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The equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights 2005, para. 30
- Paragraph text
- Article 13, paragraph 1, of the Covenant requires States parties to recognize the right of everyone to education and in paragraph 2 (a) stipulates that primary education shall be compulsory and available free to all. Implementing article 3, in relation to article 13, requires, inter alia, the adoption of legislation and policies to ensure the same admission criteria for boys and girls at all levels of education. States parties should ensure, in particular through information and awareness-raising campaigns, that families desist from giving preferential treatment to boys when sending their children to school, and that curricula promote equality and non discrimination. States parties must create favourable conditions to ensure the safety of children, in particular girls, on their way to and from school.
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2005
Paragraph
The equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights 2005, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- [The obligation to fulfil requires States parties to take steps to ensure that in practice, men and women enjoy their economic, social and cultural rights on a basis of equality. Such steps should include:] To integrate, in formal and non-formal education, the principle of the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, and to promote equal participation of men and women, boys and girls, in schools and other education programmes;
- Body
- Committee on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2005
Paragraph
Gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19 2017, para. 30b (i)
- Paragraph text
- [The Committee recommends that States parties implement the following preventive measures:] Develop and implement effective measures, with the active participation of all relevant stakeholders, such as representatives of women’s organizations and of marginalized groups of women and girls, to address and eradicate the stereotypes, prejudices, customs and practices set out in article 5 of the Convention, which condone or promote gender-based violence against women and underpin the structural inequality of women with men. Such measures should include the following: Integration of content on gender equality into curricula at all levels of education, both public and private, from early childhood onwards and into education programmes with a human rights approach. The content should target stereotyped gender roles and promote the values of gender equality and non-discrimination, including non-violent masculinities, and ensure age-appropriate, evidence-based and scientifically accurate comprehensive sexuality education for girls and boys;
- Body
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2017
Paragraph
Harmful practices (joint General Recommendation with CRC) 2014, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Childhood, and early adolescence at the latest, are entry points for assisting both girls and boys and supporting them to change gender-based attitudes and adopt more positive roles and forms of behaviour in the home, at school and in wider society. This means facilitating discussions with them on social norms, attitudes and expectations that are associated with traditional femininity and masculinity and sex- and gender-linked stereotypical roles and working in partnership with them to support personal and social change aimed at eliminating gender inequality and promoting the importance of valuing education, especially girls' education, in the effort to eliminate harmful practices that specifically affect pre-adolescent and adolescent girls.
- Body
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Women’s access to justice 2015, para. 33c
- Paragraph text
- [The Committee recommends that States parties:] Integrate, into curricula at all levels of education, educational programmes on women's rights and gender equality, including legal literacy programmes, that emphasize the crucial role of women's access to justice and the role of men and boys as advocates and stakeholders.
- Body
- Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Women and girls with disabilities 2016, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- Harmful gender and disability stereotypes combine to fuel discriminatory attitudes, policies and practices, such as: the higher valuing of education of boys over girls, educational material perpetuating wrongful gender and disability stereotypes, child marriage of girls with disabilities, gender-based family activities, female caregiver roles, lack of accessible sanitation facilities at schools to ensure hygienic menstrual management. In turn this results in high rates of illiteracy, school failure, uneven daily attendance rates, absenteeism and dropping out of school entirely.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The right of the child to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life and the arts 2013, para. 58g
- Paragraph text
