Ei-iE

Jens Kalaene
Jens Kalaene

Equity and inclusion

We defend and promote the principles of equity and equality in education, in education unions and in society. We are fully committed to combating all forms of racism and of bias or discrimination due age, disability, ethnicity or indigeneity, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation, language, marital status, migratory status, political activism, religion, socio-economic status, trade union affiliation, among others. We are committed to addressing these forms of discrimination through an intersectional lens, which enables a deeper understanding of the complexities of lived experiences.

I think Education International has a leadership role to play… If we’re going to have a more civil society, a more inclusive society, then we have to model that by including men but women as well, people of different ethnic groups or religious backgrounds. All of us have to be involved and be at the table and have that kind of respect.

Professor Mary Hatwood Futrell, First elected EI President, 1993–2004

Promoting and advancing gender equality has always been an Education International priority. We believe that education can play a key role in empowering women and girls and can contribute to breaking through the cycle of gender discrimination. The Education International Gender Equality Action Plan highlights three main priorities:

  1. Promoting women’s leadership and participation within education unions;
  2. Taking action to increase intersectional gender equality in and through education;
  3. Promoting and securing women’s economic empowerment.

The unequal and gendered impact of the COVID-19 pandemic risks erasing years of progress on equity and inclusion throughout the world. Together with our member organisations, we mobilise to challenge and help dismantle all structures of inequality in education and beyond. As part of this work, we have called for equity audits to be conducted at all levels of education in order to ensure the pandemic does not define the lives of an entire generation of students.

Our work in this area

  1. Publications

    Copyright limitations and exceptions for the use of digital materials in teaching and learning environments

    Policy brief
    7 November 2023

    The policy brief examines a broad range of empirical data and reveals the urgent need to intervene on current copyright laws to respond to teachers’ needs regarding access to and use of digital materials in the physical and online environments. It includes key recommendations that aim to enhance current international...

    Copyright limitations and exceptions for the use of digital materials in teaching and learning environments
    1. Download
  2. News 3 November 2023

    Decolonising education unions’ development cooperation projects

    How to avoid unbalanced relationships between unions engaged in development cooperation (DC) projects? This is the key question DC partners belonging to Education International (EI) member organisations set upon answering during an online meeting held on 20 October. Participants gave examples of projects they were involved in, concrete measures they...

    Decolonising education unions’ development cooperation projects
  3. News 30 October 2023

    New research informs union work to overcome copyright obstacles for teachers and teaching

    On September 28, the International Day for Universal Access to Information, Education International hosted an online event entitled Pathways to pedagogy: Overcoming copyright obstacles for teacher resource access. The event launched three new pieces of research commissioned by Education International on copyright regimes and their impact on education and educators...

    New research informs union work to overcome copyright obstacles for teachers and teaching
  4. Worlds of Education 26 October 2023

    Gender, education, and a global view on the ‘crisis of care’

    Saba Joshi

    The global pandemic that swept across the world just a few years ago was a grim reminder of the fragility of human lives. Widespread illness and death, economic disruption, mobility restrictions, and lockdowns precipitated by the unabated spread of Covid-19 was shocking, almost unbelievable for many of us.

    Gender, education, and a global view on the ‘crisis of care’
  5. News 20 October 2023

    Workers exchange strategies for inclusive trade unions and education systems

    Trade unionists gathered for the 6th Education International (EI)/Public Services International (PSI) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)+ Forum held on 13 October in Geneva, Switzerland, reaffirming the need for workers, including in the public education sector, to show promising practices on how trade unions are , protecting LGBT+ rights,...

    Workers exchange strategies for inclusive trade unions and education systems
  6. Publications

    Teachers and technology

    Advocacy brief by Education International and the Global Education Monitoring Report
    19 October 2023

    The Global Education Monitoring Report and Education International have developed an advocacy brief for teachers based on the 2023 GEM Report, Technology in education: A tool on whose terms?

    Teachers and technology
    1. Download
  7. News 19 October 2023

    Top Asia-Pacific education unionists advocate for increased investment in public education systems and educators, and call for gender equity, and sustainable, democratic and peaceful societies

    The Education International Asia-Pacific (EIAP) Regional Committee called for a greater investment in public education and educators, more for gender equity within unions, urgent action on climate change and expressed solidarity with colleagues across the region and the world who are facing violations of their human and trade union rights.

