A day like today, January 24th, has been declared an International Day by the United Nations Training. It's time to think about what more can be done to ensure everyone has access to it Training. It is an issue on which the Dominican Republic was recently elected to the Council for a three-year term Human rights the UN is striving to improve.
We have made some extraordinary progress since the Universal Declaration Human rights declared in 1948 that the Training It is a right of all people. In 1950, fewer than half of boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 14 attended school worldwide. Today around 90 percent attend primary school.
However, the picture before and after is bleaker Training primary. About a third of boys and girls in the world do not reach high school and more than half do not complete it. Almost half of preschool children around the world are not enrolled in school. Training preschool. In Latin America, Cuba tops the rankings with 99 percent of enrollments, according to UNESCO data Training childhood, and Peru has the highest secondary school completion rate at 89 percent.
For many, cost is the primary barrier preventing parents from enrolling their children in college. Training Preschool and secondary school. Human Rights Watch interviewed children and parents in Africa, Asia and the Middle East who said their inability to pay tuition or other school fees was the main reason children were unable to attend school.
The international law of Human rights enshrines the right to Training Free primary school: The biggest focus on Training The primary school is a legacy from the period between 1960 and 1980, when several contracts were drawn up. But decades of research – and everyday experiences – show that Training Elementary school alone is not enough to prepare children and help them thrive.
Update international law to reflect current realities through a treaty that expressly guarantees all children Training Free of Training from preschool to secondary school would accelerate global progress and focus the world's attention on removing one of the biggest obstacles Training. Support from all Latin American countries for such a treaty could be crucial.
Brain development occurs most rapidly in the early years of childhood, making them a critical opportunity to make a difference. The Training A high-quality preschool has long-term benefits for children's cognitive and social development, as well as their health. The Training Preschool helps with the successful transition to primary school and subsequent educational success. It also ensures that children with disabilities are included and supported in education from an early age, promotes their school enrollment and reduces discriminatory attitudes towards them. In return the Training Preschool reduces inequalities between boys and girls from different economic backgrounds.
The Training Secondary education, including technical and vocational training, provides young people with a broader range of knowledge and skills essential for their future, including a future with viable employment opportunities and preparation for adult life. The young people with Training Those who attend a high-quality secondary school are more likely to find work as adults, earn more and escape or avoid poverty. They are also more likely to eat healthier, seek medical care, have better mental health, and are less likely to experience unwanted pregnancies. The Training Secondary school promotes political participation, reduces marginalization and enables students to use modern technologies. Ensuring that boys and girls are enrolled in school and attend secondary school can prevent child labor, child marriage and recruitment by armed groups.
No guarantee Training Free preschool and secondary schools disproportionately harm girls and women. Many parents with limited resources face social pressure to prioritize their sons over their daughters, meaning girls are more likely to be excluded from school enrollment. Training secondary. Exclude minors Training Preschool prevents parents (mainly mothers) from pursuing paid employment or participating in public life.
The expansion of the Training Free public preschool and secondary schools come at a significant cost to the state, but investment in Training They provide huge social dividends and contribute to economic growth, so they pay for themselves many times over. Several low- and middle-income countries have recently expanded this Training free or compulsory preschool, including Comoros, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mongolia, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Still, some countries will need international help. The UN estimates that the funding gap for Training Free preschool through high school could be covered if 40 higher-income countries meet their existing commitments to spend at least 0.7 percent of their gross national income on external aid and provide 10 percent of that support Training.
Some progress was made last year. A group of 73 countries joined a declaration in the Council led by Luxembourg and the Dominican Republic Human rights of the United Nations and expressed support for strengthening the right to justice Training an express right to include at least one year Training free preschool and Training Full and free secondary school.
As a next step, all Latin American states should support a new treaty Human rights to explicitly recognize the right of all boys and girls Training Infant, including at least one year old Training free preschool and strengthening the right to it Training free secondary school. It's an ambitious goal. With his new role on the Council of Human rights According to the United Nations, the Dominican Republic is well positioned to drive this progress on the rights of minors.