Education is at the heart of the UN’s 2030 Agenda, with Sustainable Development Goal no. 4 dedicated to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. According to the Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for SDG 4, the overarching goal of SDG 4 is to “ensure equity and inclusion in and through education and address all forms of exclusion and marginalization, disparity, vulnerability and inequality in education access, participation, retention and
completion and in learning outcomes. Inclusive education for all should be ensured by designing and implementing transformative public policies to respond to
learners’ diversity and needs, and to address the multiple forms of discrimination and of situations, including emergencies, which impede the fulfilment of the right to education.”107
Education, FoRB and gender equality are closely linked. Education is a key human right, as outlined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, as well as in the legally binding International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and various other human rights instruments.
Every child has a right to education, and this education should be directed to
“the preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin”.108
PROMOTING FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF AND GENDER EQUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: A FOCUS ON ACCESS TO JUSTICE, EDUCATION AND HEALTH
THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION
Article 26, International Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights 1. Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the
elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory.
Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
2. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
3. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
The right to education entails four elements, namely:
• Accessibility: The government is obliged to secure access to education for all children without discrimination in the compulsory education age-range, but not for secondary and higher education.
• Availability: The government is obliged to establish, or fund, educational institutions, and to permit the establishment of educational institutions by non-state actors, so as to ensure that education is available for all
• Acceptability: The government is obliged to ensure that the education provided is of quality and that it is free of discrimination, relevant and culturally appropriate for all students. Health and safety should be emphasized within schools including the elimination of any forms of corporal punishment. Professionalism of staff and teachers should be maintained
• Adaptability: Education should be flexible and able to adjust according to the needs of children, as well as societal changes.109
Ensuring the right to inclusive and equitable education is key to ensuring the rights to FoRB and gender equality. All children have the right to be free from discrimination on the grounds of their gender and religion or belief, or that of their parents, including also in educational settings. They also have a right to have and practice a religion or belief, or not to have or practice a religion or belief, and a right not to receive religious instruction inconsistent with their conviction.110
Education can be a challenge to the enjoyment of these rights, if what is taught – and how it is taught – fuels and propagates stereotypes, harassment and exclusion among students, teachers, parents, as well as in the broader community. This affects not only rights directly related to FoRB and gender equality, but also broader issues of discrimination based on religion or gender. Experiences of discrimination and exclusion can have a negative impact on students’ academic performance and well-being, and in the worst case, prevent children and youth from going to school. This can have wide-ranging consequences, in terms of lack of social mobility, political representation, and the ability to claim rights, perpetuating a cycle of exclusion and marginalisation and continuing political and economic underrepresentation of women and religious or belief minorities.111
States must ensure that the national educational environment guarantees equal access to those belonging to religious minorities. They should also ensure that it is welcoming and non-discriminatory, and that students belonging to minority religious groups have the opportunity to learn about their own religion, manifest their religion, participate in their religious holidays, and learn about the religions and beliefs of others […] Particular attention should be paid to the educational needs of girls belonging to religious minorities” (Forum on Minority Issues)112
But education can also be a means of promoting the rights to FoRB and gender equality. Education can contribute to creating and encouraging cultures of
inclusion, equality and non-discrimination, challenging stereotypes and prejudices related to gender and religion or belief, and empowering individuals to claim their rights. As such, the promotion of inclusive and equitable education is key to ensure the right to FoRB and gender equality for all.113
‘FAITH FOR RIGHTS’ COMMITMENT XII ON EDUCATION.
“We commit to further refine the curriculums, teaching materials and textbooks wherever some religious interpretations, or the way they are presented, may give rise to the perception of condoning violence or discrimination. In this context, we pledge to promote respect for pluralism and diversity in the field of religion or belief as well as the right not to receive religious instruction that is inconsistent with one’s conviction. We also commit to defend the academic freedom and freedom of expression, in line with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, within the religious discourse in order to promote that religious thinking is capable of confronting new challenges as well as facilitating free and creative thinking. We commit to support efforts in the area of religious reforms in educational and institutional areas.”114
PROMOTING FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF AND GENDER EQUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: A FOCUS ON ACCESS TO JUSTICE, EDUCATION AND HEALTH
5.2 CHALLENGES IN THE INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN FORB, GENDER