DRC: In Kinshasa 1,000 pupils from 50 schools formed a chain and handed in a petition to the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 300 schools in Kinshasa and 100 schools for each other province took part.

Brazil: The Brazilian Campaign for the Right to Education was at the National Congress for a Public Hearing, so that Parliamentarians could hear the concerns and demands of civil society in addressing discriminatory practices in education.

France: Solidarité Laïque launched a 'Manifesto for the right to quality education for all women and girls' and a petition to parliamentarians was read and signed and will be delivered to the G20 taking place this year under the French Presidency.

India: National Campaign for Education India has collected stories of 10 extraordinary women and girls whose lives have changed because of education. These women and girls met the President of India and tell their stories before members of parliament.

Philippines: Under the leadership of E-Net, there was a high-level forum on the importance of investing in women's literacy in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato on May 18. The function was attended by the Governor, a Member of Parliament and the Head of the Literacy Coordinating Council among other dignitaries. The gathering agreed to commit to a work plan to push literacy programs for indigenous and Moro women

Somaliland: Following advocacy from the Somaliland Education coalition and other stake holders, the government announced a policy of Free Primary Education For All. Prior to this announcement there was a survey carried out about the effect of free primary education on the quality of education and school enrollment. The Coalition will share a full report as soon as it is finalized by the Ministry of Education.

Benin: GAW was celebrated from 9 -15 May in Benin marked with different activities. There was a 13 minute documentary produced on the theme aired on ORTB, the largest TV Channel with a viewership of 8 million. At a public symposium, stories with photographic illustrations by enthusiastic individuals who have joined the coalition in campaigning for education. They told and recorded moving stories on girls and women education. The documentary and stories have been compiled and will be nationally distributed given the high demand from the education department, funding agencies, literacy centers and schools, among others.

Chile: Given the great strides the country has made in the integration of girls and women in the Chilean educational system, the Forum on Quality Education for All - Chile focused the celebration of Global Action Week for Education on the social segregation affecting children and young people within educational institutions. Learners are excluded from school because of not reaching the required school mark therefore fostering discrimination. The coalition prepared materials to articulate this issue further. Learning institutions were called on to stop the discrimination especially those practices affecting girls and women. A film to debate discrimination can be seen at www.educacionparatodos.cl

CERD Sri Lanka had an action packed week with inspirational stories from women. The Coalition was pleased to present the Deputy Director of Education in our district to tell her story. She struggled with examination fees, having to forfeit one year because she could not pay the required fee of 20 Sri Lankan Rupees.

Here is her story:

I had to give up sitting for the examination for want of Rs. 20. I come from a traditional muslin family consisting of seven children five girls and 2 boys. The small boutique my father was running to earn a living for the family was burnt during the ethnic riots in 1983 leaving no income and even having to shift to an unfamiliar area. At the time I sat for the General certificate of Education (ordinary level examination) my father was doing odd jobs to support the family. Since our school did not have a teacher for mathematics I and my elder sister failed in the subject. We studied on our own and wanted to sit for the examination as private candidates .The fee was Rs. 20/- (one fifth of a US dollar at today’s standards) for a subject ,but my father could find only 20/= and I gave in to my sister to pay the examination fee and enabling her to sit the examination. She got a distinction pass. I had to wait for one more year to sit for the examination which

I passed. It was my sister who coached me for the examination. Then again it was a real struggle o sit for the examination and pass the GCE (AL) examination. The pass in the GCE (AL) examination made me eligible to enter to law college- but having considered the difficulties I had to go through in receiving an education I decided to enter the teaching field to help out other children as I was fully aware of the difficulties children in the district underwent. When many of the children whom I taught became graduates I thought I should gain that qualification which led me to become an external graduate. I passed many other examinations which enhanced my position in the education field. One needs to understand the economic situation of a Muslim family which has five girls where you are expected to pay a dowry to each girl. I had to open another front to fight to find husbands for my sisters without a dowdy in which too I succeeded only because of the social status I had gained. From a situation where I was not even able to pay Rs. 20 to sit for the examination today I had risen to the position hold the post of Deputy director of education - the one and only muslin lady to hold this position in the whole district. I am proud and happy that my quest for education under most difficult circumstances has not only helped me to raise my standards in society but also has opened the way enabling me to help hundreds and thousands of children. Mrs.Sareena Begam