UNESCO

© EU/ECHO/Anouk Delafortrie
Through its intergovernmental social
science programme on Management of
Social Transformations (MOST), UNESCO
has launched a pioneering project that uses
social science methodologies to empower
policy-makers to measure and improve the
degree of inclusiveness of public policies.
UNESCO’s objective is to help governments
increase the degree of inclusiveness of
their public policies related to issues such
as education, culture, science, youth,
sport and health care; and, ensure that
they benefit everyone and contribute to
equitable and sustainable development.
A Policy Initiation Workshop on ‘Promoting
Social Inclusion through Public Policy in
Malaysia’ in June saw the launch of the
project by the UNESCO Jakarta Office
(Indonesia) and the Institute of Malaysian
and International Studies (IKMAS).
This event brought together eminent
international experts and Malaysian
national stakeholders. A similar initiative
was launched in Timor-Leste in December.
Fostering social
transformations
Humanity is a work in progress: our
societies are in a continual state of
transformation. UNESCO strives to ensure
that social changes take a positive
direction, and a number of activities
throughout the year were focused
on this objective.
The First Forum of Ministers of Social
Development for the Eastern African
Region (in Nairobi in February) was
organized by the Government of Kenya
through the Kenya National Commission
for UNESCO, in cooperation with
UNESCO’s MOST Programme. Ministers
from 13 countries shared best practices,
their challenges and concerns about
achieving justice, and how to address
them. The forum included a panel on
‘Population, reproductive health and
economic well-being’ and another on
‘Youth, employment, entrepreneurial
promotion and skills development’.
It concluded with the adoption of the
Ministerial Nairobi Declaration on
Global Justice. This contains 17 policy
recommendations on poverty education
and reduction of inequalities; education,
sciences and technological advancement
as key drivers of development;
cooperation with academic and
research communities; and establishing
networks of officials.
Eastern African
countries adopted
this year the
Ministerial Nairobi
Declaration on
Global Justice to
help fight poverty
and inequality in
the region. Women
and children from
Turkana County,
one of the poorest
areas in Kenya.
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