I recall the beautiful afternoon when I was having lunch with the Secretary General of Educational International Fred van Leeuwen and the Director of Oxfam Netherlands (NOVIB) Sylvia Boren. We asked ourselves: while the world is assembled in Dakar to talk about education, why can’t we build a strong movement that champions the right to education? That conversation resulted in the formation of the Global Campaign for Education. Kailash Satyarthi, First GCE President and Nobel Peace Laureate 2014

The following are some of GCE's significant dates, key moments, and highlights

2022-EiE Campaign
  • GCE Launches the Education in Emergencies Campaign, calling for Inclusive Planning, Sustainable Funding, and Realised Rights. 
2020-COVID-19 Campaign
  • GCE Launched a COVID-19 Campaign mobilising over 400 members and partners around the world to respond to the impact of the pandemic on education
2019-Membership
  • 119 GCE members
  • 90 National Education coalitions
  • 16 National members
  • 13 regional networks and youth-led organisations
2018- Youth Caucus
  • The first-ever Youth caucus convened at the 6th world Assembly held in Kathmandu. GCE granted the Youth a seat on the Board.
2014 and 2017 and 2018-GPE Replenishment campaign
  • GCE supported the GPE Replenishment campaign in 2014/2017 in preparation for the replenishment events directed by donor countries. GPE raised $2.3bn in the 2018 replenishment campaign.
2016-World Humanitarian Summit
  • GCE helped reposition education as a priority through the Education Cannot Wait Fund which challenged education in emergencies.
2015-Youth Strategy Engagement
  • GCE recognized the need to represent and include youth-led movements more formally in its structure.
2009-1 Goal Campaign
  • GCE mobilised 18 million people for this campaign and called on world leaders and over 200 stars including Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Matt Damon, Shakira, Jessica Alba, and John Legend to pledge necessary funding and indicate that regular people affect change.
2009-Civil Society Education Fund Programme(CSEF)
  • CSEF had 3 phases and increased the networks for GCE’s coalitions as well as created the platform for 88% of coalitions to engage with relevant parliamentary forums.
2007-Membership
  • 25 International Members
  • 46 National Coalitions
  • 5 Regional Networks
2003-First Global Action Week for Education(GAWE)
  • GAWE serves as the flagship campaign of GCE as it highlights one area for the Education For All agenda. GCE in 2006 hosted the biggest GAWE with 1 million people in Bangladesh with the honorable president Lula of Brazil as well as the famous activist and actress, Angelina Jolie.
2004-GCE first grant
  • GCE received its first external funding from the Hewlett foundation.
2016-High Level Political Forum

GCE with its members ICAE, EI, and ESU came together as organising partners for the Education Academia Stakeholder Group (EASG). Through the EASG, education has now a clear space within the HLPF system.

2015-SDG4 Discussions
  • GCE participated in a series of national consultations and championed submissions on UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network reports. GCE positively influenced the definition of SDG4 and the Education 2030 Agenda.
2002- Fast Track Initiative
  • GCE supported GPE which was previously known as Education For All which strengthens advocacy for Education by developing and implementing sound Education plans.
2001-GCE first World Assembly
  • GCE had set up its key governing structures and adopted a constitution in Delhi, in 2001. It also encouraged the expansion of national coalitions and regional networks.
2000-Dakar World Education Forum
  • Served as a catalyst for GCE’s establishment and defined transnational advocacy for education.
1999-GCE Founding Year
  • Oxfam International, ActionAid, and Global March Against Child Labour began the revolutionary transnational advocacy for Education as RIGHT to emancipate the voice of Civil society.

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) is a civil society movement that aims to end exclusion in education. Education is a basic human right, and our mission is to make sure that governments act now to deliver the right of everyone to a free, quality, public education.