The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) called for increased humanitarian support to be directed toward children's education in conflict-affected countries, while UN human rights leaders issued guidance on ensuring inclusive education for children with disabilities.
1 September 2016: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for increased humanitarian support to be directed toward children’s education in conflict-affected countries, while UN human rights leaders issued guidance on ensuring inclusive education for children with disabilities.
UNICEF’s study shows that two out of every five children in the ten most conflict-affected countries do not go to school. Liberia ranks as the worst-affected country, with almost two-thirds of its children out of school, followed by South Sudan, where 59% of children do not attend school. Other most-affected countries include Afghanistan, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan, while some countries, including Libya and Somalia, could not be assessed due to unavailability of data.
The Fund notes that education funding forms a small fraction of humanitarian aid, and highlights the benefits of investing in children’s education in conflict-affected areas, not only as a way to build capacity for post-conflict recovery and reconstruction in the future, but also as a means of child protection in situations that remain unstable. UNICEF estimates that, while the level of need has increased by 126% since 2005, actual levels of education funding have risen by only 4%.
Also on 1 September, UN human rights specialists from the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities issued guidance in the form of a ‘General Comment’ on implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Comment expresses concern that education for persons with disabilities is often of poor quality. The specialists emphasize that only permitting children with disabilities to attend school is insufficient for ensuring access to education, and that changes to facilities, transport and communication, as well as to teaching and learning methods, are needed to ensure full access.
The CRPD has been ratified by 166 UN Member States, and includes an obligation to ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and life-long learning. The Committee is made up of 18 independent experts, who assess Member States’ compliance with the CRPD. The year 2016 is CRPD’s tenth anniversary. [UNICEF Press Release] [UN Press Release] [Press Release from UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights] [General Comment]