This publication begins with the need to dismantle prevalent misconceptions because they hinder the advancement of education as a human right. Those conceptual obstacles which are particularly widespread are tackled, and their dark sides highlighted. This publication strives to provide food-for-thought because there are reasons for denying that education is a human right and these have to be brought into the open and countered effectively.

The 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September 2013 saw the launch of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon ́s Special Report: A life of dignity for all: accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015. In this context, a broad group of civil society networks and organisations, including the Right to Education Project, have come together to highlight the compelling case for ensuring that the fulfilment of human rights is at the heart of the post-2015 development agenda, and that the education narrative, as well as goals and core indicators, is grounded in a human rights perspective. The organisations and networks presenting this statement reaffirm that the following principles express an understanding of education as a fundamental human right.

  • Every human being is entitled to the right to education.
  • States are duty-bearers and must respect, protect and fulfill human rights, including the right to education.
  • The right to education begins at birth and is lifelong.
  • Adult education and literacy in a lifelong learning framework are an integral part of the right to education.
  • A broad approach to quality education is needed.
  • Equality and non-discrimination are core elements of the right to education.
  • Teachers are at the center of quality education.
  • The State must provide sufficient financing for public education.
  • There must be democratic governance in education.
  • Human rights are integral, indivisible and interdependent.

On 13-14 March UNESCO hosted the Europe and North America Regional Consultation on the Human Rights Guiding Principles on state obligations regarding private schools. This was the third in a series of regional consultations, part of a broad consultative process to develop the Guiding Principles involving a range of stakeholders including civil society organisations, state representatives, human rights organisations and experts in the fields of education and law, academics, international and regional organisations and other actors. To obtain a comprehensive and comparative review of the draft text and taking into account the cumulative effect of the consultation process, the group reviewed a version of the Guiding Principles updated following previous regional consultations in Bangkok (August 2016) and Nairobi (September 2016). 

This case concerns whether the right to basic education includes a right to be provided with transport to and from school at state expense for those scholars who live a distance from their schools and who cannot afford the cost of that transport. 

This High Court case deals with the constitutional obligation of the South African government to promote basic education by securing timely appointment and funding of educators at all public schools.  

This video was created by Floor Maaskant and Louise Alestam on behalf of the Right to Education Initiative as part of the UCL Global Citizenship Programme.

RTE's style guide includes advice on the following areas: 

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The Prešov Regional Court, one of the courts of appeals of the Slovak Republic, affirmed a lower court’s decision that schools cannot discriminate against children based on their ethnic origin or socially disadvantaged background. The Prešov Regional Court held that the defendant school was discriminating against children of Romani ethnic origin by placing those kids in separate Romani classes. It ordered that the school rectify the situation by the beginning of the next school year.

This legal factsheet explains the specific legal obligations international human rights law imposes on states to eliminate gender-based violence against women and girls, including school-related gender-based violence against women and girls. 

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