2 June 2020
The impact of the covid-19 pandemic on education has been huge. Unesco estimates that the pandemic has affected nearly 90% of the world's students. That's 1.54 billion learners out of school in 185 countries. But despite the challenges governments face in managing this crisis, human rights law is clear that these learners retain their right to education, and governments are still obliged to... Read more
29 May 2020
On 28 May, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 9 September as the International Day for the Protection of Education Under Attack. Her Highness Sheikha Moza of Qatar, Chairperson of Education Above All and UN Sustainable Development Goals Advocate, who led the campaign, stated: ‘I am pleased that the General Assembly has recognized the significance of this urgent issue and established... Read more
28 May 2020
In a press release published today, the UN Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC) welcomes Spain’s decision to allow a 12-year old Moroccan child to attend public school in Mellila, a spanish enclave in North Africa, setting a positive example for over 80 other similar unresolved instances.The Spanish government’s action came some six weeks after the CRC requested that Spain take interim... Read more
26 May 2020
RTE has joined 135 members and 40 allies from over 60 countries in endorsing ESCR-Net's Call to Action in response to COVID-19 (see below for full text). The Call to Action advances collective demands for a just recovery and new normal in the face of COVID19 and related systemic crises. RTE also helped draft a brief on the need to ensure quality data and robust monitoring practices in responses... Read more
24 April 2020
The Right to Education Initiative (RTE) is seeking new trustees with relevant skills and expertise to join our international Board of Trustees and help us to achieve our objectives. This is an opportunity for those with an interest in the right to education to join the organisation at an exciting time in its development. As a trustee, you will play an important role in helping us to realise our ... Read more
15 April 2020
The European Committee of Social Rights, which monitors compliance with the European Social Charter refers to the Abidjan Principles (APs) in its most recent set of conclusions - which include detailed discussions of the right to education for states parties to the Council of Europe.The Committee published a statement of the interpretation of Article 17§2 (right to education) regarding private... Read more
10 April 2020
The World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) has set a new precedent in upholding the right to education in an official commitment to freeze investments in private for-profit pre-primary, primary, and secondary (also called “K-12”) schools. The signatory organisations applaud this landmark decision by the IFC, which responds to the concerns voiced by civil society about the... Read more
31 March 2020
On 16 April, the Right to Education Initiative will participate in an online panel The Abidjan Principles on the right to education: A practical tool to address global challenges to the provision of quality education for all to ensure future peaceful societies and life on earth. The panel will take place from 11:30am-1pm Miami time (8:30-10am San Francisco, 5:30-6pm Paris, 6:30-8pm Nairobi/... Read more
24 March 2020
In response to an increased recognition that the private actors involved in the provision of social services have ‘contributed to the low level of enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights’, which have been inadequately regulated by States, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) passed a resolution to develop norms on States’ obligations to regulate private actors... Read more
6 March 2020
On International Women’s Day, help us fight for the right to education for the thousands of girls in Kenya who have been forced out of school after experiencing sexual violence, leading to early and unintended pregnancy: - 32% of women aged 18-24 have reported experiencing sexual violence when they were a child- 3 out of 10 of those girls became pregnant- 98% of girls who have ever been pregnant... Read more