocate for quality public education. As the campaign continues to evolve, it serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when unions unite and stand together.