NORRAG moderates expert advice discussion on Guiding Principles on private actors in education

Since 2015, a large group of education stakeholders have been working together to facilitate the process for development by experts of human rights Guiding Principles on private actors in education (GPs). These Guiding Principles will compile and clarify States’ existing obligations in education and provide guidance on how to implement the right to education in the context of the rapid expansion of private sector involvement in education.

The Guiding Principles are being developed through an open, transparent, and broadly consultative process with a view to including a variety of perspectives and to reflect different contextual realities. From 2016 to 2018, a series of regional, national, and thematic consultations have been convened around the world. The Secretariat of the Guiding Principles (Amnesty International, Equal Education Law Centre, Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Initiative for Social and Economic Rights, and Right to Education Initiative) has synthesised the inputs and feedback from the various consultations as background information for the experts.

A drafting committee composed of human rights legal experts and chaired by Ann Skelton (University of Pretoria, UNESCO Chair of education law in Africa) is now developing and finalising the text of the Guiding Principles, before a final review for adoption planned in February 2019.

In this framework, NORRAG is facilitating and moderating the concluding education expert consultation during the months of October and November, to inform the content and the “Spirit” on the Guiding Principles and in order to ensure that the text takes into account the work and findings of education research.

In February 2018, NORRAG facilitated a Geneva consultation on the draft Human Rights Guiding Principles on State Obligations with regards to Private Involvement in Education organised in collaboration with the Missions of Finland, France and Portugal, NORRAG and the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, together with the 5 organisations forming the secretariat for the Guiding Principles consultative process.

Please read the FAQ on the Guiding Principles: http://bit.ly/FAQPrivateSchools