7th Meeting - 62nd Session of Human Rights Council

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Important announcement.
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[Auto-generated transcript: may contain errors] Excellencies, distinguished participants, I hereby declare open the 7th meeting of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.
We shall now continue the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
We proceed with the list of speakers.
I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ethiopia.
Okay.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We thank the Special Reporter for her report.
Ethiopia affirms that freedom of expression is a fundamental human rights and an essential foundation for democratic governance, sustainable development, and social inclusion.
At the same time, this right must be exercised in accordance with international human rights law, including respect for the rights and dignity of others and protection from incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence.
We share the concerns that the rapid transformation of the digital information space, coupled with the growing influence of non state actors and technological platforms presents complex challenges for status, particularly in ensuring safe, transparent and accountable online environments.
Ethiopia underscores that the protection of freedom of expression and efforts to address misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, and harmful content must be pursued in a manner consistent with international human rights obligations while respecting sovereignty, non interference and national contexts.
At the national level, Etop is undertaking efforts to expand digital access, strengthen media development, and promote responsible information ecosystems, while also safeguarding social harmony and constitutional order.
Finally, Etop underscores the importance of international cooperation to bridge the digital divide, strengthen capacity building, and ensure the meaningful and equitable participation of all states.
I thank you.
All right.
Okay.
Let's go down.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bulgaria.
Mr.
Vice President, Bulgaria aligns itself with a year statement.
We thank the Special apportur for Hofaro report.
We believe that the exercise of the right of freedom of opinion and expression is an indisputable criterion for a pluralistic and tolerant society.
Bulgaria is aware about the negative consequences of manipulation of information, the spread of disinformation and intensification of hate speech on the exercise of human rights, especially in view of contemporary political contradictions and military conflicts around the world.
The international human rights law and national laws provide an extensive legal and institutional framework for the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Nowadays, we are witnessing how it is increasingly challenged by the expanding digital realm.
The new technological environment requires states and relevant international organizations to take well considered measures to introduce updated regulations and upgraded institutions that meet the current needs for upholding the right of freedom of opinion and expression.
Bulgaria will dedicate further efforts to address the new threats and increasing challenges to freedom of expression, both online and offline, the independence of media and the safety of journalists.
We will continue to support regional and international initiatives envisaged to promote good practices and lessons learned while combating the negative impact of disinformation and hate speech of freedom of expression and media pluralism.
I thank you.
All.
Vice President, the interpreters have a problem as well, a technical problem with their microphones.
Could you please give us a minute? Resolved.
I will now continue, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia.
Journalists play an indispensable role in documenting the violations and contributing to prevention and accountability during armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies.
Protection is an obligation under IHL and any limitation imposed on wartime reporting should comply with the principles of legality and proportionality.
Mr.
President, Armenia shares the concerns raised regarding the spread of disinformation and the growing vulnerability of women, children, and journalists in online environments.
Also take note of the special Rapporteur's assessment of the rapid development of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies and the risks posed when innovation advances without adequate human rights based safeguards.
Armenia agrees that transparency, accountability, and effective oversight are essential to preserving healthy information ecosystems.
In recent years, Armenia has undertaken substantial reforms to strengthen media pluralism, guarantee unrestricted Internet access, and enhance the safety of journalists.
Independent media operate freely while civil society continues to play an active role in public oversight, enhancing democratic resilience to confront hybrid threats including disinformation.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Botswana.
Mr.
Vice President, Moon to thank the Special apportur for insightful report on the on the evolving challenges to freedom of opinion and expression.
We note with concern the global trends identified, including shrinking civic space, the rise of information manipulation and growing May I ask if we move to the last speaker, Vice President? No, you've taken up already half.
The growing coverage of public and private power and threatens the integrity of democracy, democratic discourse.
As highlighted in the report, the space for freedom of expression is shrinking and new technologies are being used by both states, companies and money.
Companies to manipulate online information spaces.
We also take note of the warning that the artificial intelligence systems increasingly shape and manipulate what individuals believes to be real.
Botsona reaffirms that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of our democracy as guaranteed by the Constitution, including upholding of open and pluralistic media involvement.
Botswana has expanded digital literacy programs, which entails the introduction of child online safety initiatives to counter harmful online content and bolster the protection of children.
We echo the special apportur's reminder that restrictions must remain lawful, necessary, and proportionate and that freedom of expression and equity are mutually supporting and interdependent.
Botswana remains committed to safeguarding these principles as digital technologies evolve.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Can you please let us know if we need to take a technical break to work on the mic issues? Okay.
Okay.
I'll now continue with the next speaker.
I give the floor to I'll now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President, the Republic of Korea, thanks S for her report.
We would also like to express our sincere appreciation for her dedicated work over the past six years.
We recognize that new and emerging digital technologies, including AI, have a great potential to promote the enjoyment of human rights, including freedom of opinion and expression.
They can empower civic engagement, support the work of human rights defenders, enhance public participation, and facilitate the open and free exchange of ideas.
At the same time, the digital environment continues to present serious challenges, including arbitrary restrictions on access to information, unlawful or arbitrary surveillance, disinformation, threats to information integrity, and attacks and harassment targeting journalists and human rights defenders.
My delegation believes that responses to these challenges should be firmly grounded in international human rights law and a human rights based approach.
In this regard, my government takes a balanced approach to address the social harms caused by spread of illegal information and disinformation online, while minimizing restrictions on the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
Special Rapporteur, how can we take practical steps to address emerging risks in the digital space while ensuring that such measures do not lead to undue restrictions on freedom of opinion and expression.
I thank you.
Thank you.
Excellency, the participants who will now take a 10 minutes technical break.
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Thank you for your patience, colleagues.
Excellencies will now resume.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Egypt.
S.
Mr.
Vice President, the delegation of Egypt takes note of the report of the Special Rapporteur and would like to indicate what follows.
We express our concern regarding the risks resulting from the misuse of AI apps and the direct and indirect repercussions on the enjoyment of human rights, including the freedom of opinion and expression, especially through algorithmic bias that over selects or hides specific international issues impartially, thus undermining equal access to information in a manner that is inconsistent with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right to freedom to hold opinions, and to seek and receive and impart information.
For as long as there's a guarantee for respecting the rights of others.
There's also a high concentration of AI tools in a handful of companies, which keeps us away from the diversity in access and innovation, in addition to incitement to hatred and violence in some cases.
There's talk about governance of AI in Geneva and we're looking forward to those discussions in such a way that AI would be able to abide by international law and international human rights.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chile.
Thank you very much, Vice President, Chile, thanks the Special Rapporteur Irene Can, for analyzing the convergence between public and private actors driving the digital revolution and the way in which this is exploiting vulnerabilities in the right to freedom of opinion expression.
We share the concern about growing polarization and fake information in the digital world.
There's growing concentration of control on platforms and information.
This undermines pluralism, affects the freedom of speech and is a step in the wrong direction for democracy.
It's important to acknowledge that various ways of instrumentalizing the freedom of opinion and expression can create hostile environments, thwarting public participation of some individuals and groups and affects fundamental principles such as dignity and non discrimination.
That's why social media and artificial intelligence systems must incorporate human rights into their design and eliminates all sorts of biases, particularly to protect young people.
We reiterate the importance of considering safe, transparent and inclusive digital media by integrating international human rights law and effective cooperation between states, companies, and civil society.
It's only by human centered digital governance that we can guarantee protection, the effective exercise of this right, which is one of the bedrocks of democracy.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Uruguay.
Or President.
Thank you.
Vice President Uruguay would particularly like to thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and her valuable contribution on the threats to freedom of expression in the digital world.
We are particularly attached to protecting the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
We believe that development and use of artificial intelligence should be in full compliance with international human rights law.
We realize the potential of this technology for extending access to information and strengthening democratic participation.
Nevertheless, we share the concern expressed in the report concerning the risks to the effective enjoyment of the freedom of expression, including through manipulating information, fake information, and incitement to hate speech.
This is something which undermines democratic institutions.
Our rapporteur to you, madam, is what measures do you recommend for ensuring the economic sustainability of media and avoiding what you call the information desert? Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Bangladesh takes note of the Special Raporteur's report.
Bangladesh reaffirms that freedom of opinion and of expression is a cornerstone of democratic governance, accountability, and inclusive development.
While Bangladesh underscores that these freedoms are non negotiable, international human rights law itself recognizes that they carry duties and responsibilities vis-à-vis the public security and public order.
At the same time, we underscore that addressing real and evolving threats like terrorism, cybercrime, hate speech, disinformation, human trafficking, and online incitement to violence need not erode civic space.
Rather, they should be grounded in trust, digital literacy, and institutional resilience.
Bangladesh also underlines that any deployment of digital technology in this regard requires to be accompanied by effective remedies and adequate oversight.
Bangladesh wishes to highlight a structural inequity this council cannot afford to ignore.
Developing countries, in particular, the LDCs are held to the same digital human rights standards as developed countries yet without the infrastructure, capacity or support to match.
Without genuine cooperation, technology transfer, and capacity building, what is framed as a rights framework risks functioning in the practice as a compliance burden on those least equipped to bear it depending the very divide it seeks to close.
Finally, as this session marks the special reporte year's last engagement in her current capacity, Bangladesh would like to place on record its sincere appreciation for her efforts and contribution for this mandate and wishes her success in her next endeavor.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Romania.
Vice President Romania aligns with the EU statement.
We would like to join other delegations in thanking the Special Rapporteur for her tenure and her impressive contribution to the work of the HRC and for defending and promoting freedom of expression and opinion in general.
The last report before us reveals how the wielding power of digital technologies can reshape the contours of freedom of expression.
We take particular note of the Special Rapporteur's appeal to the international human rights system to acknowledge the human and social costs of the unchecked development of digital technology and to act collaboratively to turn its power for good.
Madam Khan, you warned that media freedom is declining in the world.
Romania recognizes that the erosion of the vital space for freedom of expression and opinion is a threat to democracy and a danger to our system of values and legitimate actions that empower our society.
The solutions to this problem are not simple.
In Romania, we value the power of digital and media education and recognize that investment in this area is a matter of national security.
I thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this dialogue.
We'll now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non governmental organizations.
Accordingly, I give the floor to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights intervention by video.
Swedish special reporter, ladies and gentlemen, freedom of expression, access to information, and the protection of journalists are fundamental values of every democratic society.
Since the beginning of war, Ukrainian journalists have played a critical role.
They document war crimes, record violations of IHL, and ensure that the truth reaches the world.
Thanks to their work to international community, learns about the tragedies of Mariupol Buch Arpin and many other Ukrainian cities.
At the same time, journalists themselves have become targets.
Media workers regularly face shelling drone attacks, and persecution.
Russia also continues to conduct an aggressive information war through propaganda, disinformation and attempts to discredit independent Ukrainian media.
According to reporters without borders, 175 journalists have been affected by Russia's aggression.
The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine reports that 21 media workers have been killed while performing their professional duties.
We call on the international community to continue systematic monitoring of violations of freedoms of expression, and crimes against journalists.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Amnesty International, intervention by video.
Mr.
President, Madam Rapporteur, anti Semitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and other forms of racism and hatred require robust responses.
Yet we share concerns that Germany is increasingly resorting to criminalization and security driven policies.
Yes, Germany is at a critical juncture for freedom of expression.
For instance, climate activists face the misuse of criminal law and surveillance measures against peaceful civil disobedience.
Anti terrorism and security measures are used to unduly restrict solidarity with Palestinians and advocacy for their rights.
Civil society organizations, activists, academics, and artists report restrictions on peaceful protests, arbitrary arrest and detention, threats to deportation and raids on activists homes.
Conferences, lectures, and cultural events have been canceled or restricted.
This contributes to self censorship and chilling effect.
We are particularly concerned by the conflation of legitimate criticisms on Israel's violations of international law with growing antisemitism.
Any genuine measures to eradicate it must not restrict protected speech or treat support for As inherently unlawful or discriminatory.
It is crucial that responses to any form of racism be firmly grounded in international human rights standards.
We endorse the recommendation of Germany establishing a national independent fact finding commission to examine these concerns and identify best practices.
Germany has a dual responsibility to protect individuals from hatred and discrimination while safeguarding freedom of expression.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I give the floor to the representative of Article 19, International Center Against censorship.
You have the floor.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Article 19, thanks to the Special Rapporteur for her report.
States continue to repress and weaponize free expression across the globe, increasingly under the guise of securitization.
At the same time, we continue to witness a privatization of free expression in the hands of a small number of tech companies at all levels of the infrastructure stack.
The reach and resources bring unprecedented control over today's information environment, often with insufficient accountability and transparency.
Last social media platforms control the flow of information online through their content moderation and curation, advertisement practices and monetization systems with little incentive to conduct meaningful human rights due diligence to address the business models that contribute to a range of harmful information online.
