Webinar: Inclusion within the Development Education Sector

Date: Wednesday 27 April, 12.30 – 2.00pm

Location: Online

IDEA is hosting a webinar, in collaboration with CBM Ireland, to explore the issue of inclusion across the Irish Development Education sector, and to highlight the needs that exist and ways to address them. This will be facilitated by Valery Molay, with speakers from within the Development Education sector, Mbemba Jabbi, Africa Centre, David Nyaluke, Proudly Made in Africa, Mahbub Kabir, CBM Ireland, and Johnny Sheehan, The Wheel and IDEA Chairperson.


The discussion will include questions that have arisen through the work of the Code of Good Practice for Development Education Ireland, as well as a critical conversation on inclusive programming, ensuring Development Education content, tools and materials, facilitation and other processes ensure inclusion as well.


If you have questions please contact us  

Biographies

Valery Molay is a consultant and trainer in the fields of global justice, climate policy and youth participation. She has previously worked as global justice policy officer at the National Youth Council of Ireland, where she supported the youth sector by developing and facilitation trainings on climate justice, racial justice, and the SDGs. Valery has worked as a global justice practitioner across the private, public, NGOs and academic sectors in Ireland and across Europe.


Valery has previously served as the Irish Youth delegate to the United Nations and the European Union. She also sat on the expert group on membership, diversity, and inclusion for the European Youth Forum. Additionally, she had the privilege to be the Chairperson of the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR). Currently, she is a board member of Friend of the Earth Ireland.

Mbemba Jabbi is the founder and Managing Director of Jabbi Group Limited, a business and management consultancy company based in Ireland, and the Executive Director of Africa Solidarity Centre (Africa Centre Ireland), an African diaspora led development organisation. He has been researching African Diaspora engagement in development practice in countries of residence and origin. 


Mbemba is also a member of the African Union Commission (AUC) Labour Migration Advisory Committee (LMAC) and a Board member of the Africa Europe Diaspora Development Platform (ADEPT), based in Brussels.


Mbemba has attended and spoken at numerous international and national development seminars and conferences. He has also led multiagency development projects in the past ten years and is currently working on an initiative involving six African diaspora led organisations in six European countries on an Erasmus+ project looking at integration and inclusion policies in these countries in line with European Union policies. 

Dr. David Nyaluke is the Proudly Made in Africa and UCD Fellow in Business and Development.  He researches and teaches on Doing Business in and with Africa and Sustainable Development across business schools and departments of business in universities, colleges and institutes of technology in Ireland.  


With a research focus on development in African states, he has presented at several conferences, including a 2014 special symposium to mark 20 years of South Africa’s end of apartheid and return to democracy. David is also published in many journals and contributes regular reviews on African political, business and sustainable development issues.  


David is currently the vice-chairperson of the African Scholars Association of Ireland(AfSAI), Convenor of the Business and Development study group at DSAI and is the co-chair of the Steering Committee for the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent 2015-2025 (UNIDPAD) in Ireland. 

Mahbub Kabir is the Advocacy and Inclusion Advisory Manager at CBM Ireland. Right after doing an MA in anthropology, Mahbub took up a research role in an organisation that has pioneered Freirean emancipatory education in Bangladesh. For the last about twenty years, he has worked for several organisations and promoted inclusion in development and humanitarian contexts in Asia and Africa.  

Johnny Sheehan is the Wheel’s Member Engagement Manager. The main focus of his work is driving the development, presence and participation in The Wheel’s programmes locally around Ireland and support members to engage effectively with The Wheel. Another key aspect of the role is to support rural communities through Ireland's National Rural Network, and to facilitate networking among community groups, ensuring that issues affecting local communities are reflected in The Wheel’s work nationally.


Johnny has more than 25 years of experience working in the development, youth work and environmental sectors. This includes work with Dóchas as Project Coordinator for the European Year for Development 2015, with Fairtrade Ireland and with the National Youth Council of Ireland as Development Education Programme Coordinator from 2004 to 2012. He is also Chairperson of the Irish Development Education Association.

Budget 2026: Investing in Global Citizenship Education is Investing in Global Solidarity

August 11, 2025
Budget 2026: Investing in Global Citizenship Education is Investing in Global Solidarity “Ireland has received international recognition for its development education strategies… Without additional investment, we cannot seize the opportunity to turn development-aware children into development-aware adults.” - OECD DAC Peer Review of Ireland Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here . For over half a century, Ireland has invested in Global Citizenship Education (GCE), enabling people across the island to explore complex issues such as climate justice, human rights, and equality - and to take informed action for a more just and sustainable world. Between 2021 and 2024, €33.6 million was invested in programmes reaching over 1.2 million people, helping to embed GCE across schools, communities, and other learning spaces. This investment has made Ireland a European and global leader in the field. But in today’s turbulent context - with rising disinformation, polarisation, climate emergencies, and deepening inequalities - the need for GCE has never been greater. As Minister of State for International Development and the Diaspora, Neale Richmond, told the IDEA Annual Conference in May 2025: “Now is the time to focus on the hard issues… These are among the greatest challenges of our time.” Why Now? Budget 2026 comes at a critical moment. Ireland is: Running out of time to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Preparing a new national GCE strategy for the next five years. Operating in a global context where democratic values, human rights, and multilateral cooperation are under unprecedented strain. The OECD has commended Ireland’s strong GCE strategies but has also warned that without additional investment, we risk falling short on SDG Target 4.7 - ensuring all learners acquire the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development. Our Key Budget 2026 Asks:  Increase investment in GCE Move towards the widely recognised target of 3% of Official Development Assistance (ODA), using a cross-departmental approach and accounting for inflation. Current spending is 1.2% of ODA - far below the €26 million annually needed to reach the 3% target. Boost GCE/ESD funding under “ESD to 2030” Provide adequate and dedicated funding for projects led by organisations, schools, and higher education institutions to ensure the successful delivery of the Second National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development. Create dedicated GCE/ESD funding lines Integrate and resource GCE/ESD within the SDG National Implementation Plan, Climate Action Plan, and National Action Plan Against Racism, recognising that climate justice and anti-racism are core components of global citizenship. Increase Ireland’s ODA Commit to a €300 million increase in Budget 2026 to make tangible progress towards the UN target of spending 0.7% of GNI on ODA by 2030. Adopt Coalition 2030 recommendations Implement budget measures that ensure resources reach those furthest behind first, and align budget lines with specific SDG targets. Beyond Funding – Policy Coherence and Decent Work In addition to resourcing, GCE requires stronger coordination across government departments and better integration into policies, institutions, and networks. GCE practitioners must also have secure, decent working conditions in line with SDG 8, ensuring that expertise is retained within the sector. The Opportunity for Ireland Ireland is respected globally for its principled, values-based approach to international development. By investing in GCE now, we can: Strengthen civic trust, participation, and resilience in our society. Equip citizens to navigate complex global challenges. Ensure Ireland remains a strong, independent voice for justice, solidarity, and human rights on the world stage. Budget 2026 is our opportunity to protect the progress made, scale up impact, and deliver on our commitments. IDEA and our members are ready to work with Irish Aid and across government to ensure Ireland continues to lead with integrity, foresight, and global solidarity. _______________________________________________________ Read IDEA’s full Pre-Budget 2026 submission here to explore our recommendations in detail and see how, together, we can strengthen Global Citizenship Education in Ireland and beyond.
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