    Top Asia-Pacific education unionists advocate for increased investment in public education systems and educators, and call for gender equity, and sustainable, democratic and peaceful societies
  8. Research

    The Unintended Consequences of Artificial Intelligence and Education

    Wayne Holmes
    18 October 2023

    This report sets out to provide an analysis of the current state of artificial intelligence and education, including its potential benefits and risks, as well as the role of teachers and teacher trade unionists in ensuring that teaching with and about artificial intelligence is aligned with the principles of social...

    The Unintended Consequences of Artificial Intelligence and Education
    1. Research Paper
    2. Executive Summary
  9. News 12 October 2023

    Palestine: Empowering women teachers

    The General Union of Palestinian Teachers (GUPT) has put gender equity at the heart of union priorities, organising training sessions for women members around the theme “Women's and girls’ full participation in society: Are Palestinian women reaping the benefits of education in similar ways to the rest of the world?”

    Palestine: Empowering women teachers
  10. Statements 11 October 2023

    Education International joins global call to invest in girls’ rights

    Statement on the International Day of the Girl Child - 11 October 2023

    October 11, the International Day of the Girl Child, is a day of mobilisation and action to advance the rights of girls around the world. Amid worrying developments that have undone decades of progress on girls’ rights, Education International joins allies from around the world in calling for governments and...

    Education International joins global call to invest in girls’ rights
  11. Worlds of Education 6 October 2023

    Addressing the overlooked plight of refugee teachers

    Becky Telford

    As we mark World Teachers Day 2023 , it is essential that we peel back the curtain on an issue that remains largely ignored: the plight of refugee teachers. Since 1994, we've come together every year to celebrate the remarkable contributions of teachers worldwide. But how often do we pause...

    Addressing the overlooked plight of refugee teachers
  12. Worlds of Education 4 October 2023

    Aloyo Stella's Classroom: a reflection on the education we want

    Susan Hopgood

    “Despite the terrible conditions, we continue to support our students because we know our work is critical for millions of the most vulnerable children around the world. But we cannot do it alone.” Aloyo Stella Oryang , refugee teacher.

    Aloyo Stella's Classroom: a reflection on the education we want
  13. Publications

    Pledging Guidance on Teachers and Teaching in Forced Displacement Situations

    2023 Global Refugee Forum
    3 October 2023

    In the lead up to the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) 2023, thematic task teams have been established within the GRF Education Alliance which brings together a range of stakeholders working together to operationalise the education-related provisions of the Global Compact on Refugees. Education International leads the GRF Education Alliance Task...

    Pledging Guidance on Teachers and Teaching in Forced Displacement Situations
    1. Download
  14. Research

    Access and Use of Teaching and Research Materials from A Copyright Perspective in Fiji and the Philippines

    Dr Dara Dimitrov, Dr Rogena Sterling, Dr Hilary Davis
    28 September 2023

    This study fills the gap created by the lack of research on educators’ perspectives on copyright protected resources in Fiji and the Philippines and identifies the challenges and strategies they undertake when confronted with material protected by copyright law.

    Access and Use of Teaching and Research Materials from A Copyright Perspective in Fiji and the Philippines
    1. Executive summary
    2. Research findings
  15. Research

    Higher Education in the International Digital Economy: Effects of Conflicting Copyright Regimes on Cross-Border Teaching

    Patricia Aufderheide, Juliya Ziskina, Kimberly Anastácio
    28 September 2023

    This study investigates how clashing copyright regimes affect the work of cross-border teaching in higher education. It explores constraints on pedagogy both from copyright policies at the national level and from conflicts between regimes internationally. As the recent pandemic demonstrated, and as previous research has shown, pedagogy requires flexibility that...

    Higher Education in the International Digital Economy: Effects of Conflicting Copyright Regimes on Cross-Border Teaching
    1. Download
  16. Research

    Access and Use of Teaching and Learning Materials from a Copyright Perspective in Kenya

    Catherine Nafuna Nandain, Charles Nandain
    28 September 2023

    This report presents the findings of a study conducted in Kenya, focusing on the access and use of teaching, and learning materials from a copyright perspective. The study aimed to identify the teaching materials used in class, strategies to access them, teacher’s knowledge of copyright laws, copyright-related challenges that teachers...

    Access and Use of Teaching and Learning Materials from a Copyright Perspective in Kenya
    1. Research findings
    2. Executive summary
  17. Worlds of Education 27 September 2023

    Copyright and teaching materials in Senegal

    Mar Mbodj

    Copyright gives authors exclusive control over their works. In education, however, the balance between access to information and respect for copyright is a major challenge. It is essential that we guarantee equitable access to protected knowledge while preserving the rights of artists and authors. Against this backdrop we have conducted...

    Copyright and teaching materials in Senegal