Mr. President,
Despite having been enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in various international instruments — such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — the right to education remains a distant aspiration for millions of people.
In light of this reality, it is imperative that the Human Rights Council act decisively. We support the proposal contained in Article 9 of the guiding principles presented by the Presidency, which gives the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group the mandate to elaborate and submit to the Council a draft Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This document must provide decisive impetus for the implementation of the mandate established in Human Rights Council resolution 56/5, and for the promotion of free public pre-primary and secondary education for all. Likewise, it is essential to give definitive impetus to the explicit recognition of early childhood care and education as an integral part of the right to education.
While we are aware of the current liquidity crisis affecting the work of the Human Rights Council, we consider it essential to provide the Intergovernmental Working Group with all the resources necessary for the effective fulfilment of its mandate. The resources exist and must be allocated to achieving this objective, as this can translate into tangible benefits for millions of people. The education of future generations is at stake.
Thank you very much.