UN Expert to Study Right to Education in the U.S.

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UN Expert to Study Right to Education in the U.S.

The Special Rapporteur will focus on academic freedoms in educational institutions at all levels and the issue of safety in schools.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education Farida Shaheed will visit the United States of America (U.S.) from 29 April to 10 May 2024 to assess strengths and challenges in the implementation of the right to education in the country.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, the 10-day mission will include meetings with Federal and State Government officials, as well as visits to primary and secondary schools and universities.

Shaheed is also scheduled to meet with representatives of civil society organizations, including teachers’ unions, students’ associations, in addition to academics and other stakeholders invested in education. She will hold meetings in Washington, DC, as well as the states of Indiana and Colorado.

The Special Rapporteur will seek to understand the way the Federal Government of the United States of America and state governments work together to ensure non-discriminatory access to quality education for all, especially in the most marginalized segments of society.

She will also focus on academic freedoms in educational institutions at all levels and the issue of safety in schools. Shaheed will hold a press conference to share her preliminary observations on 10 May 2024, at The National Press Club, Washington, DC. The expert will present a full report on her visit to the Human Rights Council in June 2025.

Ms. Farida Shaheed took office as Special Rapporteur on the right to education on 1 August 2022 following her appointment by the Human Rights Council. 

Courtesy: UN Human Rights Office