"Education is the foundation of social progress. It's the engine of decent work and prosperity. It forges lasting pathways to inclusion and equality, especially for women and girls. And education is the best poverty-fighting tool we have. In short, education is the foundation of a renewed social contract, anchored in human rights, social justice, and inclusion." - Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

A strong Social Objectives, this statement explicitly places education at the heart of social transformation, not just as a service but as a foundation of social progress, inclusion, equality, decent work, and poverty reduction. By framing education as a cornerstone of a "renewed social contract," the statement ties educational policy directly to social justice and human rights principles.

This rhetoric closely mirrors the official public policy objectives of SDG4, which are to:

-Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

-Promote lifelong learning opportunities across populations.

This framing elevates education from a narrow policy domain to a broad social objective with impact on gender equality, economic opportunity, and societal inclusion.

Source: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, Secretary-General’s remarks to the high-level side event on Education at the Second World Summit for Social Development, Doha, 4 November 2025. United Nations.

URL: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statements/2025-11-04/secretary-generals-remarks-the-high-level-side-event-education-the-second-world-summit-for-social-development

Ensure Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and promote Lifelong Learning opportunities for all