Children

COVID-19 affected the right to education. The lack of strategic planning often made states’ response ineffective, harming the education process. It is necessary to develop a roadmap to ensure the state positive obligations to safeguard the right to education during crises.

The right to education in Argentina has been a constitutional paramount since 1853 in all its territories. However, many children and adolescents find themselves forgotten by the national education system. The UNSAM Technical High School is an inspiring educational place that follows from the premise of not leaving any child and adolescent behind.

15,000 small schools in Thailand are at risk of being dissolved by the government to reduce public expenditure. Millions of children would face a violation of their right to education. Thailand must terminate this policy for the best interests of all children.

Children whose parents use drugs are an invisible population. Shame, stigma and the fear of separation from their family often prevent them from seeking help. Seemingly, parents who use drugs sometimes encounter difficulties in coping with addiction and parenthood at the same time.

Essential COVID-19 measures interrupted the battle against female genital mutilation and child marriage. With restrictions now eased, Africa must renew efforts to combat these human rights abuses which blight the lives of millions of women and girls.

Following the killing, arrest and beating of children during the protests against the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran, the passivity and silence of international mechanisms and organisations have been criticised. The establishment of a fact-finding mission to investigate human rights violations in Iran may turn out to be an effective international measure for accountability, but more needs to be done urgently.

Since their takeover of power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have made several decisions to radicalise the education and higher education systems, on the basis of an extremely conservative interpretation of Sharia. The consequences are dire and far-reaching, affecting certain disadvantaged groups more than others. The most affected are young girls whose access to secondary education is banned.

As Nelson Mandela said: ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’. Reshaping the Balkans’ partitioned schools to focus on inclusion and human rights could help challenge societal divisions and prejudices.

There is no adequate protection without meaningful participation: we cannot protect children at any time, but arguably especially in emergencies, if we do not listen to their experiences and engage with their views.

The term ‘intergenerational equity’ relates to the rights of ‘future generations’ which is often taken to refer to those ‘yet to be born’. Child/youth climate activists are however demonstrating that present children intersect with future generations, and that intergenerational rights are children’s rights.