I.Introduction
1.UNESCO’s work on education and gender equality is guided by the UNESCO Strategy for gender equality in and through education (2019–2025), which ends this year and emphasizes both system-wide transformation to benefit to all learners and targeted interventions to empower girls and women. It reflects UNESCO’s vision to ensure that all learners – girls and boys, women and men – can fully realize their rights and potential through education.
2.Promoting the right to education for girls and women remains a top priority for UNESCO. The Organization advocates for gender equality in participation in, within and through education. To achieve this, UNESCO provides technical support to its Member States to align their constitutional, legislative and policy frameworks with international norms and commitments. In addition, UNESCO supports the development and implementation of gender-transformative strategies that address key barriers hindering girls’ and women’s access to quality education opportunities.
3.UNESCO plays key role within the United Nations system in supporting the implementation of several provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Notably, this includes Article 10, which calls on States parties to “take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in order to ensure to them equal rights with men in the field of education”.
4.The Organization also monitors the status of national constitutions, legislation and regulations related to girls’ and women’s education rights across the world through “HerAtlas” – an interactive online tool that constitutes a valuable resource in compiling this report. UNESCO’s initiative “Her Education, Our Future” – to which HerAtlas contributes – was designed to accelerate action on girls’ and women’s education by leveraging political and financial commitments, and leadership.
5.From a broader perspective, the “Observatory on the right to education” monitoring tool has been also useful for this report. By highlighting inequalities across countries and publishing data on the implementation of the right to education at the national level, the Observatory has provided useful valuable documentation and insights.
6.To monitor and advocate for the right to education without discrimination, UNESCO regularly monitors the implementation of the 1960 Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education through periodic consultations, requesting Member States to submit national reports on the measures taken to implement the Convention and Recommendation. To follow up effectively on the information obtained, an analytical report synthesizing the findings of the national reports is then prepared. The latest Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation resulted in the submission of 82 national reports. The information contained in the national reports served as a source for the development of the Global Report ‘From right to country level action’ and is also used for this report. The 11th Consultation on the Convention has been launched in March 2024 and is currently ongoing, with its conclusion foreseen by end 2025.
II.Measures taken by countries under review
Inputs for the 90th session:
Belarus
7.Belarus ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 12 December 1962.
8.The Constitution of Belarus as amended in 2022 enshrines the right to education for all within its territory and guarantees equal rights between men and women in their opportunities to receive education. The Education Code of 2022 guarantees the right to education for all regardless of sex.
9.The legislation guarantees 12 years of free and compulsory primary and secondary education. It provides for free pre-primary education.
10.The minimum age of marriage for both girls and boys is set at 18 years old, but non-judicial exceptions can lower this age with the absolute minimum being fixed at 15 years old.
11.The legislation protects the right to education of pregnant women and parenting girls. The Education Code as amended in 2022 guarantees the protection of learners from all forms of physical and mental violence during the educational process.
12.The Labour Code as amended in 2019 sets the legal age of work at 16 years old, which is not aligned with the end of compulsory education (18 years old).
13.According to the latest data of UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics (UIS), in 2023 the gross enrolment rate in primary education stood at 95% globally (94% for girls and 95% for boys) while the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was 94% globally (93% for girls and 95% for boys).
14.According to UIS’ latest data, expenditure on education by Belarus represented 4,95% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023 and 12,81% of total government expenditure in 2022.
15.Belarus has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024–2025). It should be recommended that the country participate.
Belize
16.Belize ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 1 December 1982.
17.The Constitution of Belize does not comprehensively enshrine the right to education, as it requires protection of the right to basic education only. The Constitution contains a provision on equality of rights and on non-discrimination on the grounds of sex. No disposition enshrining the right to education has been identified in the legislation; it prohibits discrimination but only regarding the admissions process in schools.
18.The Education and Training Act of Belize as amended in 2024 guarantees compulsory primary and secondary education for a duration of ten years, from the age of five to 16 years old. The legislation does not guarantee free education as, even though it provides that citizens and residents should have access to education without tuition fees, it also specifies that special fees might be put in place. No provision guaranteeing free or compulsory pre-primary education has been identified.
