Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), 1948
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, outlines fundamental human rights that are universally recognized. UDHR establishes education not just as a means to acquire knowledge and skills, but also as a fundamental tool for personal development, social cohesion, and the promotion of human rights and peace. Article 26 of the UDHR specifically addresses the right to education.
“Article 26:
- Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
- Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
- Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.”
This article enshrines several key principles regarding education as a human right. It states that everyone has the right to education, without discrimination of any kind. It emphasizes that elementary education shall be compulsory and free, ensuring that barriers such as cost do not prevent access to basic education. It asserts that technical, professional, and higher education should be equally accessible to all based on merit, irrespective of socio-economic background, gender, or other factors. Moreover, it highlights that education should aim at the full development of the human personality, and should foster respect for human rights, understanding, tolerance, and friendship among different groups, and it also recognizes the right of parents to choose the kind of education their children receive, acknowledging the role of families in the education process.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), 1966
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966 and ratified by Pakistan in 2008, is a key international human rights treaty that outlines the economic, social, and cultural rights of individuals. Article 13 of the ICESCR specifically addresses the right to education. It states that education is a fundamental human right and should aim at the full development of the human personality, including the sense of dignity. It places importance to the role of education in promoting respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and effective participation in society. The treaty recognizes the importance of ensuring access to education for all individuals. It outlines specific provisions regarding primary, secondary, and higher education, as well as fundamental education for those who have not completed primary education. According to the treaty, primary education should be compulsory and should be available free to all. It also encourages the progressive introduction of free education at secondary and higher education levels to ensure equal access for all individuals. It also highlights the importance of making different forms of secondary education, including technical and vocational education, generally available and accessible to all individuals.
UN Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC), 1989
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, ratified by Pakistan in 1990, is a comprehensive international treaty that sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children. Article 28 of the CRC specifically addresses the right to education, emphasizing several key principles regarding education as a right for children. It recognizes the right of every child to education, identifying that primary education should be compulsory and available free to all children.It acknowledges that the realization of the right to education may be achieved progressively, but it also calls for measures to ensure equal opportunity. It encourages the development and accessibility of different forms of education, including primary, secondary (both general and vocational), and higher education. It requires that school discipline be administered in a manner consistent with the child’s human dignity and in conformity with the principles of the UNCRC. It also underscores the importance of international cooperation in education, particularly to eliminate ignorance and illiteracy worldwide and to facilitate access to knowledge and modern teaching methods, with special consideration for the needs of developing countries.
Article 29 of the UNCRC highlights the broader objectives of education beyond just academic achievement. It focuses on the goals of education and the development of the child’s personality, talents, mental and physical abilities, and preparation for responsible life in a free society. It also stresses respect for the child’s parents, cultural identity, language, and values, as well as the preparation of the child for active participation in a democratic society.
UNCRC also recognizes the importance of education in the rehabilitation and reintegration of children who come into conflict with the law. Article 40 of the UNCRC addresses the administration of juvenile justice, emphasizing the aim of reintegrating child offenders into society. Subparagraph (b) specifically mentions the provision of education, vocational training, and social reintegration programs for child offenders.
While not explicitly focused on formal education, Article 24(2) highlight the importance of education in promoting children’s health and well-being. This article addresses the right of the child to the highest attainable standard of health. Within this context, subparagraph (e) emphasizes the importance of promoting health education, particularly in the areas of hygiene, environmental sanitation, and the prevention of accidents, to ensure the child’s health and development.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Goal 4 specifically focuses on education and is known as “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Targets of SDGs are:
- Goal 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
- Goal 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education.
- Goal 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university.
- Goal 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
- Goal 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations.
- Goal 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
- Goal 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
- Goal 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
- Goal 4.b: By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries.
- Goal 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States.
Achieving SDG 4 requires concerted efforts from governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to invest in education, improve education quality, eliminate barriers to access, and address disparities in learning outcomes. It also necessitates data collection, monitoring, and evaluation to track progress towards the targets and identify areas for intervention and improvement.