The Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean with headquarters in Santiago, Chile (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago), was created in 1963 for the purpose of assisting the region’s 37 Member States in the definition of strategies to further the development of their education policies.

In response to the mandated role assigned to UNESCO by its Member States at the World Education Forum, Dakar, 2000, the Regional Bureau’s strategic plan forms part of the Education for All (EFA) Action Framework, and the Regional Education Project for Latin America and the Caribbean (EFA/PRELAC). Whereas the former reflects a global commitment to ensure the right to quality education for all individuals, EFA/ PRELAC identifies the region’s specific priorities and the challenges it must confront to reach the EFA goals. Both frameworks, inspired on the rights-based approach, represent the major referent in the work undertaken by the Regional Bureau.

Specifically, the work carried out by OREALC/UNESCO Santiago finds expression in the production and dissemination of information and knowledge, the formulation of public policy guidelines, the provision of advisory services and technical support to the countries of the region, and the promotion of dialogue, exchange and cooperation among the different stakeholders, governments, universities and research centres, members of civil society, the private sector and international organisations. This work is done in joint collaboration with Clusters and national UNESCO offices in the region, and National Commissions for Cooperation with UNESCO, active in every Member State.