A small number of companies exert substantial influence over the design, development, training, and deployment of AI systems.
The underlying infrastructure on which communication depends from connectivity to cloud services to data storage is also increasingly dominated by the very same companies.
This concentration of power means that a small number of companies can effectively become de facto gatekeepers of the online information ecosystem.
Call for regulation to include measures aimed at reducing the excessive economic and political power of dominant tech companies and creating stronger incentives for them to respect human rights.
Special Rapporteur Article 19, would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your invaluable contributions to freedom of expression over the past six years.
Under your leadership, the mandate has remained a guiding light for journalists, human rights defenders and civil society actors who continue to speak out amid this crisis for free expression.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative.
Mr.
Vice President, in the United Kingdom, legislation aimed at tackling hate and extremism has increasingly relied on restrictions on expression.
Most recently, while the Online Safety Act has imposed welcome duties on online platforms to mitigate the amplification of harmful content, it has also sought to limit the spread of harmful ideas through a wider range of measures, including making it an offense to share certain forms of disinformation.
We are concerned that such measures reflect a tendency in UK policy to address hate and extremism through speech regulation.
This trend is reflected in earlier legislation such as the Terrorism Act of 2006, which criminalizes certain expressions that glorify or justify terrorism.
While well intentioned, these approaches are counterproductive, suppressing extremist ideas does not eliminate them.
It displaces them into less visible spaces where they develop and spread unchecked.
To effectively counter extremist beliefs, they must be challenged, not hidden.
This allows them to be scrutinized, which exposes their analytical flaws and helps diminish their appeal.
To address the growing threat of extremism, we urge the UK government to prioritize open dialogue over speech regulation.
To this end, it should develop educational initiatives that promotes critical thinking skills and engagement with extremist narratives.
This may include mandatory training in schools and universities on how to assess the reliability of sources, test arguments by evaluating evidence, and understand the emotional manipulation techniques commonly used by extremist groups to radicalize individuals.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Humanists International intervention by video.
Present, we thank the Special Rapporteur for her report on New Frontiers for Freedom of expression and for her report on her visit to Germany, where she met some of our members.
We additionally extend our immense gratitude to the Speci Rapeur for six years of arduous work in defense of this right ams deeply challenging times.
On the present report, we share the Sci apportur's alarm at the instrumentalization and weaponization of freedom of expression and restrictions on expression in the name of national security as well as ideas of the public good.
We see this pattern across many rights.
When it comes to criminalizing expression, the line must be drawn with immense care.
Restrictions on incitement protect people, not beliefs and this threshold is well laid out in the Rt plan of action.
Criticism of religion, for example, however offensive it may be deemed, is protected speech.
We urge states to read and endorse this report in its entirety and in its nuance and not simply do so selectively.
We are disappointed, however, that the Special rapporteurs report says little about blasphemy hypos laws, which remain among some of the deadliest restrictions on expression globally.
Humanists, atheists and the non religious are prosecuted, imprisoned, face a death penalty or extrajudicial violence for social media posts in dozens of countries.
This too is the weaponization of expression enforced through digital means the report describes.
We ask the incoming mandate holder to devote attention to this important issue.
Finally, we welcome the findings on gender censorship.
The suppression of sexual and reproductive health information and LGBTI plus issues by platforms is censorship.
Not only that, but it is often advocated for by the networks which otherwise push so called free speech absolutism.
Special Rapporteur, what single step should states take to ensure that legitimate restrictions on incitement are never molded into de facto blasphemy laws? Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the Representative of International Federation for Human Rights Leagues.
PFIDH is concerned by the trend of democratic backsliding and shrinking civic space in established democracies such as Germany that are committed to the rule of law and human rights, yet where fundamental freedoms, including freedom of opinion and expression, are increasingly under threat.
Since October 2023, Germany has adopted a range of measures undermining its international obligations to protect freedom of expression and academic freedom.
Restrictions have extended into schools, universities, and cultural institutions where students, academics, artists, and public figures have faced censorship, event cancellations, and professional repercussions linked to their expressions of solidarity with Palestinians.
Authorities have also repeatedly imposed unjustified preventative bans on demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians and have cracked down on peaceful protests with numerous instances of excessive use of force.
These restrictions have had a disproportionate impact on BIPOC communities, particularly Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, migrants, and refugees, while also affecting Jewish individuals expressing solidarity with Palestinians or criticizing Israeli government policies.
Amendments to Germany's naturalization framework, including requirements relating to Israel, also raise concerns about their potential impact on freedom of opinion and expression.
While combating anti Semitism is a necessary and legitimate objective, these efforts must remain fully consistent with international human rights law.
The distinction with legitimate criticism of state policies must not become blurred.
Germany must ensure that such measures do not result in disproportionate restrictions on fundamental freedoms and fully uphold its obligations to protect freedom of opinion and expression for all without discrimination.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.
The Vice President, we thank the Special Rapporteur for a report.
On July 1st, China's new law on ethnic unity and progress will come into force.
This law will have a chilling effect on the ability of Tibetans and other nationalities to express their opinions and their identity as guaranteed by international law.
Eight independent UN experts have expressed strong concern regarding the law while the European Parliament called on China to repeal it entirely.
We note the High Commissioner also called for its repeal in his global update earlier this week.
We remain deeply concerned about the enormous threat this law poses for the survival of Tibetan identity, including Tibetans cultural rights and the right to religious freedom.
In addition, it will further curtail the rights to freedom of expression of Tibetans in Tibet and equally importantly beyond Tibet.
Article 63 of the law allows for the prosecution of individuals or organizations abroad accused of undermining ethnic unity.
This deliberately vague formulation opens the door to transnational repression targeting diasporas, human rights defenders, and all those who advocate for the rights of persecuted Tibetans.
The intention is obvious.
The Chinese government seeks to shut down criticism, be it in Tibet or abroad and silence dissent.
The international community must not tolerate such blatant attempt at eradicating dissent and ultimately the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of COC Nederland for a joint statement.
Mr.
Vice President, I am Michel Kariuki Proud, Kenan and Berg lesbian part of the trans adc Civic Cohort.
Welcome the report by the special rapporteur and thank her for intersectional work.
We are witnessing a rise in anti trans, anti democratic, anti gender sentiments worldwide, fueled by harmful narratives, leading to draft legislation and court rulings.
The employer rhetoric designs it to instill panic and fear, targeting trans transgender diverse people using as scapegoat in a broader political project, dividing society, splitting solidarity, undermining human rights, and preparing the grounds for authoritarianism.
Digital technologies play a central role in this process on platforms such as X.
Misinformation, hate speech and threats are pushing trans communities offline and underground.
Kenya, digital platforms are important spaces for community building and advocacy, yet the hate fueled by misinformation and anti trans narratives are especially replicated and worsened by AI, increasing online abuse, leaving us no choice but to self censor or withdraw completely.
This limitation on our freedom of expression is another attempt to erase us from public life, while the online violence leads to violence offline.
During the G&Z anti finalized bill protests in Kenya, we faced coordinated digital harassment, threats, intimidation, disinformation, smear campaigns, surveillance and tracking.
Our rights are inseparable from protecting democracy, civil society, and human rights.
Technology must be regulated to protect our freedom of expression and end gender based violence online and offline because trans lives matter.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Human Rights House Foundation.
Thank you, Vice President.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her energy and dedication throughout her mandate, and we wish her well for the future.
Through her work, we have seen that freedom of opinion and expression are not only rights in themselves.
They are also essential for accountability, democratic participation, and the protection of civil society.
First, we welcome her annual report.
Its warnings on secritized expression, surveillance, and the decline of independent media are already illustrated across our network.
In Russia and Belarus, authorities continue to use national security, extremism, and counterterrorism frameworks to silence journalists and independent civil society.
Elsewhere, including in Georgia and Serbia, slaps and other forms of legal harassment are increasingly used to drain the already limited resources of civil society and encourage self censorship, particularly online.
Vice President, we also welcome the draft guidelines on strengthening the protection of journalists and armed conflicts.
In Ukraine, journalists and media workers continue to report from areas affected by Russia's full scale invasion, including occupied territories, despite serious risks to their safety and security.
We again call for the release of Crimean civic journalist Irina Danilovch from her unjust imprisonment.
We ask the Special Rapporteur, how can states better protect journalists in occupied territories from attacks, detention, surveillance, and reprisals.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Gulf Center for Human Rights Limited.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We would like to thank the Special Rapporteur, miss Khan, for this report, the last of her six year mandate, and take the opportunity to thank her for using the report to address some of the broadest and developing threats to the freedom of expression, which is part of the narrowing of civic space seen across the globe.
You highlight the increasing concentration of power between governments who threaten free speech both through restrictions, but also by permitting threatening types of speech, which creates a chilling effect on those who would more fully participate in their society.
You've outlined the tools, the strength, and the alignment of powerful corporate interests as key actors in this regard.
As we have reported for many years, governments across the Manor region have focused in this direction.
Almost all criticism of the rulers, state policy, or anything that they determine as affecting national security or reputation is subject to serious criminal charges, often terrorism and dealt with in special courts.
Digital surveillance is widespread.
Ten years ago, the use of Pegasus software was against human rights defender Ahmed Mansour in the United Arab Emirates and was one of the first exposed.
And such surveillance is widespread both within these countries and against critical voices abroad.
The report notes that activists journalists and human rights defenders are increasingly targeted through security legislation, surveillance, and online restrictions.
Dear Special Rapporteur, what measures should the Human Rights Council prioritize to address this shrinking space faced by human rights defenders who engage in peaceful online advocacy? Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the Representative of Institute for Human Rights.
Thank you, Vice President.
We expressed grave concern over the growing wave of transnational repression targeting critics of authoritarian regimes in exile.
We are alarmed by the murder of Carney Simonskysy killed 15 of June in Poland.
His death is reportedly a politically motivated assassination conducted with the support of the Russian and Belarusian authorities as an act of retaliation against his criticism.
Equally alarming is the situation facing Azerbijani activists.
A recent French court ruling in the case of an attempted assassination of blogger Mohamad Mili confirmed that Azerbijani authorities were behind it.
The Mizel trial revealed that two perpetrators detained in Switzerland in 2022 were subsequently extradited to Azerbijan.
In parallel, Human rights defender and journalist Ee Hussein faced real and credible threats to his life in Switzerland and following a series of failed assassination attempts in February 2026, was compelled to file a formal complaint with the Geneva Prosecutor's Office.
The events exposed an extensive reach of Azerbijan' networks of transnational repression operating across Europe.
This is also highly evident in Berlin, Germany, where several bloggers have received direct threats.
Recognizing that these taste hosts vital communities of exiled critics and their sovereign territory is being actively exploited as a staging ground for intimidation, we would like to call in Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and others member states to establish a joint mechanism to counter transnational repression and and impunity of the authoritarian regimes.
Thank you.
Thank you.
This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this dialogue.
I now give the floor to miss Khan for her concluding remarks.
You have 6 minutes, 40 seconds.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President.
First of all, let me begin by thanking everyone in this room who have expressed their appreciation for my work.
I value your support very much and your kind words.
I would also like to thank everyone in a lot of members.
Rarely have I seen so much consensus around my report than I have done yesterday and today.
I think we can all agree on the problems.
I think we all agree that an international human rights law based approach is the best way to address the digital threats that freedom of expression and our democracies, our development processes are facing today.
Having said that, the big question is, what are you going to do with this consensus that you have in this room? How are you as member states going to take that forward? From my perspective, I have set out a pathway and let me now turn to addressing your specific comments.
I have 5 minutes or so to address about 65 delegations who have taken the floor.
Obviously, I will not do justice to all your comments and questions.
But let me first say about international cooperation and multilateralism.
It's actually here in this room.
We hear it.
You said, how do we do it? You have it there.
What I'm asking you to is broaden it, bring in civil society, bring in experts in these conversations, and use it to push against those who seek to suppress freedom of expression.
Rally the many to resist the few.
We are talking about just a few oligarchs, a few large companies, there are many more member states.
There are many more civil society organizations and activists and champions who resist it, bring them together and use their strength.
The global majority needs support.
Yes, you are not of equal capacity as many other countries, but when countries work together, then things happen.
It is extremely important to invest in capacity development and to close the digital divides that exist For example, in particular, I would say the gender digital divide.
Looking at governance and accountability for companies, regulation should be smart, not a blunt instrument, not a broad instrument.
Smart, risk based regulation makes a difference.
We saw that in the case of Romanian elections when TikTok changed its position because of a threat from the European Union under the Digital Services Act to go after the company.
We know when companies respond and I'm asking you to do more of that kind of smart regulation.
By strengthening your regulators, independent, free of political influence, and by ensuring that your regulations respect international human rights law and are narrowly based so as not to turn into instruments of censorship.
I heard a lot about the weaponization of freedom of expression and vitriol against minorities and religious groups, and that is obviously something that I have worked almost daily.
