A/RES/79/267 GA

United Nations A/RES/79/267 General Assembly Distr.: General 4 March 2025 25-03663 (E) *2503663* Seventy-ninth session Agenda item 13 Integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 4 March 2025 [without reference to a Main Committee (A/79/L.56)] 79/267. Education for democracy The General Assembly, Reaffirming the Charter of the United Nations, including the principles and purposes contained therein, and recognizing that human rights, the rule of law and democracy are interlinked and mutually reinforcing and that they belong to the universal and indivisible core values and principles of the United Nations, Reaffirming also the right of everyone to education, which is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,1 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2 the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 3 the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 4 the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities5 and other relevant instruments, Recalling its resolutions 67/18 of 28 November 2012, 69/268 of 5 March 2015, 71/8 of 16 November 2016, 73/134 of 13 December 2018, 75/199 of 21 December 2020 and 77/268 of 18 January 2023 and the results of the plan of action for the third phase (2015–2019) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, 6 recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 39/3 of 27 September 2018, 7 42/7 of _______________ 1 Resolution 217 A (III). 2 See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex. 3 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1577, No. 27531. 4 Ibid., vol. 1249, No. 20378. 5 Ibid., vol. 2515, No. 44910. 6 See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 53A and corrigenda (A/69/53/Add.1, A/69/53/Add.1/Corr.1 and A/69/53/Add.1/Corr.2), chap. IV, sect. A, resolution 27/12. 7 Ibid., Seventy-third Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/73/53/Add.1), chap. III. A/RES/79/267 Education for democracy 25-03663 2/6 26 September 2019,8 51/2 of 6 October 2022,9 54/7 of 11 October 202310 and 57/10 of 9 October 202411 on the World Programme for Human Rights Education, recalling with appreciation the plan of action for the fourth phase (2020–2024) of the World Programme,12 and taking note of the plan of action for the fifth phase (2025–2029) of the World Programme,13 Recalling also section VII, entitled “Supporting the global citizenship agenda through education for democracy”, of resolution 1 adopted on 20 November 2013 by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at its thirty-seventh session,14 Taking note of the Recommendation on Education for Peace and Human Rights, International Understanding, Cooperation, Fundamental Freedoms, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development adopted on 20 November 2023 by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at its forty-second session in its resolution 16,15 Recalling that the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, as set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 16 are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development, and acknowledging the importance of taking measures to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, including expanded opportunities for all children, particularly girls, to access quality education, as well as the need to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels, Recognizing the importance of equal opportunities for young people, including young women, to be an integral part of decision-making processes and participate in all spheres of life, and reaffirming that lifelong learning is an indispensable means for effective participation in the knowledge societies and economies of the twenty-first century and for promoting inclusive and equitable societies, Stressing the complementarity and mutual reinforcement of human rights education, training and learning and education for democracy, Reaffirming that democracy is a universal value based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives, 17 Recognizing that education for democracy nurtures responsible and active learners, capable of contributing effectively to peace and prosperity in their societies and beyond, _______________ 8 Ibid., Seventy-fourth Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/74/53/Add.1), chap. III. 9 Ibid., Seventy-seventh Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/77/53/Add.1), chap. III, sect. A. 10 Ibid., Seventy-eighth Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/78/53/Add.1), chap. III, sect. A. 11 Ibid., Seventy-ninth Session, Supplement No. 53A (A/79/53/Add.1), chap. III, sect. A. 12 A/HRC/42/23. 13 A/HRC/57/34. 14 See United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Records of the General Conference, Thirty-seventh Session, Paris, 5–20 November 2013, vol. 1 and corrigendum, Resolutions, sect. IV. 15 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Records of the General Conference, Forty-second Session, Paris, 7–22 November 2023, vol. 1 and corrigendum, Resolutions, annex IV. 16 Resolution 70/1. 17 Resolution 60/1, para. 135. Education for democracy A/RES/79/267 3/6 25-03663 Recognizing also the profound and disproportionate negative impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) pandemic on gender equality and on the realization of the right to education, deeply concerned that the related disproportionate impacts of the unprecedented global school closures, including on equal learning opportunities, have exacerbated pre‑existing inequalities between and within countries, such as the digital divides, and stressing the importance of ensuring a proper return to school for all children and youth still out of school as a consequence of the pandemic, in particular girls, who are among those disproportionately lacking access to education, Recalling the Incheon Declaration: Education 2030 – towards inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all, adopted at the World Education Forum 2015, held in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from 19 to 22 May 2015, 18 which affirmed the understanding of education as a main driver of development that is essential for peace, tolerance, human fulfilment and sustainable development, as well as key to achieving full employment and poverty eradication, Recalling also the Global Education Ministers Conference on addressing hate speech through education, which was jointly organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide on 26 October 2021, Taking note of the Global Education Meeting held in Fortaleza, Brazil, on 31 October and 1 November 2024 and its Fortaleza Declaration, which, inter alia, calls for integrating education for peace, human rights, democratic citizenship and sustainable development into school curricula, teacher education and community- level actions, in accordance with national contexts, towards building peaceful and resilient societies, Taking note also of the Global Education Monitoring Reports, which monitor progress towards the education targets within the Sustainable Development Goals framework, and affirming that education can encourage constructive and inclusive political participation, Recognizing that, while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy and that democracy does not belong to any country or region, Mindful of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights, 19 the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women,20 the World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy adopted by the International Congress on Education for Human Rights and Democracy,21 the World Programme for Human Rights Education proclaimed by the General Assembly in its resolution 59/113 A of 10 December 2004 and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training,22 Recalling the establishment of the United Nations Democracy Fund and the efforts of the Fund to advance the United Nations democracy agenda, as well as the operational activities in support of democratization processes carried out by the United Nations system, including by the Department of Political and Peacebuilding _______________ 18 See United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Final Report of the World Education Forum 2015, Incheon, Republic of Korea, 19–22 May 2015 (Paris, 2015). 