Geneva (Switzerland), September/October 2024
Between the 9th of September and the 11th of October 2024, the 57th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council took place in Geneva, with OIDEL actively contributing to key discussions surrounding the protection of children’s rights, the role of education in promoting peace and tolerance, and the rights of families in education.
Oral Statement During the Panel on Quality Education for Peace and Tolerance for Every Child
On September 17th, during the Panel on Quality Education for Peace and Tolerance for Every Child, María Sol Caballero, representing OIDEL, highlighted the fundamental importance of children understanding their identities. Caballero stressed that this understanding is a crucial prerequisite for developing critical life skills such as negotiation and honest dialogue. She emphasized that minority children often are faced with the denial of their identities, which makes them more susceptible to isolation and manipulation. By fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation for diverse identities, we can create an educational framework that promotes peace and tolerance in our pluralistic societies.
Oral Statement During the General Debate on the Protection of Educational Rights
OIDEL representative Josyane Zingg emphasized that an effective way to protect children’s rights is by establishing pluralistic education systems. She referred to Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the right of parents to choose the type of education their children receive. Zingg expressed optimism about legislative progress made since 2016 but highlighted the persistent challenge that many families still face—having to rely on their financial means to make educational decisions. She also drew attention to the growing polarization around the issue of educational pluralism, citing countries like North Korea, Cuba, Afghanistan, and North Macedonia, where citizens are explicitly denied the right to educational choice. This reveals a critical connection between the suppression of individual freedoms by governments and the strategic manipulation of education as a mechanism to limit these freedoms. This underscores the necessity of safeguarding educational freedom as an essential countermeasure against such governmental overreach. Notably, all the data used for this oral statement was derived from the recently published Freedom of Education Index 2023.
Panel on States’ Obligations and the Role of the Family in Supporting Human Rights
Mrs. Zingg also participated in the Panel on States’ Obligations on the Role of the Family in Supporting Human Rights, a theme anchored in HRC Resolution 54/17. In this session, Zingg reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to educational pluralism and the rights of parents as outlined in international human rights instruments. She emphasized that parents should have the right to choose their children’s education. She expressed concern about the increasing polarization surrounding the issue of educational pluralism. Zingg urged the international community to recognize that the right to education belongs fundamentally to children, and families must be supported in playing a key role in realizing this right.
OIDEL’s Ongoing Efforts in Education and Human Rights
During the five-week session, OIDEL maintained its active involvement in key resolutions related to education and family rights. The organization reiterated its commitment to upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms within educational frameworks, emphasizing the vital role families play in safeguarding the right to education. OIDEL was particularly engaged in the informal negotiations on the Resolution of Human Rights Council on Human Rights Education and Learning, advocating for the inclusion of a cultural approach in the discussions to ensure diverse perspectives are recognized and valued.