Monitoring the implementation of norms and standards

Realizing the right to education depends on its effective implementation by countries. To achieve this, state obligations and political commitments under international instruments must be reflected in their constitutions and national legislation and translated into policies and programmes.  

To monitor the implementation of UNESCO standard-setting instruments, Article VIII of the Constitution of UNESCO requires Member States to submit reports on the legislative and administrative provisions they have adopted and on other measures taken to implement the conventions and recommendations. UNESCO procedures require Member States to submit such reports every four years through regular consultations launched by UNESCO. 

The Committee on Conventions and Recommendations, part of UNESCO’s Executive Board, examines the outcome of the consultations and follow-up is given to decisions accordingly adopted by UNESCO’s Governing Bodies – the Executive Board and the General Conference.  

The Committee also examines communications relating to cases and questions concerning the exercise of human rights in UNESCO's field of competence.

UNESCO also collaborates with the UN systems on monitoring the right to education by providing contributions to, among others, the Universal Periodic Review, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the status of the implementation of the right to education in the country undergoing review. The UNESCO consultations are valuable sources of information for these contributions. 

UNESCO periodically launches a consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education. These instruments reflect UNESCO’s constitutional mission of instituting collaboration among nations to “advance the ideal of equality of educational opportunities without regard to race, sex or any distinctions, economic or social.”  

The Convention being recognized as a cornerstone of Education 2030 Agenda, the monitoring of the right to education in the context of Education 2030 and the Sustainable Development Agenda is of crucial importance to guarantee government accountability and transparency. More information.

The last cycle of consultation (10^th) of the CADE, launched in 2020, was concluded in 2021 with the presentation of an analytical report synthetizing the findings of the consultation to the Executive Board at its 212th session, followed by the General Conference  at its  41st  session (2021).  An  extended version  of  the report entitled  “From  rights to  national-level  action” was  published on  the  occasion of  the  International Mother  Language  Day 2022, and widely disseminated through the UNESCO website and networks actively engaged for the right to education. 

This report highlights the progress made by member states, while presenting the challenges they face in realizing the right to education for all.  Although contexts vary, member states have often faced common challenges, particularly with regard to education policies and governance, equity and inclusion, and quality assurance. These self-assessments and critical reflections have led to a diagnosis that can serve as a prerequisite for establishing long-term solutions for better implementation, at national level, of the right to education in all its dimensions.

• When? 

In February 2024, the 11^th consultation will be launched and the UNESCO Director-General will request Member States to submit national reports on the measures taken for the implementation of these instruments (Conventions for countries that have ratified and Recommendations for all Member States) since the last cycle of consultation, before the deadline of June 2024. These reports will be used for the elaboration of analytical report synthesizing the findings of the consultation.

The Executive  Board  will then  examine  this summary of the reports received from Member States at its 222nd session, followed by the General Conference at its 43rd session (2025).

• How? 

Guidelines for the Preparation of national reports were prepared by the Secretariat and approved by the Executive Board in  October 2023.  

These Guidelines provide necessary orientations for the preparation of the report covering the period 2021-2024 . As the scope and content of the legal obligations under the right to education are aligned with SDG4 on education, efforts have been made to ensure that the specific components are included in the guidelines and that the guidelines serve as a valuable monitoring tool for measuring progress towards SDG4 targets. 

To encourage the participation of as many Member States as possible, and for reasons of cost-effectiveness, the consultation will also be available online, as was the case for the two previous ones.

• Why? 

Besides being constitutionally required to report to the Organization on the implementation of UNESCO’s instruments, participation in consultations offers a valuable opportunity to assess progress and identify challenges, build constructive dialogue with all stakeholders including civil society, and share good practices.  

The Global Observatory on the Right to Education and the interactive tool ‘Her Atlas’ are notably enriched by information provided in the context of consultations. 

Based on the previous consultations, reports and mappings have been produced and serve as essential tools for information-sharing and advocacy in connection with the right to education, including: 

• The right to education of minorities: overview of States’ measures reported in the 10th Consultation on the 1960 Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education, 2023
• Protect her rights, strengthen your laws: Her Atlas: status report on girls’ and women’s right to education, 2022
• The right to education for persons with disabilities, 2019 
• Indigenous peoples’ right to education, 2019  
• Enforcing the right to education of refugees, 2019 
• Compendium of practical examples, 2016 
• Teachers and the right to education, 2015 

• 10^th Consultation (2021): Global analytical report “From rights to country-level action” 
• 9^th Consultation (2017): Global Report presenting the findings of the consultation “Ensuring the right to equitable and inclusive quality education”   
• 8^th Consultation (2013): Summary of the reports received from Member States on the measures taken to implement the 1960 Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (37 C/ 26) 
• 7^th Consultation (2007): Results of the seventh consultation of Member States on the implementation of the Convention and the Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (1960) (34 C/56) 
• 6^th Consultation (1999): Sixth consultation of Member States on the implementation of the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (30 C/29) 
• 5^th Consultation (1991): Fifth Consultation of Member States on the Implementation of the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (26 C/31) 
• 4^th Consultation (1985): Report of Member States on the implementation of the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education; fourth report (23 C/72) 
• 3^rd Consultation (1978): Report of Member States on the implementation of the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education; third report (20 C/40) 
• 2^nd Consultation (1972): Reports of Member States on the implementation of the Convention and Recommendation Against Discrimination in Education: second report (17 C/15) 
• 1^st Consultation (1968): First periodic reports of Member States and additional information received from certain Member States concerning their reports on the implementation of the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (15 C/10) 

Beyond the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education, UNESCO also monitors other UNESCO standard-setting instruments, notably:  

• 2015 Recommendation concerning Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)  
• 1974 Recommendation concerning education for international understanding, co-operation and peace