A/71/358 VII. Lifelong learning and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 63. The Special Rapporteur emphasizes the need for national-level measures in view of the importance assigned to lifelong learning in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development Goal 4 in the 2030 Agenda calls upon Member States to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. That Goal includes 10 targets, 3 of which call in part for greater lifelong learning options. States are required, by 2030, to “ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy”. They must also “substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship ”. Finally, States are called upon to “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development”. 64. The Special Rapporteur considers that the political and moral commitments made by Governments in adopting the Incheon Declaration 30 at the World Education Forum in May 2015 impart enhanced significance to lifelong learning. Paragraph 10 of the Incheon Declaration expresses the commitment of Governments “to promoting quality lifelong learning opportunities for all, in all settings and at all levels of education. This includes equitable and increased access to quality technical and vocational education and training and higher education and research, with due attention to quality assurance. In addition, the provision of flexible learning pathways, as well as the recognition, validation and accreditation of the knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through non-formal and informal education, is important.” In the same paragraph, Governments have made further commitments to “ensuring that all youth and adults, especially girls and women, achieve relevant and recognized functional literacy and numeracy proficiency levels and acquire life skills, and that they are provided with adult learning, education and training opportunities”. 65. The Special Rapporteur underlines the importance of keeping lifelong learning as a continuous policy objective, without limiting it to a specific time frame. Lifelong learning in 2030 will become ever more important. However, time -bound targets for lifelong learning are necessary as benchmarks for measuring the progress towards realization of the Education 2030 agenda, which includes “equitable and increased access to quality technical and vocational education and training ”. VIII. Skills development perspective throughout life and technical and vocational education and training 66. Technical and vocational education and training systems are crucial to equip all youth and adults with knowledge, skills and competencies and promote entrepreneurship and lifelong learning, 31 and their importance to skills development must be fully recognized. In this respect, the Special Rapporteur recalls the __________________ 30 31 16-14910 See https://en.unesco.org/world-education-forum-2015/incheon-declaration. UNESCO Recommendation concerning Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 13 November 2015. 15/26