Global Civil Society & the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 4: Quality Education

Quality Education


Progress towards quality education was already slower than required before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has had devastating impacts on education, causing learning losses in four out of five of the 104 countries studied.

Without additional measures, an estimated 84 million children and young people will stay out of school by 2030 and approximately 300 million students will lack the basic numeracy and literacy skills necessary for success in life.

In addition to free primary and secondary schooling for all boys and girls by 2030, the aim is to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to quality higher education.

Education is the key that will allow many other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved. When people are able to get quality education they can break from the cycle of poverty.

Education helps to reduce inequalities and to reach gender equality. It also empowers people everywhere to live more healthy and sustainable lives. Education is also crucial to fostering tolerance between people and contributes to more peaceful societies.

To deliver on Goal 4, education financing must become a national investment priority. Furthermore, measures such as making education free and compulsory, increasing the number of teachers, improving basic school infrastructure and embracing digital transformation are essential.

Name Acronym Founded City HQ Country/Territory HQ Type I Type II

United Nations Girls' Education Initiative

UNGEI 2000 New York NY USA F g

United Nations Global Compact

UNGC 2000 New York NY USA F y

United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names

UNGEGN 1959 New York NY USA E g

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR 1951 Geneva Switzerland E g

United Nations Information Centres

UNICs New York NY USA E g

United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNITAR 1963 Geneva Switzerland E gj

United Nations International Computing Centre

UNICC 1971 Geneva Switzerland E g

United Nations International School

UNIS 1947 New York NY USA G

United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute

UNICRI 1968 Turin Italy E gj

United Nations Mine Action Service

UNMAS 1997 New York NY USA E g

United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service

NGLS 1975 New York NY USA E g

United Nations Office at Geneva

UNOG Geneva Switzerland E g

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction

UNDRR 1999 Geneva Switzerland E g

United Nations Office for Project Services

UNOPS 1973 Copenhagen Denmark E g

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

OCHA 1992 New York NY USA E g

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

UNODC 1997 Vienna Austria E g

United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

UNPFII 2000 New York NY USA E g

United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law

1965 New York NY USA E g

United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia

UNRCCA 2007 Ashgabat Turkmenistan E g

United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe

UNRIC 2004 Brussels Belgium E g

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UNRWA 1949 Amman Jordan E g

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRISD 1963 Geneva Switzerland E gjv

United Nations Sustainable Development Group

UNSDG 1997 New York NY USA E g

United Nations System Staff College

UNSSC 1996 Turin Italy F g

United Nations University

UNU 1973 Tokyo Japan F g

United Nations University - Institute for Water, Environment and Health

UNU-INWEH 1996 Hamilton ON Canada K j

United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security

UNU-EHS 2003 Bonn Germany E j

United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability

UNU-IAS 2014 Tokyo Japan E j

United Nations University Institute on Computing and Society

UNU-CS 1989 Macau Macau E j

United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture and Mobility

UNU-GCM 2012 Barcelona Spain E j

United Nations Volunteers

UNV 1971 Bonn Germany F g

United Nations Youth and Student Association of Austria - Academic Forum for Foreign Affairs

UNYSA-AUSTRIA-AFA 1946 Vienna Austria G

United Nations Youth Associations Network

UNYANET 2011 Vienna Austria E

United Network of Young Peacebuilders

UNOY 1989 The Hague Netherlands F

United Peace Keepers Federal Council

UNPKFC 2020 Bangkok Thailand E

United Poets Laureate International

1963 Parañaque Philippines D

United Purpose

UP 1976 Cardiff UK G

United Religions Initiative

URI 1993 San Francisco CA USA F

United Schools International

USI 1961 Delhi India F

United Society for Christian Literature

USCL 1799 London UK G

United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

USCAP 1986 Evans GA USA G

United Theological College of the West Indies

UTCWI 1965 Kingston Jamaica E

United Through Sport

UTS Bristol UK J

United Way Worldwide

1974 Alexandria VA USA F

United World College of South East Asia

UWCSEA 1971 Singapore Singapore G

United World Colleges

UWC International 1962 London UK B

United World Philharmonic Foundation

New York NY USA G f

United World Philharmonic Youth Orchestra

Hamburg Germany G

United World Wrestling

UWW 1912 Corsier-sur-Vevey Switzerland B

UnitedSuccess

2008 J v

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