I would say first and foremost, political leaders must use their pulpit.
Promote harmony, to respect all voices, and not to use it as an instrument for going after minorities.
As a huge responsibility lies with the political leadership.
I would also say that law is the last resort in situations like that and much more has to be done to invest in community education, in understanding, in human rights awareness, and of course, use the Robt plan of action.
That is an instrument, a tool that has been created by the High Commissioner's office, and it has shown to be well tried and tested over the years, has shown to be a very valuable instrument for dealing with hate speech.
I have also heard from a number of states about the importance of protecting journalists.
I agree with you absolutely and fighting impunity.
Who should be responsible for addressing impunity? First of all, the state where the attacks take place? But if that state is not willing or able to do so, there are other routes, the state of the nationality of the journalist, for example.
International law has created pathways now under international criminal law for other states to pursue universal jurisdiction.
There is, of course, international mechanisms that can be used, including the High Commissioner's investigative mechanisms that are now being set up, as well as the mechanisms of the council itself.
We have to use every tool possible to fight impunity.
I'm convinced that that is the biggest gap in justice and safety of journalists and we have to address that together.
Let me now deal with a few countries that did not necessarily agree or support with me.
Lazy biased, Not even my elementary school teacher dared call me lazy.
Bas, of course, is a term that is widely used by governments that do not want to confront the reality of criticism towards them.
And I believe it's extreme or governments that wish to avoid accountability.
Now, there is some legislation that actually does more damage than good.
I would say that the ICT of India is one of those.
My predecessor took it up long before I came here to criticize its drafting.
The revisions since then have only worsened the situation and that is evident from what we see on the ground.
Empirical evidence shows it has not improved, it has not attacked, not addressed disinformation or hatred.
It has fed that.
And it is being copied by some other governments and I would also want them to be cautious because sometimes a bad law is more dangerous than having no law.
Finally, let me again reiterate that international human rights law is a tried and tested instrument that has been used time and time again.
It is not only the right thing to do, but it is the wise thing to do.
That is why you, the member states have drafted these instruments because you have seen that this is the best way in which you have a right It is not an unlimited right.
It has limits, but those limits are also very clearly stated in law, and those who follow it eventually find that that is the way in which democracy and development are advanced.
Unfortunately, there is a backsliding of democracies, and I press that because they are the flag bearers of human rights, the champions of human rights.
Put into practice what you preach is what I would tell all the member states.
I have been a truth teller a human rights activist and I have been blunt with you and I know that those of you, all of you, we all realize that we have to improve ourselves.
There is no country in the world that can put its hand up and say, we've done our job.
Freedom of expression is a hugely powerful instrument.
Do not hand that to those who live on profits.
Take responsibility apply the international standards, do it together, as I said, rally the majority in order to resist the few.
I think the pathway is clear, we just have to do it.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President, for giving me this opportunity and thank you very much, the council for giving me the opportunity to serve you for six years.
One last word I would like to say about special rapporteurs and I say that because our security is on the line.
You know that we are being attacked now, we are volunteers, we are not employees of the UN, we have functional immunity.
It is very easy to attack us, and that is cowardice.
I call it cowardice to attack us.
But we look to you, the member states of the Human Rights Council, to the presidency of the Council, to the Secretary-General of the UN and to the High Commissioner for Human Rights for preserving us who come as volunteers.
Give our time to you for nothing.
To protect us, to continue to remain independent experts who speak truth to power.
Thank you.
Thank you, miss Khan, for your concluding remarks and thank you for your service.
This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue.
Miss Irene Khan, as your mandate as a special reporter comes to an end, and I wish to take this opportunity to express on behalf of the council to our deep gratitude for the valuable contributions you have made to the work of the council and wish you every success in your future endeavors.
We'll now take a short break before holding the interactive dialogue with the special reporter on the right to education.
Excellencies, Dear participants, we shall now begin the interactive dialogue with the S porteur on the right to education.
Let me welcome the mandate holder, miss Farida Shahid.
The list of speakers will close in 15 minutes.
I now give the floor to miss Shahid to present the report.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President, Excellency Distinguished delegates all.
Today, I present my report on curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment as key elements of the right to education.
What learners study, how they learn, and how we decide whether learning has taken place shaped the societies that we built.
Curriculum, Determine which knowledge, histories, languages, and values are recognized and promoted.
Pedagogy determines whether learners experience, education through participation or obedience, trust or surveillance, cooperation or competition.
Assessment determines what is rewarded and what's ignored.
Who is allowed to progress and who is left behind.
It's crucial, therefore, that curriculum pedagogy, and assessment are treated as one interconnected, aligned system that also aligns with the internationally recognized aims of education to support the full development of the human personality and sense of dignity, strengthen respect for human rights, prepare people to participate effectively in a free society, and promote understanding, peace, equality, respect for cultural identity, and the natural environment.
We rarely measure education against these aims.
Learning is commonly judged through narrow performance indicators, exam results, and international rankings.
What can be easily measured becomes dominant, displacing what is vital to human development, but difficult to quantify, such as creativity, empathy, ethical judgment, cultural understanding.
Assessments can support learning, but also become gatekeepers.
When used primarily for ranking and selection, assessments can reproduce and intensify social inequalities, undermine motivation, and push learners to exit education.
This is particularly harmful for learners affected by poverty, disability, displacement, language barriers, discrimination, interrupted schooling, or location.
Too many learners disengage, not because they lack ability, but because education systems provide too few opportunities for recovery, flexibility, or different ways of assessing learning.
Report calls for a shift from rating performance to supporting learning.
This means reducing excessive reliance on high stakes standardized tests and exams, expanding formative assessments, portfolios, projects, self and peer assessments, and other approaches that recognize individual progress and reward diverse competencies and a human rights based pedagogy that is learner centered, inclusive, participatory and grounded in safety and trust.
Teachers should be able to exercise professional judgment, adapt teaching to learners' needs, and engage with local realities.
But this isn't possible if they're constrained by rigid curricula, excessive testing linked to financing, or poor working conditions.
Education, of course, must respond to scientific, technological, environmental, and social change.
But adaptability shouldn't mean constant revamping, which imposes heavy costs on teachers, schools, learners, and weakens coherence.
Mr.
Vice President, my report was also informed by more than 300 children and youth, and I really want to share their voices, that is the voice of not just today but the future.
Many value schools as places of learning, friendship, safety, and personal growth, but they describe a persistent gap between schooling and life.
We spend years memorizing answers, said one, but very little time learning how to think, question, create, or solve problems.
We are trained to pass tests, not to understand the world around us.
Today's main challenge, therefore, is how to ensure that education does not just prepare learners to reproduce established answers, but teaches them how to confront problems for which we have no answers yet.
Young people want an education that helps them navigate climate disruption, AI conflict, inequality, and democratic fragility.
They want practical knowledge, but not an education reduced employability.
They ask for human rights education, mental health literacy, digital competence, creativity, and the capacity to live and work with others.
One said, education should prepare young people not only to pass exams, but to live with dignity, think critically, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
This perfectly reflects the internationally recognized aims of education and also reminds us that relevance is not the same as immediate economic utility.
Education should not be something done to learners.
It should be co created with them in meaningful ways.
As one young person said, I want schools to ask, not dictate what to do, where young voices guide the way and learning feels like truth.
Another summarized the issues eloquently, saying, education works for me, but not gently and not without a struggle.
I quote, and I apologize for truncating her poem.
School has given me the strength I never knew I had and the courage to dream.
Education has taught me how the world works, how the past shapes our present, and the power of every voice.
It has opened doors I never imagined I would stand in front of.
But nobody talks about the weight of the door.
There are days when the pressure is too much, everything feels like grades and exams, very little feels like care.
We come to class carrying more than books.
The quiet thought that if I fall behind, I may be left behind.
Nobody grades that part.
We are taught to memorize, but not taught how to breathe when anxiety sits heavy on our chest.
Education would work better if mental health mattered as much as attendance.
Education should feel like a place where mistakes are allowed.
That says, you can grow here without fear, where learning does not break you before it builds you.
Education can learn, to teach with empathy, to measure success with humanity, to see effort even without results, that's the kind of education that truly works.
I encourage everyone to read the addendum, where we have summarized the voices of the youth, and also where we have the permission, their statements and creative contributions are on the website.
Mr.
Vice President, in March last year, I also visited Hungary, focusing in particular on marginalized learners, academic freedom, and safety.
I met senior officials of relevant ministries, commissions, and authorities, and I visited schools and spoke to teachers, learners, administrators in Budapest, Miskolz, Dunkzi, and Agar, and several villages in the Northeast.
Hungary has a strong academic tradition, and I appreciate the free education and learning materials, programs supporting disadvantaged children and preventing early school leaving.
I met many committed teachers, social workers, and other professionals often working under difficult conditions.
Yet structural challenges remain.
Roma children continue to experience widespread segregation and discriminatory placement in special education.
Access to quality public education of children with special education needs is uneven and often complicated by administrative barriers.
Teacher shortages, excessive centralization, curriculum overload and high stakes examinations undermine the quality of education.
Academic freedom and university autonomy was weakened by the previous government's reforms which lacked transparency and accountability.
Recommend raising the compulsory school age back to 18, ending segregation of Roma people, guaranteeing inclusive education with children with learning disabilities.
Hungary should invest in teachers and disadvantaged schools, link education policy with anti poverty and child protection strategies, and replace punitive responses to absenteeism with supportive interactions.
I also recommend using the opportunity of the next curriculum review to enhance student centered competency based approaches that prioritize problem solving, analytical thinking, creativity, over memorization, reduce curriculum overload, integrate practical life skills in line with international aims of education, and ensure meaningful participation of students, many of whom impress me greatly.
Welcome the new government's stated commitment to democratic standards and stronger compliance with European and international human rights norms.
I particularly welcome the establishment of a Ministry of Children and Education that aligns with my recommendation for a dedicated education ministry with strong pedagogical expertise.
I also welcome steps to address conflicts of interest in university governance, restoring academic freedom and institutional autonomy, and enabling Hungary's full return to European academic programs.
New government has an important opportunity to rebuild trust and place education reform on a sound human rights foundation.
I hope it will use this opportunity with courage, transparency, and meaningful participation by students, teachers, parents, and the academic communities.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
I look forward to our discussion.
Thank you.
According to our practice, we shall start by hearing the delegation of the country concerned.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Hungary.
You have 5 minutes.
T to miss Sahid on presenting her comprehensive report about her visit to our country.
Between the country visit and the publishing of the report, parliamentary elections took place in Hungary on 12th April 2026 and a new government has been formed.
The new government received a strong mandate to implement fundamental changes, including in the field of public education, and it intends to do so.
As part of this process, the system of curriculum regulation will undergo comprehensive reform in order to ensure that young people in Hungary leave school equipped with modern and competitive knowledge for the labor market.
The current system that focuses almost exclusively on the acquisition of factual knowledge and regarding which there is room for improvement in order to take into account students age specific characteristics, as well as their intellectual and emotional development will be replaced by a curriculum model centered on the development of the 21st century competencies, including collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving skills.
Our goal is to replace the current fragmented subject structure with a framework in which knowledge is delivered in a much more integrated manner through stronger connections between disciplines.
Personalized teaching practices that take individual learning opportunities and needs into account will become an integral part of the classroom instruction.
We expect that these changes We contribute to the development of a more efficient, more effective, and more equitable education system.
We welcome that the report describes the opportunity program in vocational education and training in an appreciative manner regarding the recommendation on Vt not become channels of social stratification or premature labor market insertion, as well as on t's role to provide transferable skills and access to higher levels of education.
Hungary agrees with these principles We have already undertaken several significant policy measures to this end, but we strive to further develop these policies.
Hungarian higher education has been shaped by several political, administrative, and institutional changes.
The development of the system shows a transition from traditional state controlled governance towards a more diverse structure where universities can be maintained by different types of organizations, including foundations, churches, and private actors.
The changes in education governance also demonstrate the importance of administrative organization.
The transfer of responsibilities from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Culture and Innovation to the Ministry of Education and Children represents an attempt to create a more coordinated approach to managing different levels of education.
This highlights how government structures can influence the way education policies are being implemented.
Another important aspect is the relationship between the Hungarian higher education system and the European cooperation.
Following the political agreement reached between the Hungarian government and the European Commission and the ongoing review of the relevant Hungarian legislation, Hungary is expected to resume its full participation of the Erasmus plus program in the near future.
The government is committed to ensuring academic freedom and the autonomy of higher education institutions and deems maintaining a connection with international research programs and community a priority.
The transformation of the Hungarian Research Network and other research institutions also reflects broader changes in the Hungarian research environment.
In closing, allow me to reiterate Hungary's commitment to fully cooperating with and to continue to uphold the standing invitation for UN special procedures mandate holders.