19.Under the Belize Marriage Act of 2000, as amended in 2024, the minimum age of marriage is 18 years old for boys and girls, with no exceptions.
20.The Education and Training Act prohibits the use of corporal punishment and states that authorities should ensure that pupils are free from physical, sexual or other forms of harassment in educational institutions. However, this only applies to harassment and not to violence in general.
21.The Labor Act of 2000 defines 14 as the minimum age of employment, which is not aligned with the end of compulsory education (16 years old).
22.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2023 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 97% globally (96% for girls and 98% for boys) while the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was at 83% globally (84% for girls and 83% for boys).
23.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2023 expenditure on education by Belize represented 4,26% of GDP and 18,53% of total government expenditure.
24.Belize has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024-2025); it should be recommended that the country participate.
The Republic of Congo
25.The Republic of Congo ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 16 September 1968.
26.The Constitution of the Republic of Congo of 2015, as modified by Constitutional law No. 2-2022 of January 2022, guarantees the right to education without discrimination based on sex/gender.
27.The legal framework of the Congo guarantees 10 years of compulsory primary and secondary education and at least 12 years of free education. No legislative provisions guaranteeing free and compulsory pre-primary education in the Congo have been identified.
28.Law No. 073-84 of 17 October 1984 on the Family Code sets the minimum age of marriage at 18 years for women and 21 years for men, but judicial exceptions allow marriage before that age with no absolute minimum specified by law.
29.Law No. 4-2010 of 14 June 2010 on the Protection of the Child and the Mouebara Law No. 19-2022 of May 2022 on combating violence against women in the Republic of Congo, which applies to educational institutions, prohibit all forms of gender-based violence and provide protection against corporal punishment.
30.The Labour Code and Law No. 4-2010 of 14 June 2010 on the Protection of the Child set the minimum legal age for employment at 16 years of age, which is in line with the end of compulsory education.
31.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2023 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 89% globally (88% for girls and 90% for boys). There is no recent UIS data on gross enrolment at secondary level.
32.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 expenditure on education by the Republic of Congo represented 2,95% of GDP and 15,51% of total government expenditure.
33.The Republic of Congo has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024-2025); it should be recommended that the country participate.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
34.The Democratic Republic of the Congo has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education; it should be recommended that it do so.
35.The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo guarantees the right to education and contains a principle of non-discrimination. It does not explicitly mention discrimination based on sex or gender, which is only mentioned in the article on access to education. The Framework Law No. 014/004 of 2014 on national education guarantees the right to access education of all women and men. The right to education is explicitly recognized for children in Law No. 09/001 of 2009 on child protection.
36.The legislation guarantees 6 years of free and compulsory primary education, and 2 years of free secondary education. The Law on national education introduced pre-primary education but did not make it compulsory or free of charge.
37.The legal framework sets the legal age of marriage at 18 years old, with no exceptions.
38.The Law guarantees the continuation of education for pregnant girls and young mothers. Even though the legislation states that children have the right to be protected from all forms of violence, it does not explicitly prohibit corporal punishment, nor does it protect from gender-based violence in schools.
39.The legislation sets the minimum age for employment at 16, which is not aligned with the end of compulsory education (12 years old).
40.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2023 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 120% globally (117% for girls and 123% for boys). In 2021, the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was 57% globally (44% for girls and 70% for boys).
41.According to UIS’ latest data, expenditure on education by the Democratic Republic of the Congo represented 3% of GDP in 2022. There is no recent data on the percentage of total government expenditure on education.
42.The Democratic Republic of the Congo has submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education.
Liechtenstein
43.Liechtenstein has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and is not a UNESCO Member State.
44.The Constitution of the Principality of Liechtenstein does not enshrine the right to education but only provides that the State “supports and promotes” it. It contains an equality principle between men and women. No provision guaranteeing the right to education without discrimination has been identified in the legislation.
45.The legal framework of Liechtenstein guarantees nine years of free and compulsory education starting at age 6, covering five years of primary education and four years of secondary education. The legislation guarantees free pre-primary education for two years. Attendance is usually voluntary, however in some specific cases it can be made compulsory.
