RECI participated in the fourth edition of the Geneva Dialogue on Human Rights, an event focused on the fundamental right to education. Organised by the Swiss Commission for UNESCO, the University of Geneva, and the UNESCO Liaison Office in Geneva, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, this two-day event, held on June 18-19, 2024, brought together over 40 experts to discuss the challenges, trends, and opportunities to ensure equitable, inclusive, and quality education worldwide, in the context of the 21st century and beyond.
During the event, experts such as Farida Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, David Archer, Head of Public Services at ActionAid, Ashley Berner, Director at Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, and Mark Bray – Professor at the University of Hong Kong, among others, were present. Two RECI members spoke at the event: Moira Faul, Executive Director of NORRAG, contributed to discussions on the right to education in crisis situations, and Thibaut Lauwerier, Founder and Director of EduCoop, explored the issue of education privatisation.
The discussions highlighted several crucial issues. The urgency of improving access to quality data was particularly emphasised, especially due to the lack of transparency that complicates the evaluation of the private education sector. The role of civil society organisations in monitoring violations of the right to education and the responsibility of states was also addressed. Special attention was given to the growing impact of digitalisation on educational inequalities, exacerbated in regions where access to technology remains limited.
Furthermore, challenges related to crises, whether economic, political, or health-related, were examined for their disruptive role on access to quality education. The event also addressed the effectiveness of human rights defence mechanisms and international partnerships to strengthen the implementation of the right to education.
The results of these discussions will contribute to the efforts of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education and UNESCO’s initiative on the evolution of the right to education, which aims to adapt this right to new global challenges, in preparation for the Summit of the Future. A detailed report of the event will be published on the Swiss Commission for UNESCO’s website.
