COVID-19 and the right to education: Collated resources

6 August 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

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

Policy & planning

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

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

Save the Children (13 July): Save our education

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

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

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

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

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

Statements

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

ESCR-Net (June): 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): Learning Must Go On: COVID-19 Advocacy Brief

OHCHR (9 April): “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): A Joint Statement on the COVID-19 Crisis

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

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

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

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