I thank you.
Thank you, Excellency.
The list of speakers is now closed.
I now invite interested delegations to ask questions to the special rapporteur and make comments on her reports.
The speaking time is 1 minute, 30 seconds for all.
I'd like to recall that the duration of the interactive dialogue is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
However, if time permits, additional delegations will be able to speak.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Thank you.
Mr.
Vice President, the European Union welcomes the special rapporteur on the right to education and thanks for her report.
The EU reaffirms the human right of everyone to education as well as our commitment to achieving SDG four.
As the report identifies, access to quality education is essential and insufficient, a holistic approach to the right to education must also address its content with curriculum pedagogy, and assessment as core and interconnected elements.
Education systems should support learner centered and participatory approaches.
They should promote critical thinking, creativity, digital skills, civic engagement, and respect for diversity, while also addressing discrimination, exclusion, and inequalities, both in line with UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education and the World Program for Human Rights Education.
Teachers are essential to this effort and should be supported and empowered.
The EU and its member states are the main investor in education worldwide.
The EU dedicates more than 10% of its international partnerships budget over 6 billion euros to education, contributing to 67 million more children gaining access to professionally trained teachers globally.
Madam Special Reporteur, how can states ensure that assessment systems support learning and inclusion rather than contribute to excessive pressure and inequality among learners? I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iceland on behalf of a group of countries.
Vice President, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Northern Pic countries.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and for bringing attention to the important role of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment in realizing the right to education.
We welcome the report's focus on the aims of education and on how education systems can better prepare learners for the opportunities and challenges they face today.
Further, we commend the efforts made in consulting children and young people directly.
Their experiences and perspectives are essential to ensuring that education remains relevant and responsive to their needs.
Teachers, learners, and parents all have an important role to play in shaping education systems.
What learners are taught, how they are taught, and how learning is assessed should promote respect for human rights and increase knowledge and tolerance and contribute to our active participation in society.
In this regard, the relationship between international standards and local realities needs to be considered.
Madam Special Raporteur, how can states best ensure that curriculum development and reform processes are aligned with international standards for education while responding to the diverse realities and needs of learners and local communities.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of a group of countries.
Thank you, Vice President.
I make this statement on behalf of the group of friends in defense of the United Nations Charter.
Education is a fundamental human right, an essential tool for promoting peace, justice, solidarity, sustainable development, and human rights.
We reaffirm our commitment to Agenda 2030 for sustainable development, including SDG four.
We express our concern at the fact that 771 million people are illiterate, more than 250 million children, teens and youth don't go to school, we condemn attacks on colleges and education centers.
We stress that developing countries are those most affected by increasing structural inequality, polarization, lack of opportunities, and failure to meet commitments for financing for development.
We call for mobilization of greater financial resources and new investment to support efforts for inclusive, equitable, high quality education for all.
Finally, we stress the importance of international cooperation, which has helped guarantee education for low income persons living in rural areas and remote areas.
Those education programs are a valuable contribution to the full enjoyment of the right to education.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan on behalf of the Arab Group.
Sraniln.
Thank you, Vice President.
I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of the Arab Group.
The Arab Group wishes to thank the Special Rapporteur for presenting her report.
The Arab Group reaffirms the importance of a right to education and to improving the quality of education in such a way as to cover both urban and rural areas.
The Arab Group reiterates the importance of improving the educational level of children in the OPT and rebuilding the schools and universities that have been destroyed by the occupying power in Palestine and Lebanon, depriving too many students of education and jeopardizing their futures.
The states of the Arab group continue directly to provide an adequate educational environment for children, one that can develop their skills, taking into account the needs of boys and girls without discrimination in such a way as to enable them to enjoy their full rights while anchoring scientific and cultural rights and adopting modern methods and educational modalities and improving the quality of teachers, as well as adopting AI and E learning methods while providing opportunities for children with disabilities and equipping them with adequate tools and integrating them into general school system.
With a view to integrating them within society.
The Arab group insists on the importance of respecting diversity in the education system, especially that there's cultural, historical, and diversity in values in various societies and those specificities need to be respected.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya on behalf of the African group.
Mr.
Vice President, the African Group thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report and reaffirms its full support for her mandate.
We entirely share the report's vision that education must not be limited merely to qualitative access, but rather prioritize qualitative and empowering content that respects human dignity.
It is precisely in this period that the African Union's new Continental education strategy for Africa 2026 to 2035 is anchored.
This framework strongly reaffirms that education is a fundamental human right and a strategic pillar for peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development.
The implementation of this new strategy requires our education systems to move beyond narrow performance metrics.
It places a focus on the genuine acquisition of competencies, including the social and emotional skills necessary to navigate the emerging realities of artificial intelligence and digitalization.
In line with the findings of the report, our continental strategy places Heart of this transformation while promoting inclusive and equitable approaches that ensure equal opportunities for all girls and boys, particularly those in conflict situations.
In conclusion, the African group remains fully committed to restructuring its assessment frameworks and curricula to guarantee the quality, holistic and emancipatory education that calls upon the international community to actively support these major regional efforts.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bahrain on behalf of the GCC.
San Thank you, Vice President.
The GCC states thanks to the Special Rapporteur for her report on curricula and educational methods and assessment tools as key components As part of the right to education, GCC states reiterates that education is a pillar of its vision for sustainable development.
We have investment greatly over the past years in developing education systems and increasing opportunities of access to quality education while taking care of the digital transformation, innovation, and skills that can enable the learner to deal with the challenges of the world today.
We also keep abreast of developments in education systems in such way as to build character of the learner and increase tolerance and mutual respect.
We also reaffirmed the importance of equipping the current and future generations with the necessary skills to be able to confront the challenges of today, including AI and the digital transformation.
GCC states are of the view that developing educational methods should be driven by national priorities and depending on the societal needs of each country.
While also paying attention to national identity, social values, and global trends.
We need to support our teachers and improve the partnership between the school community and the families.
Thank you very much, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Pakistan on behalf of the OIC.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
The OIC Group thanks the Special Rapour for the presentation of the report.
We concur with the SRs observation that education is a fundamental and enabling human right that is indispensable to the realization of all other rights.
Against this backdrop, we cannot overlook the suffering and plight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children whose right to education is completely denied as educational facilities have been reduced to rubble by the relentless bombardment of Israeli forces.
Defying all the established norms and IHL, schools and universities have been systematically destroyed, depriving children of their fundamental rights to education, impairing their intellectual and personal development, and casting a long shadow over their future aspirations.
These Palestinian children may never be able to fully enjoy a broader spectrum of human rights to which they are entitled to.
Also, imagine the troubling state of those Palestinian children who daily struggle to pass through military checkpoints, physical barriers, and confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces to assess the remaining 5% of the schools.
Madam Saciir Rapporteur, what will be the future of these Palestinian and other children under foreign occupation whose right to education has been stripped off by the inhuman occupation forces? I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on behalf of the OIF Group.
Vice President, I delivered this statement on behalf of the French speaking ambassadors.
We'd like to thank the special rapporteur for her report.
Education is a fundamental right and is a catalyzer for achieving all human rights.
Despite progress, 163 million people are deprived of education according to the annual report from last year, and that number is on the increase.
Low and middle income countries have 10% of their children who are unable to read and understand a text according to a World Bank report.
We must have inclusive and high quality education throughout life based on resilient infrastructure and skilled teacher.
Learning is vital for promoting equal opportunities, diversity, and intercultural diversity.
Digital literacy also provides opportunities for access to knowledge, and there must be security and ethical concerns in the use of digital technology.
We should strengthen international cooperation as this is absolutely vital for supporting national efforts.
There should be lasting and sustainable funding.
There should be investment in education, citizenship, and sustainable development.
Madam Special Rapporteur, how can the digital transition reduce gaps in access to education, particularly for girls and vulnerable groups and support the right to high quality education? Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bulgaria on behalf of a group of countries.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
It's my honor to deliver this statement on behalf of 13 states, Armenia, Colombia, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan Malawi, Nahuru, Panama, Romania, Sieredona, and my own country, Bulgaria.
This is the core group of the Human Rights Council resolution 56 slash five, which established the intergovernmental working group to elaborate an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in order to strengthen the right to free education.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and welcome her reflection on how education systems must equip learners with the skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.
Deplore the persistent reality of millions of children who remain out of school.
According to UNESCO data, although nearly 90% of children complete primary education, significant disparities exist at the pre primary and secondary levels.
The education is a fundamental human right and the key driver of poverty reduction, inclusion, development, and economic growth.
Providing free education helps overcome inequality and protects children from child labor, abuse, exploitation, and early marriage.
The optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the child should establish clear universal standards which reinforce and complement the existing legal obligations.
The optional protocol will support the realization of the right to education for all children.
We underline the importance of the meaningful participation of children as the rights holders in the elaboration of the optional protocol.
Key principles for the optional protocol have been drafted and shared with the member states in order to guide the forthcoming discussions.
We encourage all member states to participate in the second session of the intergovernmental working group, which will take place from August 31st to September 2nd this year.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh on behalf of a group of countries.
Mr.
Vice President, Bangladesh has the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of a number of countries from the Asia Pacific region.
We thank the special reporter for her report.
Our region encompasses diverse educational systems, cultures, languages, and levels of development.
Despite our diversities, we share a common commitment to advancing sustainable development goal four and ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.
We welcome the report's emphasis on aligning curriculum pedagogy, and assessment with the internationally recognized aims of education while reaffirming that decisions concerning educational content and delivery remain the sovereign responsibility of states.
We further underscore the importance of learner centered and inclusive approaches, investment in teacher capacity building, respect for cultural diversity and local contexts, and sustained efforts to ensure that no learner is left behind, including those in the most vulnerable situations.
We also recognize that digitalization and the increasing use of AI are profoundly reshaping education systems worldwide, presenting new opportunities to expand access to education while simultaneously giving rise to the risk access ordding existing digital divides.
To conclude, we encourage continued efforts to strengthen education systems that are inclusive, adaptable, and future ready, while ensuring that technological innovation, including AI serves as an enabler of learning and human development rather than a source of new inequalities.
I thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you.
Before moving to the next speaker, I would like to kindly remind you to respect the speaking time of 1 minute and 30 minutes.
Now that we have finished the joint statements, I'll I'll give the floor to the distinguished representative of Portugal.
Vice President, Portugal reffirms our full support to the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and thanks, Mr.
Farida Shahid, for all your dedication and work in the promotion of the right to education.
Portugal strongly supports a human rights based approach to curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment.
Quality education must promote the full development of the human personality as well as human dignity, quality, and non discrimination.
We particularly welcome the report's emphasis on learner centered, inclusive, and participatory approaches.
Students, teachers, families, and communities should not be passive recipients of education policies, but active participants in shaping them.
Portugal welcome the report's reference to our national experience, particularly community involvement and assessment practices that value intercultural competence, citizenship, and social responsibility.
A time of rapid technological, social and environmental change, education systems must prepare learners not only to acquire knowledge, but also to think critically and to participate democratically.
In the ongoing HRC session, Portugal will once again table the resolution to renew this important special procedure mandate for the further period of three years.
Madam Special Rapporteur, how can states best strengthen the participation of students, teachers, and communities in curriculum and assessment reforms while ensuring coherence, quality and accountability across education systems.
I thank you Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran via video.
My name is Fatim Zara Shia.
I'm a student at Sagar Tybe School in Mib.
Today, I stand here to share my story, the story of a child who similar to every other child wanted to go to school, learn and play with her friends.
On the morning of 28th of February, I thought it would be an ordinary day.
I picked up my school bag and went to school.
I played with my friends, and we were happy together.
Suddenly, my school was attacked by the United States and Israel in two separate attacks.
I saw my friends, my teachers, and everyone I loved losing their lives.
I witnessed scenes that no child should ever have to see.
I have heard that the United Nations stands for the protection of children's rights.
I Fatim Zahra Skrabai, a survivor of the Minab school attack, ask the representatives of the countries to hear the voices of the children of Minab.
Stand with us and hold the United States and Israel accountable.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Unesco.
Who welcomes the Special Reporter's timely report, which highlights the central role of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment in the realization of the right to education.
These are not merely technical components of education system.
They shape what learners learn, how they learn, and how the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes they develop are measured and valued throughout their lives.
International human rights law affirms that education must be directed towards the full development of human personality while fostering respect for rights, inclusion, peace, cultural diversity, and sustainable development.
UNESCO's recent report on the right to education underscores that the right to education extend beyond access to schooling.
It also encompasses quality content, curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment that are relevant, inclusive, and adaptable to learners' needs that are placed within a lifelong learning perspective.
Despite important progress, significant challenges remain.
While many countries have adopted competency based curricula, classroom practice and assessment practices often continue to prioritize memorization only and high stakes testing over critical thinking, creativity, socio emotional learning, learner well being, and civic participation.
