Education in Chains: Gaps in Education Provision to Children in Detention

 

This report examines the right to education of children in detention in thirteen countries: Albania, Belgium, Colombia, Ecuador, Italy, Lebanon, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, Pakistan, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
Report on the workshop: Education of Minors Deprived of Liberty in Africa

This workshop had 4 objectives:

  • Highlight the issue of the right to education of children and young people deprived of their liberty
  • Bring about better coordination between all stakeholders involved in this sector.
  • Examine the practical contingencies to be addressed in view of promoting quality basic education to all minors deprived of their liberty in Africa, and outline which actors could take part in the conception and implementation of the proposed actions.
  • Examine how to contribute to coordinating and enhancing the relationship between African organisations and their governments to progressively improve access to basic education in detention environments, taking stock of relevant experiences existing on other continents.

The report presents the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop as well as practical resolutions.
Education of Minors Deprived of Liberty in Africa, Forum for a Concerted Action of African Civil Society Organisations: Conclusions and Strategy for Action

These conclusions and strategy for action present:

  • Preconditions for education of minors in prisons, including legal framework and regulations
  • Educational programmes for minors: objectives, content and implementation
  • Common Strategy for an efficient action in favour of education of minors in prisons in Africa
Report of the fourth meeting of the Joint Expert Group UNESCO (CR)/ECOSOC (CESCR) on the monitoring of the right to education focusing on the justiciability of the right to education

This report includes a concept paper on the justiciability of the right to education.
Informe de la Relatora Especial sobre el derecho a la educación sobre el papel de la equidad y la inclusión

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur reviews the role of equity and inclusion in strengthening the right to education, in particular in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Special Rapporteur concludes by calling for states to take significant, positive actions to tackle discrimination, inequity and exclusion in education to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals are met.
At What Age? …are school children employed, married and taken to court? (2nd Edition)
This report provides analysis of legal minimum ages for education, marriage, employment and criminal responsibility across 187 countries and raises questions regarding the cross-section of these issues and their effect on the right to education. Based on States Parties’ reports to the CRC Committee and analysed through the lens of the 4As, the report stresses the fundamental importance of eliminating contradictory legislation and practices that still undermine the right to education.
 
This report analyses national legislation on the duration of compulsory education and legal safeguards against adult responsibilities infringing on children's education. It shows that children's right to education is under threat from early marriage, child labour and imprisonment. The key question which this report addresses is concordance or discord among different ages at which children should be - or can be - in school, at work, married, or taken before a court and/or in prison. The relationship between school, work, marriage and criminal responsibility should be addressed within child-rights policy in individual countries. However, few countries have elaborated this as yet. Moreover, minimum and maximum ages tend to be set by different laws and are often mutually contradictory. Inconsistency between compulsory education and the full range of children's rights risks jeopardising the full development of the child’s personality, the key aim of education in human rights law.
Key resource
At What Age?...are school-children employed, married and taken to court? - Trends over Time (Annotated version)
This report provides analysis of legal minimum ages for education, marriage, employment and criminal responsibility across 187 countries and raises questions regarding the cross-section of these issues and their effect on the right to education. Based on States Parties’ reports to the CRC Committee and analysed through the lens of the 4As, the report stresses the fundamental importance of eliminating contradictory legislation and practices that still undermine the right to education. The annotated version contains excerpts from State reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Key resource
At What Age?...are school-children employed, married and taken to court? - Trends over Time

This report provides analysis of legal minimum ages for education, marriage, employment and criminal responsibility across 187 countries and raises questions regarding the cross-section of these issues and their effect on the right to education. Based on States Parties’ reports to the CRC Committee and analysed through the lens of the 4As, the report stresses the fundamental importance of eliminating contradictory legislation and practices that still undermine the right to education.
Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education: The Right to Education of Persons in Detention

Based on extensive evidence gathered from many different sources - detainees and civil society as well as governments and the international community - this report attempts to portray the reality for prisoners and charts the legal obligations that are neglected or often absent. Assessing the situation, the report proposes a set of strong recommendations.

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