Rights-Based Education Programming: A Complimentary Approach for Addressing Poverty, Education Inequality, and Development in Zimbabwe

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of 2015 sought to eradicate major problems facing the globe. Member states ratifying these goals were tasked to formulate and institute policies aimed at addressing the global economic, political, social, and environmental challenges. Three major goals sought to address fundamental issues on poverty, universal education, and gender equality. The MDGs were succeeded by the Sustainable Development Goals which are targeted to be achieved by 2030. The intersectionality of the development goals and Education cannot be underestimated. Education has been identified as a key strategy for addressing poverty, hunger, and gender equality. Although several countries ratified the MDGs, most did not achieve the goals by 2015. A shift in policy is necessary to close the achievement gap and to help the efforts for achieving the 2030 SDGs. This paper addresses Zimbabwe’s progress towards the SDGs. Progress on key indicators of quality education, poverty, and inequality of opportunities is presented. Finally, the paper suggests a rights-based education programming framework to help accelerate achievement of the SDGs.