46.The legal age of marriage is 18 years old for both girls and boys, however the Marriage Act provides that it is possible to get married before this age with judicial consent, without specifying an absolute minimum age.
47.No legal provision has been identified relating to the right to education of pregnant and parenting girls. Corporal punishment is prohibited in schools. No provision regarding violence in schools has been identified in the legislation.
48.The labour law sets the minimum age of work at 15, which is aligned with the end of compulsory education.
49.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2021 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 102% globally (101% for girls and 103% for boys) while the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was 119% globally (109% for girls and 128% for boys).
50.There are no recent data on expenditure on education by Liechtenstein.
Luxembourg
51.Luxembourg ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 20 January 1970.
52.The Constitution of Luxembourg as amended in 2023 guarantees the right to education for all and contains a principle of equality before the law as well as the principle of gender equality. The legislation only guarantees the right to basic education for children without discrimination, notably based on sex.
53.According to the Law on compulsory education of 2023 and per the modified Law of 6 February 2009 on the organization of basic education, primary and secondary education is compulsory for 10 years and free for 13 years. Pre-primary education is free and compulsory for two years.
54.The Luxembourg Civil Code sets the legal age of marriage at 18 years. The legislation allows for judicial exceptions but does not provide for an absolute minimum age for minors within these exceptions.
55.The legal minimum working age in Luxembourg is 15 years, which is aligned with the end of compulsory education (16 years old).
56.Luxembourg legislation prohibits corporal punishment in schools as well as physical and psychological violence. No mention of sexual violence has been identified.
57.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 99% globally (100% for girls and 99% for boys) while the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was at 108% globally (109% for girls and 107% for boys).
58.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022, expenditure on education by Luxembourg represented 4,7% of GDP and 10,74% of total government expenditure.
59.Luxembourg has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024–2025); it should be recommended that the country participate.
Nepal
60.Nepal has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education; it should be recommended that it ratify it.
61.The Constitution of Nepal of 2015 does not fully recognize the right to education as this latter is limited to access to basic education and only applies to citizens. The Constitution provides for a right to equality and non-discrimination based on sex. The Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2018 provides for the right to equal access without discrimination to quality education, but only for citizens.
62.The legislation guarantees 8 years of compulsory primary and secondary education and 12 years of free education. It also provides for one year of compulsory pre-primary education.
63.The Constitution prohibits child marriage, and domestic laws set the minimum age for marriage for boys and girls at 20 years, with exceptions that lower the age to 18 years with consent of the guardian.
64.Physical and mental punishment or ‘undignified’ behaviour towards children are prohibited in school by the Act Relating to Children 2018. While the same Act covers extensively the types of violence from which children are protected, including gender-based violence, it is limited to children and only specifically protects against violence perpetrated by teachers.
65.The minimum age of employment is 14 years, which is not aligned with the end of compulsory education (12 years old).
66.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2024 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 120% globally (118% for girls and 122% for boys) while the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was at 90% globally (89% for girls and 90% for boys).
67.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2021 expenditure on education by Nepal represented 3,96% of GDP and 12,82% of total governmental expenditure. In 2023, expenditure on education represented 3.68% of GDP and there is no data for the percentage of total government expenditure on education.
68.Nepal has submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education.
Sri Lanka
69.Sri Lanka ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 11 August 1983.
70.The Constitution of Sri Lanka does not enshrine the right to education comprehensively as it only sets it as an objective. The Constitution contains a provision on non-discrimination based on sex and an equality principle. Nor does the legislation guarantee the right to education. The Education Ordinance of 1939, as amended in 1973, sets out a non-discrimination principle but related only to admissions to assisted schools, and does not list sex or gender as a prohibited ground of discrimination.
71.The Education ordinance guarantees compulsory education from five to 16 years old. Although no fees shall be charged for education, as stated in the ordinance, they can still be authorized by regulation. No provision relating to pre-primary education has been identified in the legislation.
72.While the General marriage registration sets the age of marriage at 18 years, minors can still get married with the consent of the father and no absolute minimum age is defined. Furthermore, the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act does not set a minimum age of marriage and allows girls younger than 12 to get married with the authorization of the Quazi.
