Join Civil Society at the GPE conference
If you are a registered participant at the GPE Pledging Conference, you are warmly invited to attend these events, all of which will be held in the Civil Society Zone at Docken.All participants at the GPE Pledging Conference are warmly invited to attend these events, all of which will be held in the Civil Society Zone at Docken.
If you are at the conference and will be attending any of these sessions, please RSVP here, alternatively you can RSVP using the links under each session desciptions
Session 1:

Fund the Future: Delivering Education Rights Now
9.45am - 10.30amThis session will highlight the reasons why some donors are already committed to making education a priority as well as to hear the perspective of developing countries who are striving to deliver Education for All in the face of the withdrawal of funding.
Session objectives:
- Provide insight into donor perspectives on funding
- Understand the challenges facing countries where multiple donors are set to withdraw support
- Find out more about the ten principles for quality aid to basic education
- Ms. Koumba Boly-Barry, Minister for Basic Education and Literacy, Burkina Faso
- David Archer, Head of Education, ActionAid International
Session 2:
Making Girls' Education Rights a Reality
10.40am - 11.35amGirls comprise the majority of children out of school. This panel will consider quality education and what it takes to make girls' rights a reality. In particular, enabling safe learning spaces, free from violence and discrimination, is crucial to ensuring girls' empowerment and the fulfillment of their confidence, capacity and aspirations.
Session objectives:
- Share expertise, experience and best practice on improving quality education for girls and marginalised groups
- Emphasise girls' right to safe learning environments and the impact this has on girls learning outcomes
- Raise commitments to ensure countries' education plans are gender-sensitive and respond to girls' education needs and rights
- Camilla Croso, President, Global Campaign for Education
- Nigel Chapman, CEO, Plan International
- Anda A. Adams, Associate Director, Centre for Universal Education, Brookings Institute
- Tahirou Traore, National Education Coalition, Burkina Faso (CNEPT)
Session 3:

Quality Teachers for All: Overcoming the Teacher Shortage and Meeting Training Challenges
1.30pm - 2.25pmThe global teacher shortage and the quality of teaching are recognized as major obstacles on the way towards achieving Education for All goals. According to UIS projections, more than 5 million new teachers are needed to achieve universal primary education by 2015.
Session objectives:
This panel will encourage debate on how policymakers and donors alike can engage with the teaching profession to tackle teacher training, professional development, recruitment and working conditions issues in authentic and sustainable ways that remove the obstacles for quality teaching.
Speakers include:
- Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary, Education International
- Liana J. Gertsch, Project Leader, Quality Educators for All, Oxfam Novib
- David Atchoarena, Director, Education Strategies and Capacity Building, UNESCO
- Monique Fouilhoux, Chair, Global Campaign for Education
Session 4:

Education in Fragile States: Ensuring that No Child is Left Behind
2.35pm - 3.30pmMore than half of the world's 67 million out of school children are in conflict affected, fragile states. This session will explore the challenge of building educational systems, providing services and ensuring the right to education in conflict-affected fragile states. Following introductory remarks by Kevin Watkins in which he will draw on the 2011 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, a facilitated panel discussion will draw on the experience of donors, fragile state governments and civil society education organisations to develop a shared understanding of what's needed to accelerate educational progress in fragile states and how the Global Partnership for Education can help.
Speakers include:
- Kevin Watkins, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Center for Universal Education, Brookings Institute
- Josue Merilien, Regroupement Education Pour Tous/Toutes (REPT Haiti)

