For many years, the NEU and its predecessor unions have worked to improve the lives of educators and children around the world. International solidarity is fundamental to the values of the NEU and is inspired by the commitment of its members to global justice.
Four thematic priorities shape our international solidarity work:
- Human rights, including trade unions and children’s rights, are widely understood, protected, and realised.
- All children receive free, quality, inclusive, publicly provided education in schools that are equitable, safe, and healthy.
- Women's and girls’ rights and gender equality are respected and advanced.
- Education trade unions are strong, independent, sustainable and operate free from repression.
Campaigning for human rights
From Afghanistan to Ukraine, serious violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, have reached unprecedented levels. These violations are often committed in full view of the world's media and political leaders, yet too frequently occur without accountability or consequence.
Upholding human rights is fundamental to the NEU's values. The union adopts a rights-based approach, grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Julia Stevenson, star of Bend It Like Beckham and many other films and plays, takes the UK Government to task on behalf of Gazan students who have been offered scholarships at UK Universities, but lack the funds to take them up.
Sustainable Development Goal 4
The NEU supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG4 which aims to ensure that all children are enrolled in and complete free, high-quality public education.
With more than 270 million children out of school and a global shortage of 44 million teachers, achieving SDG4 by the 2030 target date remains a significant challenge.
The NEU works closely with partners including Send My Friend to School, the Steve Sinnot Foundation and Education International to advance the right to education. This includes efforts to increase education funding, resist privatisation and protect schools and educators for attack. The union also advocates for the UK government to prioritise education within its international development agenda and to support global efforts to increase education financing, including through the restoration of the aid budget to 0.7 per cent of GNI.
Send My Friend to School
The NEU is a leading member of the Send My Friend to School (SMF) coalition, which brings together young people, politicians, teachers and civil society in joint campaigning to demand quality education for all children across the globe.
You can join schools across the country who are calling on the government to protect funding for global education by downloading a free campaign resource pack with everything you need to bring the campaign to life in your classroom.
Advancing women’s rights and gender equality
Recent years have seen a rowing back on women’s rights across the world, particularly in countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey. Globally, women have just 64 per cent of the legal rights enjoyed by men, and in many countries legal protections for women are weakening, discrimination is increasing, and funding for programmes that support women is shrinking.
The NEU supports our sister unions in countries where women’s rights are under attack, helping to protect those rights and increase the representation of women in union leadership structures. We also work with partners to support girls’ access to education, including in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.
At #NEU2026, members heard directly from Iranian voices about the realities facing educators, students and communities following US and Israeli attacks.
Building strong, sustainable and independent unions worldwide
From enduring months without pay to facing threats to their safety, wellbeing, and fundamental rights to collective freedom and bargaining, educators and their unions around the world face immense challenges.
The NEU is proud to be part of Education International, the global federation of education unions representing 32 million teachers and support staff in 178 countries. Together, we work to defend and improve the rights of every educator by listening and responding to calls to action from our sister unions.
This includes supporting capacity-development projects and providing financial solidarity and advocacy when our sister unions experience humanitarian crises and other threats, including violence and persecution.
