Country research and advocacy on the impact of privatisation in education
The GI-ESCR is currently involved in conducting innovative multi-country research and advocacy on the impact of privatisation in education on the right to education in 9 countries. The research critically examines the global development of privatisation in the light of human rights standards.
For more information on the project and its implementation, check the community group http://privatisationeducationhumanright.ning.com/
Context and history of the research
The GI-ESCR in partnership with partners undertook a research and advocacy project on the topic of privatisation in education and its impact on the right to education in Morocco. The project involved field research and preparation and presentation of Parallel NGO Reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) for its review of Morocco in September 2014.
Following the advocacy conducted with the CRC and with other right to education experts engaged in human rights procedures in Geneva in the context of this work on Morocco, there has been a growing awareness and interest in the topic. In particular, the secretariat and members of UN human rights treaty bodies are showing increasing interest in knowing more about the links between privatisation in education and the right to education. In the meantime, organisations such as the Global Campaign for Education, the Privatisation in Education Research Initiative, and regional and national education coalitions have been conducting research and advocacy projects on privatisation, creating a solid body of research and advocacy material.
Building on this, the GI-ESCR has engaged in conducting advocacy on privatisation in education and human rights. From 11th to 14th June 2014, the GI-ESCR organised with partners a workshop to plan future advocacy on privatisation using the human rights framework. As part of this event, the GI-ESCR also organised a side-event at the Human Rights Council on 12th June 2014 (see also the Right to Education’s summary).
The current work
Following this event, the GI-ESCR has started working with a number of partners since August 2014 on a multi-country research and advocacy project,. This project builds on the work conducted in Morocco so as to reproduce it in additional countries. The project is coordinated by PERI, and is run in collaboration with theRight to Education Project, and a number of national partners. It involves to produce research, UN parallel reports, and advocacy, in the following 9 countries, which cover a range of issues and geographical locations:
- Brazil
- Ghana, with the Ghana National Campaign Coalition
- Kenya, with Hakijamii
- Nepal, with the Sciences Po Human Rights Clinic
- Peru, with the Sciences Po Human Rights Clinic
- Uganda, with the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) and the Forum for Education NGOs in Uganda (FENU)
- United Kingdom
- Morocco
- Pakistan
In each country, we produce with our partners parallel reports to relevant UN or regional human rights bodies. The aim is double: 1/ to do research, mobilisation and advocacy to raise awareness about the impact of privatisation in education at the national level, and 2/ to develop a set of standards and jurisprudence at the international level to clarify States’ obligations with regards to privatisation in education. The Right to Education Project will work in particular on developing international standards, and produce a methodology to support organisations to conduct research and advocacy on privatisation in education, based on the experience accumulated during the project.
We also work closely with a number of other partners, including the Global Campaign for Education, Education International, regional education coalitions, and various other partners working on the impact in terms of social justice of privatisation in education. Another key aim of the project is to build a dynamic network of organisation working on the privatisation, and it is open to everyone. If you’re interested and you’d like to join the group of organisations, or if you’d like to have more information, please email sylvain@globalinitiative-escr.org
See also more information about our work addressing international support to privatisation in education.
Project update and progress
News updates
- 24/03/2015 UN Committee requests that Chile explain when it will end segregation in education and abandon voucher system
- 10/03/2015 The GI-ESCR discusses the human rights framework on privatisation in education at international conference
- 19/02/2015 International conference on privatisation in education with UN Special Rapporteur – Paris 18th March
- 22/12/2014 UN Committee raises issues on the impact of privatization in education on the realization of the right to education in Uganda
- 04/12/2014 The most segregated education system in the world: new report challenges the consequences of privatisation of education in Chile with the UN, and in Spanish
- 28/11/2014 Civil Society condemns the African Development Bank and other int’l orgs’ support to privatisation in education
- 17/11/2014 Another UN human rights committee expresses concerns about privatisation in education in Ghana
- 23/10/2014 The UN asks Ghana to explain itself on privatisation in education
- 15/07/2014 Privatisation in Education: Advocacy and Research Workshop and Public Events Reports
- 07/07/2014 Report Highlights how Privatization of Education Negatively Impacts Girls in Many Parts of the World
Summary factsheets on privatisation and human rights by country
- Chile: English http://globalinitiative-escr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Chile.pdf and Spanish http://globalinitiative-escr.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ESP_Summary_CESCR-Chile-privatisation-in-education.pdf
- Ghana: http://globalinitiative-escr.org/?p=1812
