Background

Receiving an education aimed at empowering children with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to contribute to an equitable society, is a fundamental right of every child according to article 29 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, and as grounded in article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The contribution of accessible, inclusive, equitable and quality education to the achievement of peace and security and sustainable development is recognized by the UN Security Council in its resolution 2601 (2021), and in Target 4.7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is also a stated aim of the fourth phase (2020-2024) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, noting its upcoming fifth phase (2025-2029) will expand its focus to include children.

Human Rights Council resolution 54/5 on ensuring quality education for peace and tolerance for every child requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report with specific recommendations on how to develop accessible, inclusive, equitable and quality education for peace

and tolerance for every child, especially children in the most vulnerable situations, and how to incorporate it into educational programmes, and to present the report to the Council at its fifty-ninth session.

It also requests that this work be carried out in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, other relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, relevant special procedures of the Human Rights Council, regional organizations and human rights bodies and civil society.

Objectives

With a focus on groups identified as “children in the most vulnerable situations”, the report will strive to identify best practices, challenges encountered, and lessons learned in:

(1) The development of a curriculum and pedagogy to achieve accessible, inclusive, equitable and quality education for peace and tolerance for every child; and,

(2) The framework required for effective curriculum implementation considering legal and policy development, multisectoral cooperation and accountability mechanisms.

The report will address:

(1) A variety of scenarios where education for peace and tolerance can play a pivotal role in advancing the rights of the child such as in conflict prevention, emergency contexts, post-conflict settings, and contexts of sustained peace; and,

(2) Its contribution to the peacebuilding, human rights and sustainable development nexus.

Key questions and types of input/comments sought

To inform the preparations of the report, the UN Human Rights Office has prepared a call for inputs for stakeholders to respond to concerning the focus areas of the report.

The UN Human Rights Office invites all interested States, civil society organizations, international and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, academics and others, to provide written inputs to the following questions for this thematic study.

Respondents are requested to limit their comments to a maximum of 5 pages. Additional supporting materials, such as reports, academic studies, and other types of background materials may be annexed to the submission.

With a focus on identifying gaps, risks, challenges, lessons learned, promising practices, and recommendations to advance the rights of the child through the provision of accessible, inclusive, equitable and quality education for peace and tolerance, please provide inputs on the following:

1. How are governments ensuring that education systems as a whole, their content, structures, teaching methods, curriculum, and ways of delivery, and management:
   1. are culturally relevant and adapted to local contexts;
   2. promote equitable relations, and inclusion, addressing issues like gender inequality, hate speech, and social discrimination;
   3. address the needs of all groups of the population; and
   4. challenge structural violence and divisions in communities?
2. How are governments ensuring that peace education is integrated in a holistic manner in school education at all levels such that content is delivered to all learners, teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver peace education effectively for children, and that curriculums, pedagogy and educational materials are systematically reviewed and strengthened?
3. How are governments engaging a whole-of-community approach to foster collaborative engagement between diverse stakeholders to ensure comprehensive implementation and avoid duplication of efforts?
4. What indicators and systems have governments developed to monitor and evaluate the progress of peace education initiatives and ensure accountability?
5. How have governments demonstrated their institutional commitments and leadership, including through dedicated and adequate resource allocation, as well as through collaborations with the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding sectors to ensure that education responds to societal challenges?
6. In the contexts of armed conflict and protracted crises, how are governments going beyond ensuring access to education to also prioritize:
   1. the provision of safe, supportive and conducive learning environments including also mental health and psychosocial support to promote social and emotional well-being for recovery and reintegration; and,
   2. ensuring that all children have access to build the skills and nurture ethical values that can strengthen their resilience, capacity for forgiveness and reconciliation, promote mutual understanding, and help prevent violence and conflict?

Please consider the specific situation of marginalized children and those in vulnerable situations in your response.

Please provide examples of specific laws and regulations, measures, policies, and programmes directed at advancing education for peace for every child.

Please provide any relevant statistical or disaggregated data based on age, gender, disability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, migration status, or other categories.

How inputs will be used?

Submissions will be made publicly available, in full and as received, on the OHCHR website, unless otherwise requested.