- [Schools: Educational environments should play a major role in fulfilling the obligations under article 31, including:] Physical environment of settings: States parties should aim to ensure the provision of adequate indoor and outdoor space to facilitate play, sports, games and drama, during and around school hours; active promotion of equal opportunities for both girls and boys to play; adequate sanitation facilities for boys and girls; playgrounds, play landscapes and equipment that are safe and properly and regularly inspected; playgrounds with appropriate boundaries; equipment and spaces designed to enable all children, including children with disabilities, to participate equally; play areas which afford opportunities for all forms of play; location and design of play areas with adequate protection and with the involvement of children in the design and development;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Harmful practices (joint General Recommendation with CEDAW) 2014, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Childhood, and early adolescence at the latest, are entry points for assisting both girls and boys and supporting them to change gender-based attitudes and adopt more positive roles and forms of behaviour in the home, at school and in wider society. This means facilitating discussions with them on social norms, attitudes and expectations that are associated with traditional femininity and masculinity and sex- and gender-linked stereotypical roles and working in partnership with them to support personal and social change aimed at eliminating gender inequality and promoting the importance of valuing education, especially girls' education, in the effort to eliminate harmful practices that specifically affect pre-adolescent and adolescent girls.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The implementation of the rights of the child during adolescence 2016, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- The Committee is deeply concerned at the challenges faced by many States to achieve equality in the enrolment of girls and boys and keep girls in school beyond primary education. Investment in girls' secondary education, a commitment necessary to comply with articles 2, 6 and 28 of the Convention, also serves to protect girls from child and forced marriage, sexual exploitation and early pregnancy, and contributes significantly towards the future economic potential of girls and their children. Investment should also be made in strategies that promote positive gender relations and social norms; address sexual and gender-based violence, including within schools; and promote positive role models, family support and the economic empowerment of women, to overcome the legal, political, cultural, economic and social barriers that represent barriers for girls. Furthermore, States should recognize that a growing number of boys are not enrolling and are not remaining in school, identify the causes and adopt appropriate measures to support boys' continued participation in education.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
The right of the child to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life and the arts 2013, para. 56b
- Paragraph text
- [The obligation to respect includes the adoption of specific measures aimed at achieving respect for the right of every child, individually or in association with others, to realise his or her rights under article 31, including:] Awareness raising: States should invest in measures to challenge widespread cultural attitudes which attach low value to the rights provided for in article 31, including: Public awareness of both the right to and the significance of play, recreation, rest, leisure and participation in cultural and artistic activities for both boys and girls of all ages in contributing to the enjoyment of childhood, promoting the optimum development of the child and building positive learning environments;
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The right of the child to rest, leisure, play, recreational activities, cultural life and the arts 2013, para. 46
- Paragraph text
- [However, the Committee is concerned at the growing body of evidence indicating the extent to which these environments, as well as the amounts of time children spend interacting with them, can also contribute to significant potential risk and harm to children. For example:] The increasing levels of participation, particularly among boys, in violent video games appears to be linked to aggressive behaviour as the games are highly engaging and interactive and reward violent behaviour. As they tend to be played repeatedly, negative learning is strengthened and can contribute to reduced sensitivity to the pain and suffering of others as well as aggressive or harmful behaviour toward others. The growing opportunities for online gaming, where children may be exposed to a global network of users without filters or protections, are also a cause for concern.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health 2013, para. 57
- Paragraph text
- Taking into account that boys and men are crucial to planning and ensuring healthy pregnancies and deliveries, States should integrate education, awareness and dialogue opportunities for boys and men into their policies and plans for sexual, reproductive and children's health services.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
HIV/AIDS and the rights of the children 2003, para. 17
- Paragraph text
- Dialogue with community, family and peer counsellors, and the provision of "life skills" education within schools, including skills in communicating on sexuality and healthy living, have been found to be useful approaches to delivering HIV prevention messages to both girls and boys, but different approaches may be necessary to reach different groups of children. States parties must make efforts to address gender differences as they may impact on the access children have to prevention messages, and ensure that children are reached with appropriate prevention messages even if they face constraints due to language, religion, disability or other factors of discrimination. Particular attention must be paid to raising awareness among hard to reach populations. In this respect, the role of the mass media and/or oral tradition in ensuring that children have access to information and material, as recognized in article 17 of the Convention, is crucial both to providing appropriate information and to reducing stigmatization and discrimination. States parties should support the regular monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns to ascertain their effectiveness in providing information, reducing ignorance, stigmatization and discrimination, as well as addressing fear and misperceptions concerning HIV and its transmission among children, including adolescents.
