As part of our ongoing commitment to advocating for the rights and freedoms in education, OIDEL actively participated in the UNESCO’s Formal Dialogue on the Right to Education, held on 14 December 2023. This significant event, organized in collaboration with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education and the OHCHR, marked a vital contribution to the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 63rd anniversary of the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education. Hosted at UNESCO Headquarters and online, the dialogue brought together a diverse group of country representatives, education experts, youth, and various stakeholders. The aim of the future was to think the next steps from a human rights perspective regarding the right to education.

At this prestigious forum, OIDEL emphasized the importance of addressing the educational needs of cultural non-mainstream minorities, including indigenous peoples. Recognizing the increasing diversity of our world, the director of OIDEL highlighted the necessity for education systems that respect and cater to different cultural backgrounds and moral convictions. Our intervention focused on the critical role of pluralistic education systems where parents have the freedom to choose an education aligned with their cultural and moral values. Ignasi Grau stressed the importance of acknowledging non-state entities’ rights to establish non-governmental schools, as recognized in major international human rights conventions.

A significant point of Grau’s intervention was the concern over equitable funding. OIDEL emphasized that without access to public funding, families from non-mainstream minorities, particularly those with limited income, face barriers in choosing an acceptable and adaptable education for their children. Referencing the policy-oriented research paper discussed at the event, we expressed concerns over recommendations that could lead to increased inequity, particularly affecting non-governmental schools, such as faith-based institutions or those offering education from unique cultural or pedagogical perspectives.

Citing examples from the Netherlands, Slovenia, and recent resolutions from the EU Parliament, OIDEL underscored the importance of legal frameworks and financial support for all categories of schools, including not-for-profit private schools. This event served OIDEL to advocate for accountability and clear legal conditions for non-state schools but cautioned against policies that limit funding access and, consequently, educational choices for low-income minority families.