Blog by Donatella Benjamin, SI Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
The Social Forum is an annual meeting convened by the Human Rights Council (HRC). It is a unique space for open and interactive dialogue between civil society, representatives of Member States, and intergovernmental organisations, on a theme chosen by the HRC each year.
The 2025 session, which closed on 31 October in Geneva, focused on the contribution of education to the respect, promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights for all.
During the interactive dialogues, panels and side events, the participants highlighted that education is the most powerful means everyone possesses to achieve the ambitious vision set forth in the Sustainable Development Goals. From an economic and social rights perspective, education serves as a transformative force, contributing directly to the realisation of just, sustainable and inclusive societies. It provides individuals with the knowledge, skills and values needed to lead meaningful, sustainable and productive lives.
Education is a major driver of global poverty reduction. Since 1980, education has accounted for 40 per cent of the decline in poverty worldwide. Investing in education, particularly in low-income contexts, means investing in healthy economic growth. It is also vital for realising comprehensive social rights. It has the profound ability to reduce inequalities by providing equal access to opportunities and resources. Education also improves health by increasing access to information, promoting healthy behaviours, and empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health, including mental health.
Most important, education is a key driver of gender equality, significantly improving the economic and social status of girls and women, reducing instances of child marriage, and promoting equality for all genders.
During the Forum, Soroptimist International, together with the Global Survivors Fund, co-organised a side event titled “The Transformative Power of Human Rights Education and the Rights to Development and Reparation in Achieving Gender Equality and Reducing Poverty”.
