From 4th to 8th July 2011 IIMA attended the High-level Segment that held at Palais des Nations, Geneva. In particular, IIMA participated in the Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) that focused on “Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to education”. During the meeting Maria D’Onofrio, of IIMA, presented an oral statement on behalf of the NGO Platform on the Right to Education that involves more than twenty NGOs working in Geneva to promote the Right to Education.

In the statement Maria welcomed the decision to dedicate the High-Level Segment of the Economic and Social Council to education. She said that IIMA considered that education in the broadest and truest sense included every contribution to a human being’s development.

Maria remembered that the new educational challenges were due to the increased vulnerability, emergency and instability situations in which children are forced to live. Considering this new challenges education should go beyond the simple concept of free education or mere structures and supplies.

In fact, according to IIMA experience education should respond, trough teaching staff, to specific needs and problems affecting children, their families and society in general.

Furthermore, education should motivate and encourage especially children and adolescents at risk, providing them an effective alternative to the street, prison or infant work as well as necessary tools to become active and responsible citizens.

In conclusion, IIMA recommended that States devoted particular attention to teaching staff drafting their educational policy.