Governance

In the context of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Portugal has been making a greater investment in policies (EACEA, Administration and Governance).

In recent years, reference documents that have been developed have guided the definition and implementation of public policies and initiatives on global issues, covering a wide range of public and non-public strategic areas and actors.

The National Education Strategy for Citizenship was presented in September 2017, as a result of the proposal of the Working Group on Education for Citizenship, which was constituted with the mission of designing a Citizenship education strategy to be implemented in schools (Direção-Geral da Educação, National Strategy for Citizenship Education).

The goal was to foster the development of personal and social skills, the school being responsible for ensuring adequate preparation for the exercise of an active and enlightened citizenship.

The strategy is based on the goals undertaken by Portugal under international commitments such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030) and Education for Global Citizenship: preparing learners for the challenges of the XXI century (2014) from UNESCO, among others (Direção-Geral da Educação, National Strategy for Citizenship Education).

Every school grouping is responsible for its implementation, while being nationally coordinated by representatives of the members of the Government in the field of education, notably the Secretary of State for Education, and in the field of citizenship and equality by the Deputy Secretary of State and for Equality, in accordance with the powers assigned to them.

The strategy defines a wide range of thematic areas framed in European goals under the 2030 Agenda, including:

Intercultural education

The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) is the public institute that, under the direct supervision of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, collaborates in the definition, implementation and evaluation of public policies regarding the attraction and integration of migrants, including refugees, and Roma communities, and the management and enhancement of the diversity of cultures, ethnicities and religions through the promotion of intercultural and interreligious dialogue (AIMA, Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum).

Additionally, the “Choices Programme” (Programa Escolhas), currently in its 9^th generation (2023-2026), plays a crucial role in promoting intercultural education. It aims to foster social inclusion and integration, equal opportunities in education and employment, skills development, critical and creative thinking, the educational value of arts and sports, combating social discrimination, civic participation, and strengthening social cohesion. This programme is particularly targeted at children and young people from socio-economically vulnerable backgrounds (IPDJ, Programa Escolhas).

Education for security, defence, and peace

The Framework Reference of Education for Security, Defence and Peace structures the guidelines of this theme. It was developed by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of National Defence, through the Directorate-General for Education and the National Defence Institute (Direção Geral da Educação, Citizenship Education Guidelines).

Within this scope, the National Action Plan II for the implementation of Resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations no. 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security 2019-2022 is highlighted. Its strategic objectives are the protection of human rights and punishment of all forms of violence against women, the promotion of participation of women and young people in the prevention of conflicts and in the peace construction processes, and the integration of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in civil society organisations’ work.

Education for gender equality and education for human rights

The guidelines for these thematic areas, as well as the measures and programmes that establish initiatives in the area of gender equality and citizenship, are structured within a wide range of national strategies and plans, namely: the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2018-2030 “Portugal + Equal” and the Action Plans for the 2023-2026 period, coordinated by the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (European Research Area, ENIND 2023-2026). The national strategic vision for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2018-2030 is translated into the following three action plans that define concrete measures and targets for the 2023-2026 period:

• Action Plan for Gender Equality.
• Action Plan for Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.
• Action Plan to Combat Discrimination on the grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sexual Characteristics.

Development education

The National Strategy for Development Education (ENED) 2018-2022 has been succeeded by new initiatives and updates. The latest updates in the field of Development Education are reflected in the ongoing reforms and policy developments under the XXIV Constitutional Government, which took office in April 2024. These reforms emphasise the importance of global citizenship education and sustainable development, integrating these themes into the broader educational framework (Eurydice, Ongoing Reforms and Policy Developments).

Environmental education for sustainability

The National Strategy for Environmental Education (ENEA) has been updated and continues to be a key framework for promoting environmental literacy and sustainability in Portugal. The latest updates to the strategy emphasise the integration of environmental education into all schooling levels and the promotion of sustainable practices across various sectors (OECD, National Strategy for Environmental Education).

In addition to the Portuguese Environment Agency, within the framework of the definition and implementation of policies in this field, the following entities have a particular importance: Directorate General for Education; Directorate General for School Establishments; and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.

In the field of environmental sustainability, energy efficiency and the Consumption Efficiency Promotion Plan, the following entities are strategic public actors: ADENE – Agência para a Energia (ADENE, Agency for Energy); RNAE – Associação das Agências de Energia e Ambiente (Association of Energy and Environment Agencies - national network) and the ERSE – Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços Energéticos (Regulatory Authority of Energy Services). In the field of sustainable mobility, the Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (Institute of Mobility and Transports) stands out.

The Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth plays a cross-cutting role, being a key actor in some initiatives, either as a coordinator, partner, or funder (EOSE, Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth).

A group of non-governmental organisations plays a leading role in the streamlining and implementation of initiatives and programmes in the field of sustainable development, whether in the context of non-formal and informal education, or dissemination, information, and awareness-raising activities.

In the field of cooperation and development, the following stands out: AIDGLOBAL – Action and Integration for Global Development (https://www.aidglobal.org/en/sobre-nos/). In the field of environment and sustainability, the following stand out: European Blue Flag Association, ABAE – Environmental Education for Sustainability, GEOTA – Study Group of Spatial Planning and Environment (https://geota.pt/), and SPEA – Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds.

Cross-sectorial cooperation

The strategic documents in the field of Education for Citizenship, as well as the National  Plans presented, are the result of intersectoral and inter-ministerial cooperation between public actors in different fields, from Education to Environment, Defence, Equality, Social Inclusion, among others.