Right to Education: UN Special Rapporteur announces official mission to Ecuador

GENEVA (5 September 2012) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Kishore Singh, will visit Ecuador from 10 to 17 September 2012 to examine the overall situation of the right to education in the country. He will focus on the education reform process, and initiatives relating notably to improving quality in education and teachers status, and equal opportunities in education for all.

“Over the last decade, Ecuador has made important commitments to improve and expand its education system. I am particularly interested in looking at efforts to secure public investment in education and to ensure quality education to marginalized groups,” said Mr. Singh, who will visit Ecuador at the invitation of the Government.

During his visit, the UN independent expert will hold meetings with senior Government officials including the Ministers of Education, of Justice, of Culture and Sports. He will also meet representatives of the UN agencies, the donor community and non-governmental organizations. Mr. Singh will also visit educational centres in Quito, Guayaquil, and rural areas in Cayambe.

Based on the outcome of findings, the Special Rapporteur will prepare a report and make recommendations on more effective realization of the right to education and strengthening the education system in that perspective. This report will be presented at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2013.

Mr. Singh will host a press conference to share his preliminary conclusions and observations on Monday 17 September 2012 at 12.00 at the U.N. Office in Ecuador located at Av. Amazonas 2889 y la Granja, Quito

Kishore Singh is the Special Rapporteur on the right to education since August 2010. He is an Indian professor specialized in international law, who has worked for many years with UNESCO for the promotion of the right to education, and advised a number of international, regional and national entities on right to education issues. Throughout his career, Mr. Singh has supported the development of the right to education in its various dimensions and worked to better understanding this right as an internationally recognized right. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Education/SREducation/Pages/SREducationIndex.aspx

OHCHR Country Page – Ecuador: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/LACRegion/Pages/ECIndex.aspx

For inquiries and media requests, please contact Carla Rossignoli / (+593 2 2460330/ carla.rossignoli@undp.org ) or write to sreducation@ohchr.org

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Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

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