Convention against Discrimination in Education (1960): Right of access to education and to quality of education.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966): Right of everyone to access all levels of education, including technical and vocational education.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966): Elimination of discrimination to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965): Adoption of measures, particularly in the fields of teaching, education, culture and information, to combat prejudices that lead to racial discrimination.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979): Elimination of discrimination against women in the field of education. Elimination of stereotyped concept of the roles of men and women by encouraging co-education, the revision of textbooks, school programmes and the adaptation of teaching methods.
Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (1989): Right to education that is responsive to culture and needs of indigenous peoples. Elimination of prejudices ensuring that textbooks and other educational materials provide a fair, accurate and informative portrayal of the societies and cultures of these peoples.
Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989): Right to free and compulsory primary schooling without any type of discrimination. Emphasis on child well-being and development, and measures to support child care.
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (1990): Facilitation of teaching of mother tongue and culture for the children of migrant workers.
Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999): Access to free basic education and to vocational training for all children removed from the worst forms of child labour.
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity in Cultural Expressions (2005): Equal dignity of and respect for all cultures, including the cultures of persons belonging to linguistic minorities.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006): No exclusion from free and compulsory primary education, or from secondary education, on the basis of disability. Assurance of an inclusive education system at all levels and in lifelong learning.
Recommendations
Recommendation Against Discrimination in Education (1960): Elimination of discrimination in Education, and also the adoption of measures aimed at promoting equality of opportunity and treatment in this field.
Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (1966): Responsibility of states for proper education for all (EFA).
Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Cooperation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1974): Need for understanding and respect for all peoples, their cultures, civilizations, values and ways of life.
Recommendation on the Development of Adult Education (1976): Norms and standards for wider access and inclusive approaches to education. Provision of continuing education and learning opportunities for youth and adults.
Recommendation on the Recognition of Studies and Qualifications in Higher Education (1993): Right of wider access to educational resources world wide through greater mobility for students, researchers, teachers and specialists.
Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel (1997): Equitable treatment of women and minorities and elimination of sexual and racial harassment.
Revised Recommendation concerning Technical and Vocational Education (2001): Technical and vocational education programmes should be designed as comprehensive and inclusive systems to accommodate the needs of all learners, particularly girls and women.
Declarations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory.
World Declaration on Education for All (1990): Every person – child, youth and adult – shall be able to benefit from educational opportunities designed to meet their basic learning needs.
The Delhi Declaration (1993): Eliminate disparities of access to basic education arising from gender, age, income, family, cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences, and geographic remoteness.
Declaration and Integrated Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and democracy (1995): Respect for the educational rights of persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, as well as indigenous people, and this must also have implications in curricula and methods as well as in the way education is organized.
The Hamburg Declaration on Adult Learning (1997): The State as essential vehicle for ensuring the right to education for all, particularly for the most vulnerable groups of society, such as minorities and indigenous people.
Recife Declaration of the E-9 Countries (2000): Effecting changes in legislation to extend basic education and to include education for all in policy statements. Ensuring access and equity for population located in remote areas.
Beijing Declaration of the E-9 Countries (2001): Reinforce action-oriented programmes to meeting the learning needs of disadvantaged groups such as children with special needs, migrants, minorities and the urban/rural poor.
Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2005): Encouraging linguistic diversity – while respecting the mother tongue – at all levels of education; Incorporating, where appropriate, traditional pedagogies into the education process with a view to preserving and making full use of culturally appropriate methods of communication and transmission of knowledge.
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007): Recognizes the right of indigenous families and communities to retain shared responsibility for the upbringing, training, education and well-being of their children, consistent with the rights of the child; indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their education systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.
