Gaping inequalities confront education today. Simply put, not all children have access to a good quality education and large numbers of youth and adults are excluded from participation in their societies. Deeply entrenched disparities based on wealth, gender, ethnic or cultural belonging, disability and geographical residence represent tall obstacles to achieving Education for All, a set of six goals to which over 160 governments committed themselves in 2000.Overcoming inequality - why governance matters is the seventh edition of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report. It maps the complex and multiple facets of inequality and examines some of the key questions that national governments and donors must address in attempting to ensure that the benefits of education are shared by the poor, disadvantaged groups and regions that are being left behind. It shows that public policy and governance reform, together withsustained financial commitment, can break the cycle of disadvantage, improve access, raise quality and enhance participation and accountability.Prepared by an independent team of researchers based at UNESCO, this report is based on case studies, commissioned research and extensive data analysis relating to early childhood care and education programmes, primary and secondary education, gender, life skills, adult literacy and quality. It includes an analysis of aid to basic education, crucial to supporting educational development, especially in fragile states, where conflict and weak governance have severely undermined the provision ofeducation.