Our Focus

IDEA’s Policy & Advocacy work focuses on promoting Global Citizenship, and the central role of Development Education in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Our aim is to create a more enabling environment for Development Education, and ensure that its impact and value in creating engaged global citizens is recognised at national and international level.

Our focus includes

  • Engaging with national, international and intergovernmental policymakers to prioritise and integrate Development Education into strategies and policies, and to recognise its central role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Encouraging educational institutions to integrate Development Education into their strategies and operations
  • Advocating for investment to build the sector’s capacity and capabilities to deliver life-long, quality Development Education to all people in Ireland


National Level

At a national level, IDEA’s work includes ensuring the voice of our members is heard at policy level, advocating for Development Education, the implementation of the SDGs, investment in Development Education, and amplifying our impact through alliances for positive change.

Cover page Image of Vision 2025 Towards a society of Global Citizens Image

Vision 2025

IDEA has led a process, with extensive member engagement, to articulate a vision for the Development Education sector towards 2025. This includes reaching all citizens in Ireland with quality, life-long Development Education - through all schools and colleges, Youth, Adult & Community sectors, and new or hard to reach communities. The aim is to create a nation of global citizens by developing people’s awareness of global development issues, their understanding of root causes of poverty and inequality, and empowering them to participate as active global citizens in local and global society.

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Irish Aid Global Citizenship Education Strategy 2021-2025

IDEA members have engaged with the development and implementation of this strategy. This strategy shapes Irish Aid’s Development Education programme across five years and impacts the sector significantly. 

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ESD Forum

IDEA is a member of the Advisory Group for the National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development.  This Department of Education strategy will play a crucial part in developing a society capable of understanding and making the personal and societal changes needed to achieve sustainable living.



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Coalition 2030

IDEA and many of our members are involved in Coalition 2030 - an alliance of civil society organisations working together to ensure Ireland keeps its promise to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs. Through this we will be playing an active part in the development of a new National Implementation Plan for the SDGs, and will be advocating for placing Development Education and Target SDG 4.7  as central to the full SDG agenda.


International Level


IDEA also advocates at international level for Development Education

Bridge 47 image of Envision 4.7 Policy Paper on Competencies for SDG Target 4.7

We advocate at EU level through Bridge 47 and its newly established European 4.7 Policy Working Group.  This work enables us to influence key policy frameworks such as Envision 4.7, the European Education Area, and the European Green Deal.




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Beyond Europe, IDEA has participated in the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and is active in a new Global Development Education Policy Working group, established and hosted by Bridge 47.

IDEA Director, Frank Geary, speaking to Barry Andrews MEP and Rilli Lappalainen, Director of Sustainable Development, Fingo: National Platform for Finnish Development NGOs, about key messages on the European Year of Skills from the Roundtable on Global Citizenship Education building skills for a sustainable world in the European Parliament, May 2023

IDEA Director, Frank Geary, addressing the 2018 UN High-level Political Forum review of Goal 12, on behalf of the Education and Academic Stakeholder Group, in the UN Headquarters in New York.

"Linking in with external partners and civil society is central to the effectiveness of an organisation’s advocacy work and potential to create change. IDEA works to create these links and opportunities."


Annual Members Survey


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