73.No provision regarding violence in educational institutions or corporal punishment has been identified in the legislation. A Supreme Court judgment of February 2021 stated that Article 11 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka (torture, cruel, inhuman degrading treatment or punishment) has been violated in a case of corporal punishment administered to a child at school. However, this ruling has yet to be reflected in the law.
74.The minimum age of labour was raised to 16 years old in 2021 by an amendment to the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act, which is aligned with the age of end of compulsory education.
75.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 96% globally (97% for girls and 95% for boys) while the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was at 89% globally (92% for girls and 87% for boys).
76.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2023 expenditure on education by Sri Lanka represented 1,83% of GDP and 8,68% of total governmental expenditure.
77.Sri Lanka has submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education.
Inputs for the pre-sessional working group (PSWG) for the 92nd session:
Austria
78.Austria has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education; it should be recommended that the country do so.
79.The Constitution of Austria, as amended in 2022, does not enshrine the right to education but only states that admission to public school is open to all without distinction based on sex. The Constitution also contains a principle of equality before the law and that privileges based upon sex are excluded. No provision guaranteeing the right to education has been identified in the legislation. The legislation contains a general principle of equality before the law and the Federal Law on Equal Treatment Act, as of 2024, also specifies that no one may be directly or indirectly discriminated against on the grounds of sex in access to goods and services available to the public, which explicitly includes education.
80.The legislation enshrines 9 years of compulsory primary and secondary education, starting at the age of six. After the end of compulsory education, children must be enrolled in compulsory education and/or training until they reach the age of 18. The legislation guarantees 12 years of free primary and secondary education. It also enshrines compulsory and free pre-primary education for one year starting at the age of five.
81.The Austrian law of marriage, as of 2024, sets the legal age of marriage at 18 years. The legislation allows for judicial exceptions for minors aged 16 years or older.
82.The Federal Law on Equal Treatment Act, as of 2024, explicitly protects women against discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity. The University Act provides for academic leave for pregnancy and childcare, as well as reimbursement of tuition fees. Regarding protection from violence in educational institutions, the School Education Act prohibits corporal punishment but no provision regarding other kinds of violence in school has been identified.
83.The minimum age of employment in Austria is aligned with the end of compulsory education, which is set at 15 years old.
84.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was at 101% globally (100% for girls and 101% for boys). In 2022, the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was at 101% globally (100% for girls and 102% for boys).
85.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 expenditure on education by Austria represented 4.77% of GDP and 8.98% of total government expenditure.
86.Austria has submitted its national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education.
Dominica
87.Dominica ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 14 March 1983.
88.Neither the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Dominica nor the legislation enshrines the right to education. The Constitution includes a principle of non-discrimination based on sex, but the legislation does not.
89.The legislation of Dominica guarantees 12 years of compulsory primary and secondary education from five to 16 years of age. The law of Dominica provides that education in public schools shall be without tuition fees, however this provision does not necessarily preclude the possibility of other direct fees and charges being imposed. No disposition guaranteeing free or compulsory pre-primary education has been identified.
90.The minimum legal age of marriage is set at 18 years. Exceptions allow children to marry below 18 years of age with parental consent, but not before they have reached 16 years.
91.Corporal punishment is lawful within educational institutions, except in early childhood education facilities according to article 54 of the Education (Early Childhood Education) Regulations 2003. No provision in the legal framework prohibiting other forms of violence within educational institutions has been identified.
92.The Education Act prohibits employment of children below 16 years (age of the end of compulsory education) during the school year. However, the law on employment of women and the Employment of Children Prohibition Act state that no child shall be employed before the ages of 14 and 12 respectively.
93.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2023 the gross enrolment rate in primary education stood at 90% globally (89% for girls and 91% for boys). The gross enrolment rate in secondary education in 2023 was 86% globally (83% for girls and 89% for boys).
94.According to UIS’ latest data, expenditure on education by Dominica represented 4.66% of GDP in 2023 and 7.09% of total government expenditure in 2024.
95.Dominica has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024-2025); it should be encouraged to do so.
Iraq
96.Iraq ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 28 June 1977.
97.The legal framework guarantees the right to education and the Constitution of Iraq has a non-discrimination provision with gender as a prohibited ground.