UNESCO, including through the work of the International Bureau of Education, supports states in advancing curriculum transformation, strengthen learner centered pedagogies and promoting assessment approaches that enhance learning, inclusion, equity, and meaningful education outcomes.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for this important contribution.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bahrain.
Thank you, Vice President.
We align ourselves with the statements of the political and regional groups that we belong to.
My delegation has taken note of the report and its recommendations.
Reiterate the importance of the approach that combines the right to education, curricula, and teaching methods and methodologies.
The right to education features high in the human rights system.
It plays a key role in the rights of societies and people.
We are cognizant of this prominent role, and we have been promoting it through a number of deliverables through mega projects for digital transformation, education, AI platform, and modernizing curricula to be in line with the fourth Industrial Revolution.
We are also progressing towards the knowledge based economy to have a generation that possesses the skills for innovation and resolve problems.
Vice President, my country shores up all efforts for improvement of education in support of the SDGs to ensure comprehensive approaches and so that no one is left behind.
Thank you, L.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Gabon.
Thank you, Vice President.
Gabon endorses the statements made by the groups that it belongs to and we'd like to congratulate the special rapporteur on her relevant analysis which highlights school curricula pedagogy and assessment as essential components of the right to inclusive and high quality education.
We share her view that these three factors should be carefully adapted to learners realities in order to ensure equal opportunities and reduce obstacles faced by the most vulnerable groups.
In this regard, my country has made education compulsory and free of charge in order to promote access to education for all, including pygmy populations for too long excluded from the formal education system.
Efforts have also been made to promote more inclusive curricular and teaching approaches.
But despite this progress, we still face the challenge of including and valuing cultural diversity in the education system.
This warrants particular attention.
Madam Special Rapporteur, what recommendations have you got for states in order to better integrate cultural diversity into curricular teaching methods and assessment mechanisms whilst retaining the standards of quality and inclusion in the right to education.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mozambique.
Mr.
Vice President, thank you.
Mozambique aligns itself with the statement delivered by the African group and thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report that emphasized the importance of curriculum and pedagogy in the education process.
My delegation recognized that education should promote the full development of human personality and sense of dignity, strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, empower every individual to participate effectively in a free society and contribute to sustainable development, social inclusion, and equal opportunities for all.
In this regard, government of Mozambique has continued its efforts to expand the school network, strengthen the implementation of compulsory education, and enhance school feeding programs with the aim of ensuring access to quality of education for all, particularly for girls, children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
We recognize, however, that significant challenges remain.
The adverse effects of extreme weather events and limited human and financial resources continue to affect the provision and quality of education.
To address these challenges, we have been working closely with national and international partners to build resilient education infrastructure, train and deploy more teachers, and ensure inclusive and adequate access to education for all.
We thank you, Chair for the floor.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Dominican Republic.
Thank you, Vice President.
The Dominican Republic would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for presenting her pioneering report which compels us to reconsider the right to education because it doesn't stop at access to education but also encompasses essential factors such as the curriculum pedagogy, and assessment.
These are vital components for ensuring inclusive, relevant and quality education.
There must be a holistic vision to quality education.
This is why we have overhauled our curricula and they're now skills based.
We've also strengthened a participatory and continuing assessment system and we provide lifelong learning for teachers as well.
Nevertheless, as the report recognizes the international community still faces structural challenges to access.
For many states, particularly developing countries, One of the priorities must be to ensure that children, particularly girls have access to pre primary and primary education and complete secondary education.
We have the following question.
How can states balance the need to extend universal access with the need to maintain high quality education when facing persistent inequalities and budgetary constraints.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zimbabwe.
Vice President, Zimbabwe welcomes the comprehensive report of the Special Rapporteur.
Indeed, education must foster the full development of the human personality and a sense of dignity, strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and equip every person to participate effectively in a free society.
Zimbabwe recognizes that a modern economy requires dynamic workforce.
We have successfully rolled out our heritage based curriculum education, shifting focus from theory to innovation, industrialization and practical skills.
We have institutionalized foundational policies to guarantee the right to education and are progressively expanding basic state funded education, focusing on vulnerable and rural communities first.
Education Act protects the physical and psycho emotional integrity of all students.
Furthermore, as online learning expands Zimbabwe strives to protect learners from cyber threats and digital bullying towards a safe environment across both physical and virtual classrooms, leveraging on the national ICT policy and e learning strategies, we are equipping rural schools with solar power and Internet connectivity to bridge the digital divide.
As special Reporter, what specific mechanisms can be deployed to safeguard educational funding in developing nations facing severe climate induced economic crisis? I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Ghana aligns with the statement delivered by the African group and thank the Special Rapporteur for her report.
We welcome the recommendation that curricular pedagogy and assessments should be approached as an integrated system that advances the internationally recognized aims of education.
Ghana remains committed to ensuring equitable, inclusive, and quality education that equips learners with the knowledge, skills, values, and resilience needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world and contribute to sustainable development.
As part of this commitments, Ghana established the National National Education Consultative Forum in 2025 to promote inclusive stakeholder engagement in shaping education reforms.
The forum supports efforts to strengthen curriculum relevance, learner centered teaching, teacher development, and education governance.
Ghana has also continued to advance the right to education through initiatives such as the free compulsory universal basic education program, free senior high school, and the no fees, no stress policy, which seek to expand access, reduce barriers to learning, and promote inclusive and lifelong education for all.
Madam Saci Rapporteur, what practical measures can states adopt to ensure that curriculum reforms remain grounded in human rights principles whilst responding effectively to national realities and emerging global challenges.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nauru.
Nauru.
I understand they're absent.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lesoto.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
The delegation of Lesotho welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to education.
This report attests to the fact that the right to quality and inclusive education is recognized under the international human rights law.
We cannot deny the fact that this right is impacted by the digitalization processes.
This regard, the importance of the interplay between curriculum pedagogy and assessment, especially in the era of digital space cannot be ignored.
It follows therefore that very often there is need for reflection on how these aspects continue to be effectively integrated with a view to foster meaningful and enriching educational experiences.
Integration of these three concepts has the potential to support, enhance and effectively transform teaching and learning.
Loto aligns with the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur and calls for the support for governments in the holistic realization of the right to education with a view to accelerate its implementation in line with the sustainable development goals.
This support will go a long way in the constructive alignment of these three concepts which are aimed to ensure that learners are equipped with skills, values, and resilience for real world changes.
I thank you.
Thank you.
And I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bulgaria.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Bulgaria aligns itself with the statement of the EU and expresses its appreciation for the comprehensive report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of curriculum pedagogy and assessment.
We appreciate the detailed examination of the issue with an important contribution of children and youth.
The right to education is central to the full development of the human personality.
This right should be underpinned by an adequate, creative, and adaptable learning process based on predefined standards while remaining respectful of the academic freedom.
Tolerance, dignity, equality, justice, respect for human rights, and cultural identity are among the most valuable results to be achieved through education.
Bulgaria is a member of the cross regional group that initiated resolution 56 lash five of the UN Human Rights Council in 2024, establishing an intergovernmental working group on a new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding free pre primary and secondary education.
We encourage all member states to participate meaningfully and support the elaboration of an optional protocol that can guarantee the availability of free pre primary and secondary education for every child.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Courte de'i Voir.
Vice President.
Thank you, Vice President, Côte D'ivoire endorses the statements delivered by the groups it belongs to and thanks the special rapporteur for her report on curricula, pedagogy and assessment as part of the right to education.
My country believes that it is state's responsibility to choose subject matters and teaching methods.
Nevertheless, they should be in line with internationally recognized educational goals such as fostering full development of personality and a sense of dignity, strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and giving each individual the means to take an active part in free society.
In order to achieve this goal, Côte D'ivoire has undertaken a series of ambitious reforms to raise the quality of his education system, such as the 1995 Education Act and the new national program to enhance early learning.
Content has been adapted to the current situation, particularly the digital environment, teaching methods, promote active participation by learners, and developing skills that can be used in daily life.
Madam Special Rapporteur, in view of donors pressure and interference, how can we ensure that countries in development can achieve recognized educational goals? Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
We welcome the Special Rapporteur and thank her for the report.
The report notes that in Ukraine, the realities of war have further accelerated the shift toward adaptive assessment practices, reducing reliance on high stake examinations and strengthening formative and diagnostic tools to ensure continuity of learning even in wartime conditions.
The right to education in Ukraine is being severely undermined by Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.
United Nations has verified thousands of attacks on educational facilities resulting in exchange damage to destruction of schools and disrupting the learning of an entire generation.
Invite all delegations to the opening of the exhibition, one desk, two marks, taking place today at 2:00 P.M.
In the hall Despas produce third floor building A Palination This is actually just around the corner.
This exhibition is part of First Lady of Ukraine's campaign.
Every generation leaves its mark.
Education shapes its legacy.
It highlights both the resilience of children affected by war and the profound losses they have endured.
Welcome.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Holy See.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Education must always be directed toward the integral formation of the whole person, including the intellectual and moral, social, and spiritual dimensions.
I with regard, the Holy See delegation wishes to make three observations.
First, while information and knowledge are related, they are not identical.
An educational system that privileges the rapid accumulation of information over the disciplined work of study, reflection and discernment may produce learners who know many things yet struggle to find direction.
The culture of immediacy and hyperstimulation exacerbates this concern.
With this culture, instant answers and summaries can extinguish the desire for inquiry and exploration that education should awaken.
Second, the rapid advancement of information technology and artificial intelligence also poses critical pedagogical challenges.
The advance of information technologies and AI is rapidly rendering curricula obsolete that were designed for a different era.
This forces states and educators to rethink what is taught and how schools, learning spaces, methods of assessment, and even the role of teachers are developed.
Thirdly, the duty of the education does not lie solely with the state or the schools.
The family is the primary educator of the child and parents are the first teachers.
Parents have the right to choose the formative tools that respond to their convictions and to seek those means that will help them best fulfill their duty as educators.
On the other hand, public authorities have the duty to guarantee this right and to ensure the concrete conditions necessary for it to be exercised.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Nanda, thanks the Special Rapportur for our report.
Nigera reaffirms its commitment to education and recognizes its vital role in promoting human dignity, social cohesion, national development, and peaceful coexistence.
We welcome the emphasis on quality education that promotes both learning and character development.
We particularly welcome its recognition of the importance of parents, cultural identity, and context sensitive approaches to learning.
We affirm that parents remain the primary caregivers and first educators of children and that their role should continue to be respected and supported in the development and delivery of education.
We also welcome the recognition that decisions regarding curriculum pedagogy and assessment remain the responsibility of states and further note the positive reference to Nigeria's experience in providing trauma informed education for children affected by conflict and insecurity.
However, we know that certain concepts and approaches referenced in the reports, including compressive sexuality education, CSE, remain the subject of differing legal, cultural and social perspectives among member states.
We therefore reiterate that education policies must respect national context and caution against presenting non consensus concepts or interpretations as established international human rights obligations or universally agreed standards.
Finally, Nigeria affirms its commitment to inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.
I thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.
Vice President, the right to education is enshrined in Article 43 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.
Public education is free of charge, universally accessible for all children regardless of citizenship, social status or place of residence.
Our country consistently upholds the right to education in mother language for representatives of all peoples of the country.
Education institutions in all regions of the country.
Their tuition is given in Net, Evenki Chokt and other indigenous languages.
We developed specialized curricula aimed at promoting respect for national culture of participants.
There's been mass digitization of schools in the country.
Russian experience stands in stark contrast to the situation in a number of European states in the Baltics state schools there have legislatively moved exclusively to tuition in the state language, which has denied representatives of the Russian language minority who make up a quarter to a third of the population the right to receive tuition in their mother language.
Republic of Moldova has systematically cut the number of tuition hours in mother tongue.
In Ukraine, languages of national minorities have effectively been phased out from the public system.
Forced linguistic assimilation through education system is a violation of international norms, including of Article 30 of the Convention of Rights of the Child, we urge the council to devote undivided attention to similar gross violations of the integral right of every person to receive tuition in his mother tongue.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Dibbouti.
Thank you, Vice President.
Dibouti Alliance with statements made by the groups it belongs to and thanks to the Special Rapporteur for the presentation of report, examining the right to education through school curricula, pedagogical practices and assessment mechanisms.
We believe that the right to education is a fundamental right and a key lever for exercise of all human rights from sustainable development, peace, and social cohesion.
Dibouti also believes that assessment systems should support learning, encourage development of skills and value creativity.
Capacity of adaptation of students to prepare them to become responsible, resilient citizens capable of contributing to development of inclusive societies.
We take note of your assessment of the current international normative framework, the different approaches on this issue, as well as difficulties in defining a shared education model adapted to contemporary challenges.
