Global education first and educate a child: A comparative analysis

Abstract

With the deadline for the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals fast approaching, various policies and initiatives have been put in place with the aim of working towards these goals. Two such initiatives are the United Nations' own Global Education First Initiative and the Qatari-based Educate A Child. While there is no doubt that the ideology and aims of such agencies are well founded, their usefulness in practice can in some cases seem less obvious and can be problematic when seeking widespread public support. As a result of technology and social media, we live now in an age where the public demands higher levels of information, interaction and transparency and so, through an exploration of their respective websites, this article investigates the public face of these two humanitarian agencies. It will consider what evidence can be seen of practice supporting goals, compare and contrast the overall effectiveness of the web presence, and given the global trend towards open development, comment briefly on what can be seen of each agency's commitment to openness. Finally, important points for discussion will be suggested which ought to be considered if we are to continue moving forward with a participatory and emancipatory approach.