98.The legislation guarantees compulsory primary education for a duration of six years, starting at the age of six. Basic education, covering nine years, will progressively become compulsory. Pre-primary, primary and secondary education is free for a duration of at least 13 years.
99.According to the Personal Status Law (No. 188) of 1959 and its amendments, the minimum age for marriage is 18, but individuals may marry at fifteen years of age with judicial consent. A draft bill is currently being proposed to lower the age of marriage to as young as 9 years old for girls.
100.The Constitution of Iraq prohibits “all forms of violence and abuse in the … school”, although there is no gender-based specificity. Corporal punishment is explicitly prohibited according to Primary School Regulation No. (30) of 1978.
101.The age of work is set at 15 years of age according to the Labour Law (no. 37) 2015, which is not aligned with the end of compulsory education (12 years of age).
102.There is no recent data on enrolment rates in primary or secondary education.
103.There is no recent data on government expenditure on education.
104.Iraq has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024–2025) and should be encouraged to do so.
Kenya
105.Kenya has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and should be encouraged to do so.
106.The Constitution of Kenya enshrines the right to education for all and contains general non-discrimination and equality provisions that prohibit discrimination based on sex. The legislation enshrines the right to education, but this is limited to children and basic education only.
107.The Basic Education Act (No. 14) of 2013 provides every child with the right to free and compulsory basic education. This includes pre-primary education, but it is not clear as to which other levels are covered nor the duration of the provision.
108.The Marriage Act specifies the minimum age of marriage as 18.
109.The Basic Education Act prohibits corporal punishment at the basic education level, however no provision relating to gender-based violence has been identified in the law.
110.The minimum age of employment is 16 years, however the end of compulsory education is not defined in the legislation so it is not possible to confirm whether the two ages are aligned.
111.There is no recent data on enrolment rates in primary or secondary education.
112.According to UIS’ latest data, expenditure on education by Kenya represented 3.96 % of GDP in 2023. In 2020, expenditure on education represented 5.05% of GDP and 17.92 % of total governmental expenditure.
113.Kenya has submitted its national report on the measures taken to implement the Recommendation against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education.
Lithuania
114.The Republic of Lithuania has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education; it should be encouraged to do so.
115.The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, 1992, as amended in 2019, does not enshrine the right to education, but rather it states that education is compulsory and free until the age of 16 years for all, without distinction based on sex. It also contains a principle of equality before the law and states that privileges based upon sex are excluded. In accordance with the Law on Education of 1991, as amended in 2017, the legislation enshrines the right to education.
116.The legislation enshrines 10 years of compulsory primary and lower-secondary education, starting at the age of seven (or six under conditions) to the age of 16. The legislation guarantees 12 years of free primary and lower-secondary education. It also enshrines compulsory and free pre-primary education for one year starting at the age of six.
117.The Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania, as of 2000, sets the legal age of marriage at 18 years of age. The legislation allows for judicial exceptions only for minors aged between 16 and 18 years old; however this can be lowered below 16 years old in case of pregnancy.
118.The 2016 Law on Research and Higher Education, as amended in 2018, explicitly guarantees the right to education for pregnant and parenting girls. Furthermore, the Law on Benefits for Children of 2016 n°I-621 provides for financial support for the child from birth until the age of one. Regarding protection from violence in educational institutions, the 1991 Law on Education, as amended in 2017, prohibits all forms of violence as defined in the 2011 Law on Protection against Domestic Violence, including physical, mental and sexual violence. In addition, the Law on the Framework for the Protection of the Rights of the Child as amended in 2017 prohibits corporal punishment and the Law on Equal opportunities for women and men, as amended in 2017, requires educational and research establishments to prevent sexual harassment.
119.The minimum age of employment in the Republic of Lithuania is aligned with the end of compulsory education, which is set at 16 years old.
120.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 the gross enrolment rate in primary education stood at 102% globally (102% for girls and 102% for boys). In the same year, the gross enrolment rate in secondary education stood at 107% globally (105% for girls and 109% for boys).
121.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2021 expenditure on education by the Republic of Lithuania represented 4.25% of GDP and 12.74% of total government expenditure.
122.The Republic of Lithuania has submitted its national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024–2025).