Madam Rapporteur, how can states effectively square integration of new challenges in curricula with the need to preserve inclusive education systems, taking into account national realities.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mauritius.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We thank the Special Reporter for a report, including highlighting the critical role of education in the holistic development of the child.
Mauritius is committed to a society where the rights and the best interests of children are safeguarded and promoted.
We recognize the right to everyone to education with compulsory education required up to the age of 16.
In fact, our Children's Act recognizes the refusal to provide education as a form of neglect.
Free public education is provided to all as from pre primary to tertiary.
Both boys and girls are offered the same facilities, including subjects taught at primary, secondary, and tertiary level.
This common curriculum encourages not only the cognitive but also the holistic development of learners.
To facilitate access to education, free transport facilities are provided to and from educational institutions.
We use this opportunity to reiterate our support for the elaboration of an optional protocol on free primary and secondary education.
This instrument will reinforce the right to education and will mark a significant advancement in child rights jurisprudence.
We also welcome the involvement of children in the drafting process of such an instrument that directly concerns their rights and their interests.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Afghanistan.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We welcome the report of the Special Reporter and express our deep concern over the continued denial of women's and girls' right to education in Afghanistan and its generational consequences after nearly five years.
The figures before this council demand our full attention and an estimated 3.8 million girls aged seven to 18 are currently out of school and each year, approximately 250,000 more girls are permanently excluded from secondary education.
If the ban imposed in September 2021 remains in place until 2030, more than 2 million girls will have been denied education beyond primary level.
What is being dismantled is not only access to education, but access to N itself.
In the absence of any alternative, the Taliban have expanded a parallel system of religious instruction, with more than 21,000 Madras as now reported across the country, with a curriculum in line with the Taliban's interpretation of Sria law, prescribed gender rules, and race and behaviors codes, this trajectory risks a long term decline in national literacy, creating conditions conducive to extremism and renewed conflict.
Mr.
Vice President, we call on this council and the international community to maintain consistent pressure on the Taliban to unconditionally lift all restrictions on women and girls education.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Slovakia.
Mr.
Vice President, Slovakia aligned itself with the statement delivered by the European Union.
We thanks the Special Rapporteur for her timely and substantive report on curriculum pedagogy, and assessment as the key dimensions of the right to education.
We believe that education should extend beyond access to schooling and foster the full development of the human personality grounded in human rights and social cohesion.
In this regard, Slovakia supports approaches that seek to reflect these principles across learning content, teaching practices, and assessment methods while promoting inclusive and learning centered education.
We underline the importance of fostering well being, creativity, critical thinking, and active engagement.
We also acknowledge both potential benefit and challenges linked to the increasing use of AI in education and highlight the importance of ensuring that technological developments remain consistent with human rights based educational objectives.
We appreciate the report's holistic perspective, in particular, its emphasis on the meaningful participation of children and young people, as well as an assessment approaches that aim to support learning processes.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.
Vice President, we agree with the Special Rapporteur that education is a fundamental human right crucial for the realization of all other rights.
It's an essential pillar for sustainable development and prosperity of any nation.
For the Cuban state, education is a top priority we dedicate 20% of the national budget to education.
In our country, we guarantee universal free of charge access to all levels of learning.
The ruthless economic siege imposed by US on Cuba, which has stepped up with a brutal full on blockade of fuel for over six months has gravely affected the education system.
Lack of energy has forced us to reorganize curricula, leading to a significant drop in the number of tuition hours affecting the quality of tuition, around 40% of students have had to attend classes only intermittently.
University education suspended classes and the students have had to carry out social community activities.
With great efforts, we've managed to provide school for the over 8,000 children with disabilities so they can receive free of charge specialized education services.
Despite the huge challenges imposed by the US policy, the education system in Cuba has not collapsed.
We continue to educate with the resources we have with self sacrifice and commitment.
That's our irrenounceable commitment.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Eritrea.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Eritrea firmly believes an educational curriculum cannot be a rigid, important template.
It must remain broad, balanced, and culturally relevant.
Guided by our national policy of education for all, Eritrea's curriculum is designed to foster social justice, national cohesion, and self reliance.
A cornerstone of this approach is our mother tongue policy, ensuring primary education is delivered in the native languages of all nine enoinguistic groups, preserving cultural heritage while reducing learning barriers.
True equity requires moving beyond content based teaching toward an outcome based multi skilled model that bridges theory and practice.
To support this, the Ministry of Education has invested in localized capacity building, collaborating across to train pedagogy heads, supervisors, and administrators in modern curriculum design.
Additionally, our network of specialized boarding schools ensures that students from remote nomadic or disadvantaged backgrounds have equal access to rigorous academic and technical assessments.
However, external challenges continue to obstruct progress.
The continued imposition of UCMs undermines our educational infrastructure by restricting access to essential technologies directly impacting our youth's right to education.
Eritrea calls for respecting national ownership for educational policy.
Genuine support should prioritize cooperative capacity building that honors local context.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ireland.
Ireland aligns with the statement of the EU and thanks the Special Rapporteur for her report.
As the United Nations Youth delegates for Ireland, we have experienced the transformative role that education plays in the lives of children and young people.
Echo the special rapporteur's findings that states should institutionalize the meaningful participation of learners, especially children and youth as rights holders alongside teachers, parents, and communities in co designing curricula, pedagogy, and assessment.
Throughout the development of curricular reform, structures are in place in Ireland to ensure participation by young people and children and to ensure that their voices are heard, including through non formal education and youth work.
We align with the special peroie statement that nondiscrimination, equality and inclusion are essential conditions in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment for ensuring the right to education for all.
The curriculum in Ireland at both primary and post primary level is for all learners regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic background, gender, or orientation.
It is the aim that every child has access to equitable education.
Issues in relation to inclusivity and diversity will be considered as integral parts of curriculum development.
Special peri, how can states best safeguard and cultivate the meaningful participation of children and young people in human rights based approaches to curricular development.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone.
Vice President Salim aligns himself with the statements by the African group and the joint statement delivered by Burgoa on behalf of the core group.
We thank the Special aporteur miss Shahid, for a comprehensive report and call for the renewal of our mandate.
We appreciate the report's focus on the core elements of the right to education, curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment.
We also know the reminder that these elements must align with internationally recognized aims.
Ceylon continues to advance a rights based education system, thanks to our government's allocation of 22% of our national record budget to education and enrollment rates have sharply increased through the free quality education program.
In April 2026, President Juus Mab launched the 15.3 million salon picking for play and learn outcome fund program.
Which provided early childhood education to 29,000 children across 87 centers.
We strongly support intergovernmental working and groups mandates to explore the possibility of elaborate and draft an optional protocol on free primary education and secondary education.
The draft key elements provide a strong foundation for an optional protocol aimed at making free public education a reality for all children.
As we prepare for the second intercesal meeting in September, we encourage all delegations to continue to engage in the process, and I thank you, Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mali.
Vice President, Mali, thanks a special rapporteur for presenting a report.
My delegation stress since independence, Mali has established a number of school programs for improving tuition, including educational assistance program, early learning programs, These different assessments have helped bridge gaps for learners in reading, writing, and maths and to formulate recommendations for teachers.
As part of revamping the Mali education system, the education ministry works with several partners on the question of quality of education and availability of qualified teachers to do this.
The education ministry has built a profile of high quality teacher and focused on key skills that teachers need to have in professional skills in implementing curriculum, disciplinary skills, didactic skills, socio cultural skills, professional development skills, and administrative skills linked to the job.
Finally, my delegation believes that curricular pedagogy and assessment are crucial to Parante right to education.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Libya.
Thank you, Vice President.
We've taken note of the report from the Special Rapporteur right to education.
Report has stressed that the right to education enables a comprehensive development of the child and it's not limited to transmission of knowledge.
We call for more flexible evaluation methods to support This needs to be compatible with our national efforts.
We launched in cooperation UNIC for national strategy for health and school lunches for the period 2026, 2030 to improve the physical and mental health of pupils in schools, and to improve their learning capacities.
The Education ministry has established school activities of a cultural nature, artistic nature to reconcile academic learning and improving skills.
We stress the importance of developing education systems.
When doing so, we cannot neglect the situation of Palestinian children denied their right to education as a result of the occupation and the destruction of schools.
We call for respect of international humanitarian law.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar.
Qatar and.
Thank you, Vice President.
We thank the special rapporteur for her report, and we congratulate her for shedding light The importance of school curricula, teaching, assessment.
Education is not just a matter of acquiring knowledge and skills, but an important tool in building more inclusive, coherent societies.
That's why education policy focuses on the values of dialogue, respecting diversity, rejecting discrimination, hate and exclusion.
To prepare future generations for peaceful coexistence as per our 2030 vision and our 2024 2030 strategy, we seek to improve the skills of teachers, we ensure equal opportunities, and we use modern technologies for the benefit of education.
At international level, we support the right to education in conflict zones.
We have supported a right to education for more than 16 million children and youngsters in more than 60 countries around the world.
We're ready to coordinate with international community to promote that right and to preach a culture of peace.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Arab Emrates.
Mr.
Vice President, we have reviewed the report of the Special Rapporteur and we concur with the content thereof.
Education must contribute to the comprehensive building of the character of a human, developing skills and values, and enabling the learner to deal with the fast paced transformations in our societies.
We are convinced that investing in human beings is the most sustainable investment.
The UAE has been eager to develop its curricula, its pedagogy, and its assessment tools, as well as adopting creative and innovative environments to ensure that our students are equipped with the necessary skills for the future.
This is why we are hunkering down on AI training as well as digitalization and programming, as well as skills in critical thinking and innovation, which increases the preparedness of our students in handling future economies and societies.
We also entrench the values of tolerance, coexistence, constructive dialogue, and cultural diversity as part of our human rights paradigm and in such a way as to build more cohesion among people's societies and cultures in light of the fast paced technological transformations.
Madam Special Rapporteur, what are some of the most impactful trends for the future of education while ensuring inclusive and high quality education in various states? Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait.
Mr.
Vice President, at the outset, we associate with the statements delivered by the regional groups we belong to, and we seize this opportunity to thank the Special Rapporteur for her report on the right to education and her focus on the important role of the family in the educational process of children.
Mr.
Vice President, we in Kuwait are cognizant of the importance of education and its impact on promoting individuals and societies.
This is why we were among the vanguard of countries that adopted the free education, and we keep providing scholarships for our children and students abroad and domestically in various disciplines, we continue to improve scientific curricula on a periodic, scale, and we provide trainings for our teachers and administrative staff.
Our children, as well as older persons, they all benefit from institutions that are dedicated to supporting them.
This is in addition to the services we provide to persons with special needs.
My delegation would like to seize the attention of the Special Rapporteur and this council regarding the vicious assault on Kuwait, which has led to a closure of schools.
And transformed the way we conduct education.
There's also an assault on children through screens.
Online education deprives children from a real and comprehensive experience within school classrooms.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Thank you to the S apportur for the report.
We believe that the right to education necessitates a safe, inclusive education environment, consolidating capacities of education institutions and providing quality equitable education, not to leave no child behind in the education process, developing social cohesion, our priorities as we continue our efforts to remedy the sector and address the repercussions of the the governance of the old regime.
We focus on reintegration of children out of schools.
There are catch up programs and we encourage children to return to school.
The Syrian government launched a national campaign.
Everyone for education, which has helped us to reopen 2,236 schools and education centers with a return of half 1 million children to schools and more than 38,000 educators and administrative officers to their posts, which has given the educational process stability and continuity.
We stress the importance of support and international cooperation in order to provide inclusive education, high quality education for all.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Togo.
Mercy.
Thank you, Vice President.
My delegation thanks the Special Rapporteur for her comprehensive report on school programs, pedagogy, and assessment as key elements in the right to education.
In Togo, education is a fundamental right and an essential lever for development.
Along those lines, the Togoesse government has conducted structural reforms to make school and teaching not just accessible but truly inclusive and high quality.
These reforms have also helped us bolster the struggle against school based violence, including corporal against corporal punishment, and pedagogical level, Togo promotes a learner centered approach with curricula integrating citizenship, education, peace, gender equality, and respect for the environment.
Togo calls for stepped up international cooperation to support countries with limited resources in revamping their education systems in line with the SDGs.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia.
Let's see.
Mr.
Vice President, we've reviewed with interest the report of the Special Rapporteur and we underscore in this context the importance of developing curricula and pedagogical assessment means that guarantee the provision of quality and inclusive as well as equitable education for all.
We concur with the special rapporteurs focus on providing learners with skills, values, and knowledge that help the learners participate meaningfully in societies and prepares them for the future, which is one of the key purposes of the right to education.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pay special attention to the right to education.
This is why our basic law of governance stipulates the provision of public education, literacy programs, as well as fostering scientific and cultural development and scientific research and we continue to provide free education for all in public schools and public universities and we promote equal opportunity in the education sphere while increasing access.
