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Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child have commended Mauritius on new legislation for children including the rights of pregnant school pupils and teenage mothers.

Aissatou Alassane Sidikou, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Mauritius, discussed what measures had been taken to ensure respect for Government policies concerning the rights of pregnant school pupils and teenage mothers.

The delegation said pregnant teenage mothers could continue with their schooling and were provided with spaces for breastfeeding.  When these teenagers returned to school, arrangements were made with the Ministry of Education to provide support for the mothers.  Students were encouraged to attend school until delivery time, and an education psychologist was provided upon request.  Non-governmental organizations also worked with the Ministry to address the situation of teenage pregnancies.

Read more about the combined sixth and seventh periodic report of Mauritius on the OHCHR website. 

The Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) is the disabled people’s organisation leading the fight for inclusive education in the UK is building a new coalition of allies and supporters to end segregation and push for mainstream education for all disabled people.  ALLFIE hopes the coalition will draft new legislation on inclusive education and push for it to be introduced in parliament.

The coalition will look to address the lack of funding and support for disabled children in mainstream settings, which forces parents to seek places in segregated special schools and colleges, and the disproportionate number of disabled children excluded from mainstream schools and colleges for “behavioural” reasons.  They will also look at the links between segregated education and poverty, and the experiences of black and other global majority children.

Read more about the coalition on the webpage.

Through the Youth Declaration, young people all over the world committed to lead the way in transforming education. With the Global Youth Initiative young people are reiterating their support and commitment to the cause and are urging all world leaders to turn words into action by investing in concrete, transformative actions for education.

As part of their ambition to create a global movement for education, SDG4 youth leaders and global influencers are launching an Open Letter to call on governments and the international community to stand by their commitments and to prioritise investment in transforming education systems worldwide.

Global education has reached a tipping point.

‘The COVID-19 pandemic, the global food crisis, and climate change pose a grave threat to the future prospects of hundreds of millions of children around the world, particularly in lower-income countries. Ensuring that all children receive 12 years of quality education requires bold multilateral action.

ACCRA – The International Day of Education (24 January 2023) is a good time to reflect on education’s essential role in achieving a peaceful and prosperous world. The severe impact that the COVID-19 pandemic, the global food and fuel crises, and climate change have had on the learning experience of millions of children worldwide, especially those in lower-income countries, has underscored the need for new thinking’.

Read more of the joint editorial by GPE Board Chair H.E. Jakaya Kikwete and President Akufo-Addo of Ghana calling for more children to go to school and learn.

The Global Youth Initiative was developed by youth and student networks and other partners under the overall coordination of the SDG4 Youth Network, and is the first multi-stakeholder, global initiative aiming to ensure meaningful youth engagement and leadership in education policy-making.

‘There will be no transformation of education without the meaningful engagement and participation of young people.’

UN Secretary-General. 

Launched at the occasion of International Day of Education 2023, it will help taking forward the recommendations of the Youth Declaration on Transforming Education.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, has decided to dedicate the 2023 International Day of Education (24 January 2023) to Afghan girls and women.

‘No country in the world should bar women and girls from receiving an education. Education is a universal human right that must be respected. The international community has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of Afghan girls and women are restored without delay. The war against women must stop.’

Currently, 2.5 million (80%) of school-aged Afghan girls and young women are out of school, 1.2 million of whom were denied access to secondary schools and universities following the decision of the de facto authorities. Since August 2021, UNESCO has adapted its interventions to support the continuity of education in challenging circumstances.

See the UNESCO education webpage for more information.