Background

Pursuant to resolution 54/19, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 12 October 2023, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is preparing “a report on how climate change can have an impact on the realization of the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl, highlighting how the realization of the equal enjoyment of the right to education by every girl can contribute to the climate change agenda and making recommendations”. The report will be submitted to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-seventh session.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

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

1. The most important barriers for girls to their equal enjoyment of the right to education, in relation to:
   • Potentially harmful impacts of climate change, including those on environmental degradation, and/or;
   • Root causes of their unequal enjoyment of the right, exacerbated by climate change.
   • Please explain, as much as possible, how such barriers affect the following four elements of the right to education:
     • Availability (including an adequate infrastructure to meet the needs of girls);
     • Accessibility (including physical accessibility, affordability, and access without discrimination);
     • Acceptability (including quality of education);
     • Adaptability (adapted to the needs of students and of societies).
   • Concrete measures taken to respond to the barriers faced by girls indicated above, in relation to the four elements of the right to education. Particular attention to those who are marginalized and excluded due to the additional layers of discrimination would be most welcome.
   • The most important existing gaps and challenges in education to empower all girls to contribute to the climate change agenda, including in their adulthood, such as in the context of:
     • Developing the understanding on the right to healthy environment and the issues relevant to the impacts of climate change, including those on environmental degradation, through the integration of climate and environmental education into curricula;
     • Direct response to climate change, through their leadership and participation;
     • Building their resilience and capacity to adapt in the context of climate change, including access to skills development and technical and vocational education and training.
     • Please explain, if relevant, how such gaps and challenge affect the four elements of the right to education.
   • Concrete measures taken to empower all girls through education to contribute to addressing climate change, including in their adulthood, and if relevant, in relation to the four elements of the right to education.
   • As much as possible, we would appreciate to receive the following information in relation to your responses to the points 1-4 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 Aydan Figaroa at aydan.figaroa@un.org.