"It is estimated that 147 million children missed more than half of their in-class instruction over the past two years. This generation of children could lose a combined total of $17 trillion in lifetime earnings in present value...School closures have affected girls, children from disadvantaged backgrounds, those living in rural areas, children with disabilities and children from ethnic minorities more than their peers."—United Nations (un.org)
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals—adopted by all United Nations member states—serve as a blueprint to protect the planet and improve the lives of all people, with no one left behind.
Sustainable Development Goal or SDG 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Years of Schooling by Country. Video by Esri
The United Nations established targets for achieving and measuring progress towards SDG 4 including:
By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieveliteracyand numeracy
By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire theknowledgeand skills neededto 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
Explore place-based stories, created with ArcGIS StoryMaps, that feature research and programs that support a life-long education for a sustainable world.
Access a few data sources and apps behind the sample stories and consider ways to tell your own SDG 4 narrative.
Global Education Observatory
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics hosts global education-related data through its Global Education Observatory, including
Human Development Index
The Human Development Index, a product of the UN Development Program, offers a data visualization of and data sets for human achievement, including health and well being, knowledge, and standard of living.
Get hands-on experience with SDG 4 geospatial data through Esri learning materials. Then build your storytelling skills with ArcGIS StoryMaps tutorials, for beginners and beyond.
