Background

Pursuant to resolution 47/5, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 12 July 2021, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is preparing “a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the realization of the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl, highlighting the most important challenges and barriers that girls face and making recommendations”. The report will be submitted to the Human Rights Council at its fiftieth session.

Key Inputs Sought

In this connection, we would like to kindly request your cooperation to provide information in response to the following questions, which will help prepare the report:

1. The most important challenges and barriers that girls have been facing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, at each level of education, namely:

   And in relation to the following elements of the right to education:

   • At early childhood development, care and pre-primary education
   • At primary and secondary education
   • At technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
   • In catch up, non-formal and literacy education for those who have not received formal education or dropped out of school
   • Availability (including availability of online or remote education in case of school closures);
   • Accessibility (including physical accessibility, affordability, and access without discrimination);
   • Acceptability (including quality of education);
   • Adaptability (adapted to the needs of students and of societies).
2. Concrete measures taken to respond challenges and barriers faced by girls indicated above, at each level of education and in relation to the four elements of the right to education, as a part of the short-term responses to, and mid- and longer-term recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. As much as possible, we would appreciate to receive the following information in relation to your responses to the points 1 and 2 above:
   • Data disaggregated by sex/gender, age, disability, and if possible also by other grounds, including income, race/ethnicity, geographic location and migratory status;
   • Information on girls who are in vulnerable situations and/or who face intersecting forms of discrimination, such as those who are affected by humanitarian crises, armed conflicts and disasters; living in poverty; married, pregnant or have children; with disability; and/or belonging to minorities or indigenous communities.

See the note verbale in English (PDF / Word) | Français (PDF / Word) | Español (PDF / Word)

Any enquiries may be made to Asako Hattori at asako.hattori@un.org.