- Body
- Committee on the Rights of the Child
- Document type
- General Comment / Recommendation
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2003
Paragraph
Manifestations and causes of domestic servitude 2010, para. 65
- Paragraph text
- Gender discrimination marks the trajectory into domestic servitude. Families will often give preference to boys to continue their education, while girls are forced to drop out of school to help earn money for the family. Such patterns are reinforced where States fail to respect their obligation under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (art. 28) to provide free and compulsory primary education to girls and boys, while making secondary and higher education available and accessible. In some cultural contexts, there is a widespread belief that domestic work provides better training for becoming a wife and mother than formal education.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Gender
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Families
- Girls
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Unpaid care work and women's human rights 2013, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- States must take all appropriate measures to ensure that women can enjoy the same access to, quality of and opportunities in education and training as men. The prohibition against discrimination in relation to the right to education applies fully and immediately to all aspects of education; therefore States must ensure that girls and women can enjoy their right to all types and levels of education on an equal basis with boys and men. This may require the adoption of concrete measures to ensure that unpaid care work in the home does not interfere with their schooling, for example, providing accessible public services and adequate infrastructure to support the unpaid care work in households and communities and reduce its time burden. According to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, States' obligations in regard to the right to education encompass ensuring that communities and families are not dependent on child labour and that third parties, including parents and employers, do not stop girls from going to school.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Families
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Priorities for the work of the Independent Expert and the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2012, para. 71
- Paragraph text
- At its first session, the Forum focused on minorities and the right to education. Access to education for minority girls may present particular challenges, especially in highly patriarchal family and community structures where gendered societal roles persist. Lack of education represents an absolute barrier to their progress and empowerment in every region of the world. In some cases, where barriers to access are compounded for girls, sometimes owing to the prioritization given to the education of boys, this results in a vicious circle leading to severe educational exclusion and diminished opportunities for girls to take part fully in economic, social, cultural and political life. As a consequence, some minority girls and women excluded from education suffer from high illiteracy levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Ethnic minorities
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Rights of linguistic minorities 2013, para. 21
- Paragraph text
- For some who belong to linguistic minorities, including those who are not proficient in national languages and those who live in remote and rural localities where service provision and access are poor or difficult, the situation may be much worse and their economic, social and geographic mobility can be severely hampered. The situation of some minority women and girls, as well as older people, may also be particularly problematic. For example, women and girls may face challenges, including relatively low levels of education and poor access to language learning opportunities relative to men and boys, that further restrict their ability to interact and benefit from opportunities outside their communities.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Movement
- Social & Cultural Rights
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Stigma and the realization of the human rights to water and sanitation 2012, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- Some prejudices develop at an early age and can be inherited from parents and others and must therefore be addressed as early as possible. Schools have an obligation to educate children to act as agents of change, developing tolerant behaviour towards others, encouraging dialogue and interaction and promoting changes that will eventually permeate other spheres. Human rights education with a focus on non-discrimination should be part of every school curriculum. Education should be inclusive, accepting students with differences, so that these differences are perceived as "normal" and students develop respect for "otherness". The same holds true for comprehensive sexual education, including on menstruation, in order to provide accurate information and combat silence and stigma, targeting both girls and boys.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 59
- Paragraph text
- A 13-year-old from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland took a stand against his school's discriminatory dress code, which allows girls to wear skirts in the summer months but does not allow boys to wear shorts. Chris Whitehead took advantage of a loophole in the school's uniform policy, whereby boys are not forbidden from wearing a skirt. Around 30 fellow pupils joined the protest, prompting the school to review its uniform policy. Meanwhile, Chris Whitehead was nominated for a Liberty Human Rights Award.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right of the child to freedom of expression 2014, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- Furthermore, the Internet provides unique avenues for young people to participate in public debates. For example, in the United States a 17-year-old boy reportedly organized a Twitter campaign to protest against a bill that would have banned teachers from discussing homosexuality in schools.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Youth
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Assessment of the educational attainment of students 2014, para. 90
- Paragraph text
- In relation to assessing progression from primary to secondary education, the Special Rapporteur recommends that: States comply fully with their core obligation of providing free, compulsory primary education of good quality to every child, boys and girls alike. Completion of good quality primary education should be a predominant concern in the national assessment of basic education, with no automatic progression from primary to secondary education. This can only be verified through assessments prior to progression to secondary education, with recognized qualification" at the end of primary education cycle. Public authorities should ensure the maintenance of quality standards throughout the cycle of basic education in a sustained manner.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