This is part of our Saudi Division 2030 and we continue to develop curricula through the National Curricular Center, and we remain engaged in developing educational environments that increase opportunities for all to learn and educate themselves as well as consolidate those principles for future generations.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.
Vice Presidents, the UR thanks Special Rapporteur for her comprehensive report.
Tanzania agreed that the right to education extend beyond access to schooling and must contribute to full development of human person, respect for human dignity, re citizenship, social cohesion, and sustainable development.
We welcome this report's emphasis on aligning curriculum.
And assessment with the broader aims of education.
We also recognize the importance of equipping learners with the knowledge, skills, value, and competencies necessary to thrive in a rapid changing world, including through critical thinking, creativity, digital liter, and the responsible use of aging technologies.
At the same time, education reforms must remain responsive to national realities, development priorities, cultural values, and local knowledge system.
We underscore the importance of role of teachers, parents, and community in shaping inclusive, relevant, and quality education for all.
In this regard, we will appreciate the special rapporteurs views on how developing countries can strengthen the education system to prepare learners for technology transformation, including artificial intelligence while preserving national ownership, cultural relevance, and equitable access to quality education.
I thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malawi.
Mr.
Vice President, Malawi aligns herself with the African group statement and commends the special aur for her insightful report on education.
In Malawi, the Ministry of Education embraced outcome based education through its primary curriculum and assessment reform in 2001 as part of the broad broader effort to improve service delivery within the education system and align with the internationally recognized aims of education.
This reform was necessitated by the need to ensure that the right to education extend beyond mere availability and access but also guarantee that education was acceptable, adaptable, and oriented towards human dignity, meaningful participation, and mutual understanding.
We agree with the special Rapporteur's recommendation that states establish enforceable protection mechanisms, including confidential complaint channels, legal protection and remedies, enabling learners, parents, teachers, and civil society organizations to report pedagogical and assassinated harms without fear of reprisal and ensure accountability to rights holders.
Malawi reaffirms its commitment to working with the states and stakeholders to embracing the right to education, including by implementation, the S Reporter's recommendation ensuring curriculum and assessment involving service of human dignity and mutual understanding.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cyprus.
Mr.
Vice President, Cyprus aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks to Special Rapporteur for the presentation of her report.
In a world shaped by rapid technological change, education systems are tasked with equipping learners with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate this increasingly complex societal realities.
It is therefore vital to ensure that curriculum, pedagoy and assessment are aligned with the internationally recognized aims of education and contribute to the development of informed, resilient, and engaged citizens.
Cyruspress remains committed to delivering a quality and forward looking education system that promotes realization of all human rights amidst these emerging societal challenges.
To this end, in 2024, Cyprus has undertaken a comprehensive review of its curricula across all levels of education, including the revision of 43 subjects material in an effort to mainstream skills based learning, critical thinking, skills, and creativity.
New subjects such as financial literacy and career counseling have been introduced from the age of 12, aiming to cultivate the necessary skills for full participation in economic, social, and cultural life.
Cyprus has also integrated the promotion of equality across the revised curriculum of multiple school subjects.
Complementing this curriculum reforms, the national strategy for the prevention and management of school violence 2024 to 2028 brings together all relevant stakeholders to foster safe and inclusive learning environments, acknowledging that learners can only fully engage in this given they are protected from violence, discrimination, and intimidation.
Together, these measures seek to ensure the alignment of curriculum pedagogy assessment with the internationally recognized aims of education.
Madam Special Raportur, what examples of good practices have you identified in ensuring that pedagogy assessment remain responsive to evolving societal and technological challenges? I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
At the outset, we would like to thank the Special Rapporteur for her excellent report and presentation.
As mentioned in the report, the right to education is a matter not only of access, but also of content.
Education must aim to develop and strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and for the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
In addition, treaty bodies have requested states to adequately reflect in school curricula the accurate history of their colonial past.
The Special Rapporteur recommends states to safeguard curricula against political or ideological capture and indoctrination.
Despite all this, there is a conscious systematic strategy to erase Palestinian identity from Israeli school textbooks, as documented by Israeli education analysts.
Textbooks deny the existence of the occupation and its illegal and colonial nature, labeling maps of the whole of historic Palestine, including the occupied territories as Israel, or at best, they attempt to normalize it.
Israeli philogist Professor of language and Education, Nurit Paladl Hannan, in her book, Palestine in Israeli School books, Ideology and Propaganda in Education, demonstrates in detail how Israeli schoolbooks instill racist attitudes towards Palestinians dehumanize or simply exclude them.
The 1948 Nacabh is denied or legitimated.
As a result, young graduates of this education system drafted into the military implement Israeli policies against Palestinians whose life world is unknown to them and whose very existence they have been taught to resent and fear.
This perpetuates occupation and apartheid and pushes prospects for peace further, I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Chile.
Thank you, Vice President.
Chile thanks the special rapporteur for her report on curricular pedagogy and assessment as components of the right to education.
She analyzes the relationship between curricular teaching practices and assessment models which provide students with the skills, values, and resilience needed to handle and develop against a changing environment.
The issue addressed is particularly important because the right to education is not just about access, but also encompasses quality and inclusion of teaching processes.
We're going through swift social and technological change, so it's vital that education systems provide students with the tools, skills, and values needed to flourish in ever more complex and changing environment.
Chile welcomes the report's emphasis on meaningful participation of students, teachers, and educational communities in building teaching and learning processes.
This is reflected in our country's efforts to promote inclusive education designed for the comprehensive development of young people.
Chile reiterates its commitment to the full enjoyment of the right to education and freedom of teaching, promoting educational policy based on human rights, equal opportunities, and strengthening the quality of education systems for all.
Thank you.
Thank you.
This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this dialogue.
We will now turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institutions and non governmental organizations.
Accordingly, I give the floor to the representative of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee.
Now, brace, say that Oad A Vice President, our committee reaffirms the importance of the right to education as a fundamental human right and a fundamental tool for equality and development in such a way as to build more stable and fairer societies.
We follow the developments in Qatar in education and access to education at various levels.
The state of Qatar has witnessed advanced levels of equality between girls and boys in all stages of education, including university.
This shows the importance of investing in education, empowering women, and equal opportunity.
There are national efforts in developing an education system that includes partnerships with international universities to improve scientific research and national capabilities.
Internationally, our committee follows up on the role of Qatar in supporting children's education in armed conflicts and crisis areas through humanitarian and educational support programs driven by Qatar institutions.
The constant challenge is to improve the quality of education and to support an educational environment in favor of critical thinking and based on human rights in a more sustainable and expansive manner.
Our committee will continue to support the right to education and partnering with national and international organizations in line with international standards of human rights.
Thank you, Vice President.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of the Morocco National Human Rights Council.
In.
Thank you, Vice President, Madam Special Reporter, the NHR C of Morocco agrees with you when you state that curriculum pedagogy and assessment are core components of the right to education.
Children can make appeals to our body, and so we work to ensure the right to education through three linked dimensions, infrastructure teaching and intersectorial nature.
We wish to recall that we have a specific chapter in our annual report on the right to education.
We publish thematic reports and issue opinions and recommendations based on Morocco's international commitments and deal with complaints from the 12 regions of our country and have dialogues with different stakeholders to promote the right to education.
We've adopted a roadmap in Morocco on educational reform and we also have a framework agreement with the Ministry of Education to include human rights citizenship and tolerance in schools.
We believe that school curricula are vital for promoting a human rights culture by including the values of dignity, equality, freedom, and respect for diversity and justice in curriculum.
We should help individuals be aware of their rights and duties and to be able to participate actively in democratic inclusive society.
We believe there should be a human rights based approach to designing school curricula and teaching practices.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission via video.
Distinguished President, members of the Human Rights Council, and the Special Rapporteur on the right to education.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission commends efforts of the government to develop subsidiary legal framework to operationalize general education proclamation adopted last year.
The Commission monitored the implementation of the right to education in pastorals communities and found structural constraints, including inadequate classrooms, limited access to electricity, water and sanitation facilities.
These challenges are compounded by long travel distances to schools, harmful traditional practices affecting regardless education and recurrent natural hazards.
Conflict and insecurity continue to keep many children out of school.
Commission recommended the expansion of tailored education modalities such as mobile schools and accelerated educational infrastructure development in pastoralist areas.
Finally, the commission further reiterates its call to the government and international partners to take coordinated action to restore educational services and to facilitate the prompt return of children to schools.
I thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Ovient via video.
President Vice President, ladies and gentlemen, Madam Special Rapporteur, for over 170 years, Avere Dion has been supporting schools in the Middle East open to all without any ethnic or religious discrimination.
Education at the heart of our mission, and that's why your report strikes such a poignant note with our concerns in Syria.
You're quite right to remind us that when school programs are twisted, education becomes a means for exclusion and marginalization.
We've seen tangible signs of this since the start of the school year last year.
The first time for many years, exam classes were single sex and in school textbooks, stickers were put over illustrations of girls arms and legs, pre Islamic civilization, their gods and heritage have been wiped off the history curriculum.
We are worried that there's a risk of rewriting the joint history of all Syrians.
School programs must reflect diversity of all components of Syrian society.
Christian communities deserve particular attention, not just for them in themselves, because their schools are open to all and they embody what you call for in your report, education serving mutual understanding and respecting all.
Without reconciliation between communities lasting peace will not be possible.
We must be watchful of what is happening in Syria.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of the International Organization for the right to Education and Freedom of Education.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and for her emphasis on the important topics of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy.
This report lays out how states can create pluralistic education systems and grant freedom of education as laid out in international human rights treaties.
On the one hand, the report mentions that over centralization of education can restrict curriculum pluralism.
To avoid this, states need to collaborate with parents and communities to build a just education system that is adaptable and acceptable.
On the other hand, the report points to the importance of a core curriculum to grant minimum educational standards.
Parental rights, core curriculum.
It is critical to recall that the two are not opposed by two pillars of the same right.
In that sense, we would like to ask a Special Rapporteur two questions.
One, what should states take into account in order to balance parental rights and core curriculum in a way that does not compromise the right to education? Two, how can evaluation be built in a way that is compatible with the interests of different communities? Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of IDDH for a joint statement.
Mr.
President, I speak on behalf of the NGO working group on human rights, education, and learning.
We congratulate the special Reporter for her thematic report, notably for consulting children and youth in its preparation.
As this year marks the fifth anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights education and training, we reaffirm that HRE must go beyond awareness raising to foster a universal culture of human rights grounded in dignity, participation, equality, and respect for diversity.
We also call on states to ensure that curriculum design processes are inclusive and participatory, involving teachers, learners, parents, and civil society, to invest in teacher training and support for addressing complex and sensitive issues in a rights based manner.
And to make full use of the road program for human rights education, particularly its current fifth phase.
Finally, we welcome the incorporation of creativity into the present study.
Creativity is essential to the full development of the human personality now more than ever.
Human rights educators have long drawn creative and arts based methodologies to engage learners and make rights tangible.
Yet creativity too often remains marginalized in formal systems, constrained by rigid assessment pressures, a gap that states must urgently address.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.
Mr.
Vice President, we thank the Special Rapporteur and wish to draw attention to the situation in Tibet, where education is systematically designed to advance a similar Sansee policies undermining the rights and identity of Tibetan children.
Tibetan children are increasingly taught primarily in Mandarin true curricula that are neither culturally nor linguistically appropriate.
They are also subjected to intensive political and ideological indoctrination, including military style training aimed at fostering loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.
These policies are reinforced by vast colonial boarding school system that has separated more than 1 million children from their families and the widespread foreclosures of Tibetan language schools.
We are particularly concerned that the recently adopted law on ethnic unity and progress further institutionalizes this indoctrination of even Tibetan preschool children, including imposition of Chinese language teaching through textbooks with CCP ideology.
UN special procedures have warned that the law risks further restricting the cultural and linguistic rights of Tibetans.
These policies amount to serious violations of the rights of Tibetan children, including under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which we recall China is a party to be reviewed by the Child Rights Committee beginning later this year.
We therefore call on the Council to use China to dismantle the boarding school system and the ideological indoctrination of Tibetan children and guarantee mother tongue education and full respect for Tibetan cultural and linguistic identity.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Madre Incorporated for a joint statement.
President, Hara Network welcomes the special reporters report special its recognition that gender equality is violated within education narrows girls, cur cola and reinforces conservative views of women's rule.
Since August 2021, the Taliban have banned girls and women from education.
Ham Network's new report documents how the Taliban are constructing a parallel religious state education for infrastructure through Madrasas that is well resourced, well, administrate and designed to supplant modern public education with a politicized religious framework.
The Taliban have officially registered over 23,000 Madrasas exceeding Afghanistan's about 18,000 public schools.
Their religious institutions impact all aspects of Afghan society.
They established 92 Madrasas in prisons and enroll 9,000 orphans into the Madrasa system.
