COVID-19 and the right to education: Collated resources

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 ensure the right to education, as well as respect for all other human rights.

Below we have collected important resources on ensuring the right to education during the covid-19 crisis.

Research & papers

The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, and the Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (June 2022) :‘What will happen to our children?’: The Impact of COVID-19 School Closures on Child Protection and Education Inequalities in Three Humanitarian Contexts

Sandra Fredman (October 2021): A human rights approach: The right to education in the time of COVID- 19. Commentary on COVID- 19 Special Section

Lusophone Network on the right to education (August 2021): The COVID-19 Pandemy and the right to education in Portguese speaking countries: challenges and confrontations in Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde and Mozambique

Human Rights Watch (17 May 2021): “Years Don’t Wait for Them”: Increased Inequalities in Children’s Right to Education Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic

The report has been launched alongside a range of additional materials, including:

Video: Kids Talk Covid and Schools
It feels like maybe I won’t ever go to school again: Interactive Feature
Years don’t wait for them: Easy Read version of report

UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education (June 2020): Right to education: impact of the coronavirus disease crisis on the right to education – concerns, challenges and opportunities

Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (15 March 2020): No Education, No Protection: What school closures under COVID-19 mean for children and young people in crisis-affected contexts

Policy & planning

UN (August 2020): Policy brief: Education during COVID-19 and beyond

INEE (16 July 2020): Weighing up the risks: School closure and reopening under COVID-19

Save the Children (13 July 2020): Save our education

Human Rights Watch (27 March 2020): As Schools Close Over Coronavirus, Protect Kids’ Privacy in Online Learning

OECD (23 March 2020): How can teachers and school systems respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? Some lessons from TALIS

UNESCO: (23 March 2020) UNESCO’s response to the coronavirus crisis offers multilateral solutions

Human Rights Watch (19 March 2020): Human Rights Dimensions of COVID-19 Response

UNICEF (March 2020): Key Messages and Actions for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Schools

Statements

European Committee on Social Rights (24 March 2021): Statement on COVID-19 and social rights

UNESCO (30 July 2020): COVID-19 education response: how many students are at risk of not returning to school? Advocacy pape

ESCR-Net (June 2020): Global call to action in response to covid-19

Inter-agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Save the Children United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (9 April 2020): Learning Must Go On: COVID-19 Advocacy Brief

OHCHR (9 April 2020): “Leave no one behind” – Don’t forget your commitments in your response to the COVID-19 crises, UN expert urges States

International Commission on the Futures of Education: Protecting and Transforming Education for Shared Futures and Common Humanity (4 April 2020): A Joint Statement on the COVID-19 Crisis

Education International (27 March 2020): Guiding principles on the COVID-19 pandemic

OHCHR (24 March 2020): UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies call for human rights approach in fighting COVID-19

ESCR-Net (20 March 2020): Human Rights must be prioritized in responding to COVID-19

OHCHR (16 March 2020): States should not abuse emergency measures to suppress human rights – UN experts