The 2020 GEM Report due out in April 2020 will cover inclusion in education, addressing all those at risk of exclusion from education because of gender, sexual orientation, displacement, migration, ethnicity, language, remoteness, poverty, disability or other characteristics. Pictures speak louder than words when it comes to explaining the way inclusion in education works in practice. This is why the GEM Report is launching an international photo contest to seek out new and original images to complement its innovative findings and analysis. As with every year, the winning photographer will receive a $500 prize.

Our Report challenges policy makers how to build inclusive societies, whether that future is reflected in their education laws, policies and plans, and how these are to be implemented. It calls on all of us to look at whether we are practicing inclusion in the way we educate those around us. It is motivated by the call to ensure an inclusive and equitable quality education in the formulation of SDG 4, the global goal for education. It reminds us that, no matter what argument may be built to the contrary, we have a moral imperative to ensure everyone fulfils their right to an appropriate education of high quality.

While highlighting positive examples of inclusion from around the world, the Report will also explore some of the main challenges holding us back from achieving inclusion in education. These refer to differing understandings of the word inclusion, and therefore of who should be included and who not. It includes discriminatory textbooks, a lack of teacher support, absence of data on those who are not in school, inappropriate infrastructure, the persistence of parallel systems and special schools, a lack of political will and community support, finance that is not targeted to those who need help most, governance that is uncoordinated, laws that are inconsistent with each other, and policies that are not being followed through.

We are giving winning contestants the chance to have their photographs feature in the 2020 GEM Report by submitting works that capture either the essence of inclusion on education or help depict some of the key challenges standing in its way. We invite photographers to share and illustrate different interpretations of inclusion in education from around the globe and influence the way people think through images. These images may be positive or negative depending on your experience or location.

To enter send your image(s) and the following items to gemreport@unesco.org by 02 October 2019.

1. A full HD version of the photo to the GEM Report team
2. Written permission from all people in your photos to allow them to be used by us
3. A completed entry form
4. A descriptive text that includes:
   1. a short artist biography
   2. a caption stating where and when the photo was taken, a relevant quote if possible and the names of any people in your photo(s)
   3. the credit you would like to be used (format Credit: GEM Report/Name of the photographer).

We will announce the winning images on the GEM Report’s website and Instagram feed in early November 2019.