19 A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III. 20 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4–15 September 1995 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annexes I and II. 21 A/CONF.157/PC/42/Add.6. 22 Resolution 66/137, annex. A/RES/79/267 Education for democracy 25-03663 4/6 Affairs of the Secretariat, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme, Acknowledging the important role of international, regional and other intergovernmental organizations, civil society, academia, the private sector and other stakeholders in support of democracy and education for democracy, Recognizing that education contributes to the strengthening of democracy, good governance and the rule of law at all levels, the reduction of economic inequality, the realization of human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the achievement of all internationally agreed development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals, the development of human potential, the eradication of poverty and the fostering of greater understanding among peoples, 1. Takes note with appreciation of the first stand-alone report entitled “Education for democracy”, submitted by the Secretary-General in cooperation with the Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization;23 2. Reaffirms the fundamental link between democratic governance, peace, development and the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, which are interdependent and mutually reinforcing; 3. Recalls the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in which Member States committed themselves to the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, including to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non‑violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development, and further recalls the importance of measuring progress towards the achievement of the Goals; 4. Encourages the Secretary-General, United Nations agencies such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen their efforts to promote the values of peace, human rights, democracy, respect for religious and cultural diversity, and justice and the rule of law through education; 5. Strongly encourages Member States and national, regional and local education authorities, as appropriate, to integrate education for democracy, along with civic education, human rights education, education for peace and education for sustainable development into their education standards and to develop and strengthen programmes, curricula and curricular and extracurricular educational activities aimed at the promotion and consolidation of democratic values and democratic governance and human rights, taking into account innovative approaches and best practices in the field, in order to facilitate the empowerment of citizens and their participation in political life and policymaking at all levels; 6. Encourages Member States and national, regional and local education authorities, as appropriate, to further efforts to strengthen, through education, the connections between democratic governance, peace, sustainable development and the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms; _______________ 23 A/79/344. Education for democracy A/RES/79/267 5/6 25-03663 7. Encourages Member States to intensify their efforts towards educating and empowering young people, in particular to shape, in the aftermath of COVID‑19, societies that are anchored in respect for human rights and the rule of law; 8. Calls upon Member States to continue to increase investment in accessible, safe, inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all, allowing for the intergenerational acquisition and transfer of knowledge and skills to advance the prospects of future generations and foster the building of peaceful, just, democratic and sustainable societies; 9. Also calls upon Member States to work with relevant stakeholders to take steps to close the digital divides between and within countries, including the rural- urban, youth-older persons and gender digital divides, and strengthen and adopt measures and mechanisms to ethically and responsibly harness the potential of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, to advance education for democracy while promoting digital inclusion by addressing the challenges associated with access, affordability, digital literacy and digital skills, ensuring that the benefits of new technologies are available to all, including those living in rural and remote areas, taking into account the needs of those who are in vulnerable situations and the importance of promoting inclusive learning environments, and providing distance learning opportunities, especially in developing countries; 10. Encourages Member States to further their efforts to develop and strengthen educational policies and initiatives that contribute to combating disinformation, misinformation, stigmatization, racism, xenophobia, hate speech, discrimination, exclusion, and violence, in particular through accessible media and information literacy and digital literacy to improve education for democracy in the emerging digital environment; 11. Recalls the Transforming Education Summit, convened by the Secretary- General from 16 to 19 September 2022 in New York, as well as its pre‑Summit, hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization from 28 to 30 June 2022 in Paris; 12. Also recalls Member States’ engagement throughout the Transforming Education Summit process, including through national consultations, and invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and relevant stakeholders, including the Sustainable Development Goal 4-Education 2030 High- level Steering Committee, to support Member States, upon their request, in the country-level implementation of their national commitments made during the Transforming Education Summit process; 13. Invites United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, including the United Nations Democracy Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Youth Office and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to provide appropriate expertise and resources for the development of relevant educational programmes and materials for democracy; 14. Encourages international, regional and other intergovernmental organizations, within their respective mandates, to share their best practices and experiences in the field of education for democracy, including but not limited to civic education, with each other and with the United Nations system, as appropriate; 15. Decides to continue its consideration of the issue of education for democracy at its eighty-first session, under the agenda item entitled “Integrated and A/RES/79/267 Education for democracy 25-03663 6/6 coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields”; 16. Invites Governments, the agencies and organizations of the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non‑governmental organizations to intensify their efforts to promote education for democracy, requests the Secretary-General, in cooperation with the Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to submit a report, within existing reporting obligations, to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session on the implementation of the present resolution, and invites the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, within her existing mandate, to contribute to the report of the Secretary-General. 58th plenary meeting 4 March 2025

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