This is not ordinary religious education.
It is add construction of an ideological infrastructure designed to cement the persecution of women and girls and other vulnerable groups.
We urge this council to act on two priorities.
First, the international community must treat the restructions of girls, secondary and higher education as non negotiable red line and any.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Bahai international community.
Mr.
President, every year, millions of young people look forward to entering university.
They yearn to learn, dream of graduation day.
Imagine the careers they will pursue and the lives they will build.
For the Bahais in Iran, that dream will stay only a dream, one taken from them in 1979, when the Iranian government banned them outright from universities.
Shamelessly, this policy of exclusion was codified through state directives and sent to universities across the country to be enforced.
Now almost five decades later, three successive generations of Bahas have been banned from pursuing their dreams, their talents, their professions.
The question, what do you want to be when you grow up carries a painful weight for a Bahai child in Iran, where access to education and employment is weaponized as instruments of oppression.
Today, Bahai youth who are among Iran's brightest minds and talents lie in prison instead of sitting in classrooms.
Burna Nami, Shaky La Osmi Pevan Nami, Parsona Jafi, Nyan Hejazi, gana Rupaj and many others are young Bahas who have been tortured and imprisoned, some facing mock executions for one reason only their faith.
Not only is Iran depriving them of their rights, it is robbing the country itself of the talents and contributions of its young people.
Special Rapporteur, we urge you to call on Iran to immediately and unconditionally end the exclusion of Bahais from universities, release the youth in prison, and ensure equal access to education for all.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of Child Rights Connect.
Hello.
My name is Sarah.
I am from Northern Ireland.
I'm a member of the Children's Advisory Team of Child Rights Connect.
I would like to thank the S Reporter for this new report on her continuous effort to engage with children, young people.
I wish this would be a standard practice, but no.
Many times we ask the question, why didn't they ask us when policymakers make a decision for us, but not with us? This is why there's so much momentum around the new possible optional protocol for free pre primary and secondary education as it brings children and young people to the table, represented by five I delegates, giving them a pivotal role in the process.
Still, lots of children and young people don't know about the protocol, or those who want to know only have access to information that is littered with jargon and structured in ways that actively rejects youth audiences.
How can we be beneficiaries of our rights if we don't have information about it? To combat this, we've been working to inform children and young people about the development of the new optional protocol through several child led regional consultations, which also revealed overlapping themes around barriers to receiving education.
But a point to keep in mind for the future is having maintained child participation in the implementation of the optional protocol.
Children and young people have to participate when policies and laws are developed so they can make sure the application of the protocol is accurate to what children and young people are experiencing.
Thank you.
Thank you so much, Sarah.
I now give the floor to the representative of Alan Social Care Foundation Intervention by Video.
2006, Alan Social Care Foundation was founded to empower orphaned children and their families.
Many of them had entered the cycle of poverty because of conflict in Iraq.
January 2026 marked 20 years of service to these vulnerable groups.
Our model of care is rooted in research, expertise, and compassion.
Providing a holistic education to orphaned children is a top priority of our organization.
To this end, we created the Hiaiey Center, meaning My Story in Iraq.
This pioneering Center offers programs to orphan children that combine education, play, coaching, therapy, and spiritual guidance.
The center was developed to enable orphan children who may have suffered various traumas in their lives to receive the assistance they deserve.
Each child benefits 1-1 support and participates in workshops specifically designed for their needs.
Long term mentorship helps to build the children's resilience as they become the next generation of parents, workers, and leaders in their communities.
As of 2026, 3,500 orphaned children have benefited from this educational center.
Beyond IT, LAN also facilitates scholarships to cover university tuition fees, the purchase of school supply, and additional educational courses to those who require them.
Since 2006, over 800 orphaned youth have received financial support to attend university through IAim.
In addition, our vocational training centers are open to widowed by the orphaned youth, where they can complete courses in areas such as mobile phone repair, computing, and hairdressing.
Through lifelong learning initiatives, we aim to provide opportunities for education to some of the most neglected members of society.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I now give the floor to the representative of RFSL.
My name is Papadi, a queer activist from Uganda representing a group of trans lesbian, gay, and bisexual activists from the global south and east.
We welcome the Special Reports report and its framing of curriculum pedagogy, and assessment as core elements of the right to education.
We particularly commend the report's emphasis on diversity, learner centered pedologygy, the removal of gender stereotypes from curricula, and the need for safe space environments where diversity, including our queer families is understood as a resoce rather than a problem to be managed.
At the same time, we encourage a stronger and more explicit focus on trans, non binary and gender diverse learners.
Across regions, they continue to face hostile curricula, misgendering, bullying and violence, barriers to the use of their names and pronouns exclusionary rules on uniforms, bathrooms and participation in school life, and limited access to comprehensive sexuality education that reflects their realities.
We therefore urge states to take concrete steps, adopt rights based curricular and pedagogy that explicitly include trans non binary and gender diverse people supported by anti bullying protocols, gender affirming administrative practices to monitor confidential complaints and remedy mechanisms co designed with trans and youth led organizations to measure inclusion, well being and safety, not only academic performance.
Miss Farida Shahid, we ask how the mandate plans to support member states in adopting rights based curricula and pedogy that explicitly.
Thank you.
Now give the floor to the representative of International Catholic Child Bureau intervention by Video.
Vice President, the Catholic International Office for Childhood and Kalia Squila would like to congratulate the Special Rapporteur for her report and we'd like to address early childhood in Paraguay.
Kalia Sla opened a new early childhood center in President Franco.
This was a joint effort with municipal authorities with a view to promoting the holistic development of children under five and to ensure their rights.
But Municipalities have to support these centers, but they haven't got the resources yet.
The Smilis del futuro Future SDS program will build 100 centers for the unders.
This has been recognized as a key tool for protecting and developing young children.
We urge the Paraguayan authorities to adopt a child rights based approach and that these centers be promoted in particular in rural and underprivileged areas and there will be a good partnership with municipalities.
Communities and families must be involved in order to ensure that there is good quality education for young children so that they can successfully move into pre primary education.
We call on Paraguay to accept UPR recommendations concerning education and protection of young children.
Thank you.
Thank you.
This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this dialogue.
I now give the floor to miss Shahid for her concluding remarks.
You have 9 minutes.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Vice President and thank you everyone for your contributions.
I am sorry that everyone is not able to speak.
We are trying something new.
Those of you have not been able to interact with us, I will be holding what for the moment we're calling a clinic concordia four, those who have not been able to speak would be able to have an interaction with us.
This is something new.
But in the meantime, let me answer what I can of the questions asked.
I think I'm going to It's not going to be easy.
Human rights never is.
When you are looking at what needs to happen, there will be challenges.
But I go by this sustainable development goal of leaving no one behind.
When we say leaving no one behind, we have to see who's in the classroom and we have to see who's not also in the classroom but needs that education.
That's when it becomes important to rethink how we're doing education and after more than a century of schools being the way they are, we need to move forward with something else.
We have heard here concerns, but also recommendations on digital education, on AI, how AI can benefit us, and how it can present problems too.
There is a separate report that I've done on the AI, but I think this is a question which we'll keep coming back on some of the basic questions.
The Child Rights Convention, Article 29 says very clearly the purpose is to education should be child centered, child friendly, and empowering.
It should promote human dignity, self esteem, self confidence.
We have to remember when we say all of these things, not all children are alike.
They're quite diverse.
Their needs are diverse, their learning may be diverse.
We have to adapt education to suit the learner, not try and push the learner into set ways of teaching and curriculum, et cetera.
I think we have heard quite a bit here and I would emphasize it's not just the assessment, we need summative not summative assessments, formative assessments that accompany the children so we can see the progress of children but also older learners.
Heavy workloads and stress, you heard the children speak.
There's an emotional harm there.
It prevents growth.
We need to be aware of that.
We have several evidences now that overlooking play, recreation, unstructured interaction is key to children's development.
They can't always be in a classroom with rigid curricula.
UNESCO, of course, has the Happy Schools Initiative, where happiness is seemed to contribute to and is also an indicator of quality education.
We need to see how to stimulate creativity and that must be a cross cutting competence.
It's not an optional add on to what is happening.
You do have various countries who are trying new ways of doing that.
We have Finland, for instance, but also Korea where practical arts and specialized art pathways have been created.
Child Convention and committee specifically says children, parents views are to be included in planning, curricula and programs.
UNESCO says this must be a co design process.
We do have people who are using these methods to ensure several questions went, how do you do curricula? How do you do participation? Well, countries are trying it out and I think we need to gather the best evidence.
Um, we've seen in Finland, for instance, very young children have been consulted on what should be the but you need appropriate techniques.
We have the same we've heard from Ireland.
Australia also has a process, multilayered processes of involving different people who are concerned in education.
Linear examinations and formats disadvantage your neurodivergent learners.
There's a big call by the treaty bodies, and we heard this from a speaker now, that the frameworks for education must be decolonized and we must promote indigenous knowledge.
Curriculum and assessment materials, I feel must be audited for the embedded biases that exist, and then we need to see how to make it better.
Pedagogy, of course, has to be adjusted for different learners, including from different cultural identities, language, knowledge systems, and the right to self determination, which I'll come back to.
We have, for instance, examples from New Zealand where the Gura Guppa Mori pedagogy has been introduced in Ecuador, there's intercultural approaches.
I'm sorry, I can't lame everyone, but we are seeing changes, which is very positive.
Integrating schools and communities has started, and I heard several concerns here about how do you get the community? How do you get local knowledge going? All of this is we have, for instance, initiatives in Spain, in Portugal, in Mexico.
In Canada, indigenous elders are being acknowledged as knowledge holders and as teachers, and so there's a change.
In Uganda, we have the Ubuntu inspired pedagogy, which has started to be practiced.
All of these, I think, are very good examples.
Um, and I think, however, teachers need to be supported.
I've written a whole report on teachers.
We expect them to pivot and change and be responsive to the very fast changing world without providing them the support that they need and continuous education that they need in order to go forward.
Um, we have People have asked, how do you go about this? We've heard from UNESCO.
I will repeat it.
UNSCO has very high quality.
The IBE curriculum development, they can help you with countries who are interested really need to get there.
The documentation center of the UNESCO IBE is very rich.
It's a repository of what can happen.
I think there's guidance on different human rights.
Citizenship exists, it's extensive.
I think what's happening here is that a big gap between prescribed curricula and everyday classroom practices.
We have exam pressures and workloads, which define how examinations will define very often what is how it's taught.
What teachers and other experts have called teaching to the test.
They say, we're not teaching what is the curriculum, we teach to the test because that is what gives us the ability to continue our work.
For youth participation, the OHCHR has supported a child led standards on meaningful participation.
I encourage people to look for that.
There's the UN core principles for meaningful youth participation and the OHCHR, of course, has done a lot of work on human rights education and has a lot of robust materials.
There's also the World Program on Human Rights Education.
These are all very valuable resources which I think are available and which should be used to the maximum.
Um, coming to some of the basic questions that have been asked here, I'll go back to that data.
We have a lot of issues around conflict, yes.
The conflict does impact education and education is weaponized in conflict and post conflict.
But I have written a report on that, my last report, which I would recommend people also go back to.
But I do think there is a need for complaint mechanisms.
All too often we find that when you have conflict, what is taught and how the collective is identified, constructed changes.
We've heard the issues here where you get erased.
Some people get erased, they get assimilated, integrated into forcefully becoming something else.
We've heard in particular about the situation of the OPT, and I have called what happened in Palestine scholasticcide.
I stand by that.
I think this needs to be fully investigated.
There's absolutely no justification.
I think what you need to do first is to stop the violence because it continues.
I don't think you have peace yet.
How can you rebuild? I think you have incitement to violence and hatred against all in textbooks or any education, I see the time.
Incitement is against human rights in any case.
I think we need to I have to finish, but I just want to say that in terms of donors and pressures and finances, my current report to the General Assembly is on the international financial architecture and how that impacts on education.
I do feel donors and donor countries have a responsibility and they have obligations to maintain and uphold human rights view of education.
And I would urge people to look at how they can better ensure that what their priorities are, how they want to have their education is in line with what donors are saying.
But I think that is a negotiation process.
I'm sorry, I have run out of time, but I would encourage everyone who has not spoken, who wants to continue the discussion to please drop in Concordia four at 2:00 to 4:00.
I'll be there if people would like to continue engaging.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, miss Shahid.
This brings us to the end of this interactive dialogue.
Of course, I wish to thank miss Shahid for her participation, and let me also take this opportunity to thank the interpreters for their flexibility in the face of the extended time to bring this dialogue to a close.
Excellencies, distinguished participants.
This brings us to the end of this meeting.
We will reconvene in the afternoon at 3:00 P.M.
To hold the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, to be followed by the interactive dialogue with the independent expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
I hereby close the seventh meeting of the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council.