Mr. President,
We would like to begin our statement by expressing our gratitude to the panellists for the experiences and wisdom they have shared, as well as to you, Mr. Rapporteur, for your sound guidance throughout this process.
Education is the fundamental driving force of any society.
Despite the many individual and collective benefits associated with this human right, the number of children and young people who do not attend school has increased for the seventh consecutive year and has now reached 273 million. Only two out of every three children complete secondary education.
This is an urgent problem that must be addressed by all States. Therefore, Cuba puts forward the following proposals regarding the substantive elements of the future international instrument, which will also include observations on Articles 4 and 5, since we were unable to take the floor during the previous cluster.
1. First, we would like to highlight the importance of the instrument recognizing the importance of lifelong education at all stages of life.
2. The language on international cooperation and solidarity for the implementation of the right to quality education should be strengthened. We consider that provisions should be included on the need to provide technical assistance, as well as to promote capacity-building and access to financing on preferential terms for developing countries.
3. A clear call should be made for the elimination of unilateral coercive measures in the field of education. Such measures create serious difficulties for affected countries in guaranteeing access to education systems, the acquisition or production of school supplies and materials, access to new information and telecommunications technologies, access to the Internet and advanced learning programmes, among other adverse effects.
4. The future instrument should expressly enshrine the principles of equality and non-discrimination as cross-cutting guarantees for the full enjoyment of the right to education, ensuring equal opportunities and equal access to free, inclusive and quality public education for all persons, without distinction of any kind.
5. We welcome the inclusion of provisions ensuring that States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child incorporate information on the obligations arising from the Protocol into their periodic reports pursuant to Article 44 of the Convention. This contributes to reducing the reporting burden and to streamlining and improving the work of the Committee.
Thank you very much.