This programme was centred on the idea of a lobby - an occasion when those who hold power are compelled to listen to the concerns of the people; in this case, "the people" were children. The initiative was premised on the full participation of children as activists for their own educational rights. Activities planned in different communities worldwide varied, and included a children's walk to school, essay and drawing competitions, marches, and live drama. (Click here for specific examples of these and other activities).

One participatory action that children undertook in many of the countries taking part in Big Lobby was "Missing Out maps" - diagrams created by children to pinpoint who in their community/village is out of school, and why; stories, photos, and drawings documenting the lives of individual children were often added. (Click here for a "how-to" document in PDF format including detailed information about these maps). The exercise was used to raise awareness among children of their right to education, and to show that many children in their own neighbourhoods are deprived of this right. Community organisers were encouraged to use the map to spark community-wide discussion and agree on an action plan to help more children complete their education. To support this effort, teachers in "the North" were asked to adapt GCE's classroom activity pack to find out about why their peers in economically poorer countries don't get an education. These teachers were also encouraged to arrange an exchange of letters and pictures with a sister school in the developing world.

Other major events included:

1. National Lobby - An event at the national parliament, legislature, or assembly on April 20 2004. Events in the state or provincial legislature also count. The event was designed to give children a chance to tell their elected representatives (e.g., congressperson or legislator) in their own words why kids don't get an education and what must be done about it.
2. Politicians Go Back To School - The idea was to get as many politicians (e.g., traditional leaders and elected officials) as possible to visit a local school, education centre, or community organisation during the week. This was often an occasion for sharing the findings of the Missing Out map; by offering concrete evidence to back children's demands, the maps were used to engage adults visiting schools in discussions about the need to ensure that every child enjoys the right to a quality education.
3. Send A Message To The President - Participants were asked to encourage as many people as possible to send the message to their country's President or Prime Minister during the week. Organisers stated that each message must contain the words "Please do more to give every child the chance to go to school and get a quality education". One recommendation included sending a copy (or photograph) of the Missing Out map, annotated with messages and comments from the children who made it. In addition, children in "the North" were asked to send maps of the world, colour-coded to show the regions and countries with the largest out-of-school populations.

To support these efforts, a special page on the GCE website was set up to support campaign planning. The Planning Pack - in English, French, and Spanish - included detailed information, validation forms, and application forms for small grants to support some participants in developing countries (deadline has passed). In addition, community organisers could access downloadable posters and leaflets, as well as a classroom activity pack that included guidelines for the Missing Out map. This information urged organisers to respect children's voice in the campaign planning and implementation processes: "GCE is committed to children's rights and believes that children's right to have a voice and participate in the political life of their country is paramount. Use your judgement, and make sure that the children involved will be confident and well informed enough to speak for themselves. The age at which children can handle such an event may be different in different cultures. It's especially important to prepare carefully with them ahead of time..." To support networking and experience-sharing, organisations and schools were encouraged to visit the GCE website to share information about plans, and see what other events were being organised in their areas.

Children, Education, Rights.

GCE is a worldwide coalition made up of campaigners, NGOs, civil society organisations, and teaching unions who want to see everyone in the world to have a chance to be educated. Since 2001, GCE has been organising Global Action Weeks with various themes. To read about previous events, click here. To view a summary of the 2003 event ("Girls' Education: The Biggest Lesson Ever"), click here.

More than 2 million people took part and 14 Heads of State and dozens of Ministers participated in Big Lobby. Post-campaign information, including photos, stories, and video footage, is shared on a dedicated page on the GCE website. To cite a few indications of impact:

• In Cambodia, the government pledged to send more teachers to remote rural areas and to conduct an official census of all out-of-school children.
• In Kenya, the Minister of Education issued a new directive stating that children could not be excluded from schools for want of a uniform.
• In the UK, the government pledged US$20 million in support of the Education for All Fast Track Initiative.
• In Bangladesh, MPs from all parties promised to cooperate to stamp out violence against female pupils.
• In India, 78 Grade 4 students at a government primary school found 218 out-of-school children, most of whom are girls, by visiting their home villages, gathering information, and creating Missing Out maps. They then presented their results at a morning assembly and shared stories about why children were not able to attend school (the most common reason was poverty). Similar activities were planned in 50 schools in and around Islamabad and in 60 other districts across the country. Click here for more details.