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

World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought

WFPIST Teheran Iran Islamic Rep F

World Forum on Theology and Liberation

WFTL 2003 Porto Alegre Brazil F

World Foundation for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

1971 New York NY USA F f

World Foundation for Medical Studies in Female Health

WFFH 1955 Port Washington NY USA G f

World Free Zones Organization

World FZO 2014 Dubai United Arab Emirates C

World Futures Studies Federation

WFSF 1973 Fjellstrand Norway B y

World Haiku Association

WHA 1999 Saitama Japan C v

World Hatha Yog Federation

2019 Dantan India D

World Health Academy

WHA J

World Health Innovation Summit

WHIS Carlisle UK J

World Health Organization

WHO 1946 Geneva Switzerland B g

World Hepatitis Alliance

WHA 2007 London UK B y

World Heritage Centre

WHC 1992 Paris France E g

World Heritage Committee

1976 Paris France E g

World Heritage Fund

1976 Paris France F fg

World Heritage Information Network

WHIN Paris France K

World Heritage Institute of Training and Research - Asia and Pacific

WHITRAP 2007 Shanghai China G gj

World Heritage Watch

WHW 2014 Berlin Germany G y

World Historic and Cultural Canal Cities Cooperation Organization

WCCO 2009 Yangzhou China C y

World Hunger Education Service

WHES 1976 Washington DC USA G

World in Need

WIN International Associates 1991 Crowborough UK G

World Inclusive Dance Association

WIDA Moscow Russia J

World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium

WINHEC 2002 Honolulu HI USA D

World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education International Council

WIPCE International Council 1987 E c

World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network

WITBN 2008 F

World Information Transfer

WIT 1986 New York NY USA F

World Inspiring Network

WIN 2016 Accra Ghana G

World Institute for Advanced Research and Science

WIARS N j

World Institute for Engineering and Technology Education

WIETE Melbourne VIC Australia C j

World Interdisciplinary Network for Institutional Research

WINIR 2013 Coventry UK F

World Jewish Relief

1933 London UK F f

World Journalism Education Council

WJEC 2007 Paisley UK C y

World Kashmir Freedom Movement

WKFM 1990 F

World Leading Schools Association

WLSA Amstelveen Netherlands F

World League for Freedom and Democracy

WLFD 1966 Taipei Taiwan F y

World Learning

1932 Brattleboro VT USA G

World Lebanese Cultural Union

WLCU 1959 E

World Leisure Organization

WLO 1952 Bilbao Spain B y

World Libertarian Order

WLO 1983 N v

World Literacy Council

WLC Melbourne VIC Australia G

World Literacy Foundation

2003 F f

World Literacy Initiative

2000 Atlanta GA USA G

World Maritime University

WMU 1983 Malmö Sweden E y

World Martial Arts Masterships Committee

WMC 2016 Seoul Korea Rep G

World Martial Arts Union

WoMAU 2002 Chungju Korea Rep C

World Materials Research Institutes Forum

WMRIF 2005 Tsukuba Japan F

World Media Association

WMA 1978 Washington DC USA F v

World Media Institute

WMI Prescott ON Canada N j

World Medical Association

WMA 1947 Ferney-Voltaire France B

World Medical Relief

WMR 1953 Southfield MI USA N

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