Equality of opportunity in education 2011, para. 72b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur puts forward the following recommendations for the promotion of equal opportunities in education on the basis of a human rights framework:] Address multiple forms of inequality and discrimination through comprehensive policies: Given the mutually reinforcing nature of different forms of discrimination and inequality in the context of education, States should address multiple forms of inequality and discrimination through comprehensive policies. Prevailing disparities in access to education – between boys and girls, and between rich and poor regions –must be given special consideration, recognizing that good policies backed by a commitment to equality can make a difference. Policy measures must respond to the need for making learning accessible for the most marginalized and vulnerable;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Equality of opportunity in education 2011, para. 36
- Paragraph text
- Reflecting the commitments adopted by world leaders in 2000 and set to be achieved by 2015, the Millennium Development Goals are amongst the most significant political commitments in recent history to tackle the most pressing challenges of our world, including serious concerns relating to education. Goal 2 calls on States to ensure that all children complete primary education, while Goal 3 calls on States to eliminate disparities between girls and boys in primary as well as secondary education. Progress towards these goals requires fully embracing equality of opportunity in education in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of education policies.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Normative action for quality education 2012, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- A number of States have regulations outlining the necessary infrastructure for schools. In India, for instance, according to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, schools must have an all-weather building, with separate toilets for boys and girls, along with a kitchen, clean water for drinking and a playground with a secure boundary wall. In South Africa, the Government has developed a School Infrastructure Performance Indicator System along with norms and quality interventions required to support an equitable, modern, high-quality education system to help track progress and identify intervention requirements.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
Report on the Post-2015 Education Agenda 2013, para. 31
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur believes that the right to education must be emphasized in the post-2015 development agenda for many reasons. Education is a fundamental building block for human development and is invaluable for individual and social transformation. Education enables children to prepare for democratic citizenship and responsibilities of the future. Education is central to poverty eradication strategies and the achievement of global commitments for sustainable development. Growth in the human development index employed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is associated with growth in public spending on education: education is the best investment a country can make. Education is essential for the empowerment of women, making them agents of change and of social transformation. Education is crucial for conflict prevention, peacebuilding and promoting solidarity. Education is an inalienable human right of every child, boys and girls alike. All development goals have educational dimensions and the right to education provides indispensable leverage for development.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Protecting education against commercialization 2015, para. 108
- Paragraph text
- Education provided by private proprietors or enterprises is neither free nor equitable and the Special Rapporteur welcomes the proposal of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals to ensure, by 2030, that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes, as well as to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (see A/68/970 and Corr.1, goal 4 and target 4.1). The underlying obligation for States to realize the right to education, including through enhanced public investment in education as an essential prerequisite, must be emphasized.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
Justiciability of the right to education 2013, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- Women have historically been victims of social injustice and educational deprivation. The majority of those who are deprived of education today are girls and women, whereas they are entitled to education as much as boys. In some cases, they are prevented from attending schools by parents who see no value in educating daughters, or by religious extremists threatening them. Violence against women and girls impairs their right to education.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Girls
- Women
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Equality of opportunity in education 2011, para. 29
- Paragraph text
- Concerning equality between men and women, the Human Rights Committee has also interpreted articles 3 and 24 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on equality between men and women, and on protection of children, respectively, as requiring States to provide information on “measures taken to ensure that girls are treated equally to boys in education.”
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Children
- Girls
- Men
- Women
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
Sexual education 2010, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- In the case of Africa, several countries do not provide any kind of planned sexual education. According to some studies, families are uncomfortable talking about sexuality with their sons and daughters; yet young girls and boys do receive some information informally from friends or through the HIV prevention programme.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Person(s) affected
- Boys
- Families
- Girls
- Youth
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
Sexual education 2010, para. 18
- Paragraph text
- However much we try to avoid it, we are always sexually informed, by action or by omission, at school, in the family, through the media, etc. Thus deciding not to offer sexual education at teaching centres is opting for an omissive form of sexual education, that leaves girls, boys and adolescents on their own as regards the type of knowledge and messages, generally negative, that they receive on sexuality. When sexual education is not explicitly provided, in practice education follows the so-called hidden curriculum, with its potential load of prejudices and inaccuracies over which there can be no social or family criticism or control.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right to education
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Gender
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Boys
- Girls
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph