Since its inception, UNESCO has been a strong advocate, promoter and defender of the right to quality education for all, especially for girls and women. Gender equality and education are fundamental human rights, which stand at the core of UNESCO’s mandate. UNESCO launched the Global Partnership for Girls’ and Women’s Education in 2011, guided by the conviction that by educating girls and women, we can break persistent cycles of poverty and in turn foster greater social justice. The Partnership aims to increase learning opportunities for adolescent girls and women and to find solutions to some of the biggest challenges and obstacles to their education. The partnership addresses two weakest links which are secondery education and literacy.