The Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations hosted a compelling side event in the margins of the 70th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), co-organised by Soroptimist International and Graduate Women International, and sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Sierra Leone and Mongolia to the UN, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, UNESCO, the Dag Hammarskjöld Library and Credit Access India.
Moderated by H.E. Fergal Mythen, Ambassador of Ireland to the United Nations, the event gathered cross-sector stakeholders including from the highest levels of government – Minister Emer Higgins of Ireland and Minister Isata Mahoi of Sierra Leone – as well as civil society actors, UN agencies and the private sector, to explore the pivotal role that education plays in ensuring equal access to justice for all women and girls.
“At a time when women’s rights and civic space are under pressure in many parts of the world, expanding access to education for women and girls has never been more important.” – H.E. Fergal Mythen
“Ireland’s own experience shows that investing in education transforms societies. When education is inclusive and accessible, it creates stronger economies, stronger communities, and greater equality.” – H.E. Emer Higgins
“When we invest in girls’ education, we see the impact across society – from economic empowerment to greater participation of women in leadership and politics.” – H.E. Isata Mahoi
Renata Trottmann Probst, President of Soroptimist International emphasised that education systems must address the significant barriers that persist globally, including poverty, conflict, displacement, disability and digital exclusion by enabling equitable educational systems. Access alone is not enough.
Centring Girls and Local Leadership
Nabila Aguele, Chief Executive, Nigeria, Malala Fund, emphasised that education must be recognised not merely as a policy goal but as the foundation for justice and opportunity. There is a critical need to fund local organisations and actively listen to the voices of girls themselves. Girls must not be treated as passive beneficiaries of development programmes. Instead, when enabled with the tools, girls are powerful agents of change whose voices can inform policy and shape the solutions needed to support their communities. Protecting girls’ education also requires addressing broader social barriers such as child marriage and adolescent pregnancy, which remain major drivers of school dropout.
In Kano State of northern Nigeria, Malala Fund supported Bridge Connect to develop a gender-responsive education budgeting framework which has now been adopted by the government. In Adamawa State, Malala Fund grantee, Centre for Advocacy, Transparency and Accountability Initiative (CATAI), worked with the government to create the state’s first gender-responsive education policy and is helping to build mechanisms to hold authorities accountable for its implementation. Strengthening education systems therefore requires both legal protections and sustained investment.
“Real change happens when local communities lead. Local organisations understand the barriers girls face and are best positioned to design solutions. When we invest in their leadership, we create education systems that are more sustainable, inclusive, and effective.” – Nabila Aguele, Chief Executive at Malala Fund Nigeria.
Lifelong Learning and the Power of Knowledge
Professor Patrick Paul Walsh, Vice President of Education at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), noted that education must now be redefined as a lifelong process rather than a linear pathway limited to childhood and early adulthood. Traditional models focused on primary, secondary, and tertiary education are no longer sufficient in a rapidly evolving global economy. Millions of young people – particularly in Africa and Asia – remain excluded not only from education systems but also from employment and training opportunities, forming what is often described as the “NEET” population (Not in Education, Employment or Training). This structural gap highlights the urgent need to embed lifelong learning into national education systems, ensuring that individuals can continuously acquire skills, adapt to technological change, and remain active participants in the labour market.
To fully realise the potential of lifelong learning, Walsh called for stronger policy coordination at national and international levels. This includes aligning qualification systems, standardising accreditation, enabling the mobility of learners and educators, and investing in Open Educational Resources (OER) to ensure that high-quality learning materials are freely available across institutions, libraries, and communities.
“In the digital age, there is no longer an excuse for leaving people out of education. With the technologies we have today, learning can reach anyone –whether they are in a classroom, a refugee camp, or a remote community.” – Professor Patrick Paul Walsh, Vice President of Education and Director of the SDG Academy.
Rethinking Education Systems for the Digital Age
Digital technology offers a powerful tool to address this gap. Initiatives such as the SDSN’s SDG Academy already provide free online courses on the Sustainable Development Goals used worldwide, helping to democratise access to knowledge.
Pia Britto, Global Director for Education at UNICEF, framed education both as a fundamental human right and as a form of reparative justice: when girls gain equal access to quality learning, they not only improve their own futures but become powerful drivers of economic growth, leadership and social transformation. Yet she acknowledged that the education sector itself remains deeply conservative. The basic model of schooling has remained largely unchanged since the industrial era, despite major advances in learning science. For this reason, technology alone cannot transform education unless the underlying system also evolves.
Education is fundamentally relational, and technology should support teachers rather than attempt to replace them. Teachers, therefore, must remain at the centre of learning. Digital tools must improve learning outcomes and reduce inequality. Simply providing devices or connectivity is not enough; digital technology must be evaluated based on whether it genuinely improves educational opportunities for disadvantaged learners.
“Education is not only a fundamental human right – it is a form of reparative justice. For many marginalised communities, education represents the pathway to overcome historical inequality and build a better future.” – Pia Britto, Global Director for Education at UNICEF.
Artificial intelligence presents a major opportunity to expand inclusive education. New, assistive technologies can make learning materials accessible to children with disabilities faster and at far lower cost than ever before. At the same time, the technology sector remains heavily male dominated. Ensuring that girls participate in STEM fields and technology development will be essential if digital solutions are to truly reflect the needs of diverse communities.
From Policy Reform to Collective Action
Britto emphasised the need for a new “compact of mutual accountability” between governments, technology companies and communities. As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes education systems, shared standards and responsibilities will be essential to ensure that innovation serves public goals rather than widening inequalities.
To close out the session, Patricia Patton, President of Graduate Women International, reflected on the powerful examples shared throughout the discussion. One common thread ran throughout the discussion: education is not only a pathway to individual opportunity but a powerful driver of justice, equality and sustainable development.
Moving beyond CSW70, educational justice requires multi-stakeholder cooperation and investment to ensure that educating all women and girls at all stages of life remains a global priority. This event was a first step forwards, engaging new and existing partners across government, UN agencies, civil society, NGOs, and the private sector to promote education justice for all women and girls globally.