Qatar
123.The State of Qatar has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education; it should be encouraged to do so.
124.The Constitution of Qatar of 2003 does enshrine the right to education, but only for citizens. The Constitution provides for a right to equality and non-discrimination based on sex. In accordance with Law No. 9 of 2017 on School Regulation, the legislation enshrines the right to education for all citizens. However, no legislative provision has been identified which prohibits discrimination in education.
125.The legislation enshrines 12 years of compulsory primary and secondary education, from the age of six to the age of 18. The legislation guarantees 12 years of free primary and secondary education. No legislative provisions guaranteeing free and compulsory pre-primary education in the State of Qatar have been identified.
126.In accordance with the State of Qatar’s Family Law No. 22 of 2006, males are prohibited from entering into marriage contracts before the age of 18, but the minimum age of marriage in Qatar is 16 years for girls.
127.No legal provision relating to the right to education of pregnant and parenting girls has been identified. Regarding protection from violence in educational institutions, no legislative provisions that protect against gender-based violence or corporal punishment in schools have been identified. However, it should be noted that the State of Qatar has reported that a ministerial decree adopted in 2013 prohibited the use of violence of any kind in schools (Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Qatar, June 2014, p. 14).
128.The legislation sets the minimum age of employment at 16 years, which is not aligned with the end of compulsory education (18 years old).
129.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was 95% globally (96% for girls and 94% for boys). In the same year, the gross enrolment rate in secondary education was 105% globally (106% for girls and 104% for boys).
130.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2020 expenditure on education by the State of Qatar represented 3.23% of GDP and 9.32% of total governmental expenditure.
131.The State of Qatar has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024–2025) and should be encouraged to participate in this and future consultations.
Togo
132.Togo ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education on 3 April 2012.
133.The Constitution of Togo of 2024 enshrines the right to education for men and women. It contains a principle of non-discrimination based on sex. No legislation enshrining the right to education has been identified.
134.The Constitution of Togo and Order No. 75-016 ensure compulsory primary and secondary education for a duration of 10 years. The legal framework for free compulsory education is unclear. The Constitution only ensures progressively free education. A 2008 decree reportedly introduced free primary education, but UNESCO was unable to access this decree. According to Order No. 75-016, pre-primary education is compulsory starting at age 2. The 2008 decree reportedly made pre-primary education free.
135.The legal age of marriage is 18 for both men and women; this may be lowered by the judge, but not below the age of 16 years.
136.Law 84-16 of 1984 provides for sanctions in the event of pregnant girls being taken out of school. Previously, a circular prohibited the schooling of pregnant girls, in direct contradiction with this law. However, this circular was repealed by decision of the Minister of Education on 21 March 2022. The Children's Code of 2007 prohibits corporal punishment and all other forms of violence in educational institutions. Additionally, in 2022, an Act has been adopted to protect learners from sexual violence.
137.Law n°2007-017 sets the legal age for employment at 15 years, in line with the end of compulsory schooling.
138.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2023 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was 120% globally (119% for girls and 122% for boys). The gross enrolment rate in secondary education was 65% globally (61% for girls and 70% for boys).
139.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2024 expenditure on education by Togo represented 11.65% of total government expenditure. In 2022, it represented 3.80% of GDP and 14.48% of total government expenditure.
140.Togo has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024–2025), and should be encouraged to do so.
Zambia
141.Zambia has not ratified the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and should be encouraged to do so.
142.The Constitution of Zambia does not enshrine the right to education. The Bill of Rights – Part III of the Constitution of Zambia protects against discrimination based on sex. Nevertheless, the Gender Equity and Equality Act does guarantee the right to education for both men and women on an equal basis.
143.Although the Education Act refers to compulsory school attendance, the duration of this period of education is not defined. According to this Act, basic education is free in Zambia, encompassing early childhood education and grades 1 to 9 (corresponding to primary education and two years of secondary education).
144.The minimum age of marriage is 21. Until 2023, exceptions allowed for marriage between the ages of 16 and 21 with parental consent, and below the age of 16 with judicial consent. However, the Marriage Act was amended in December 2023 and exceptions now only allows for marriage between the ages of 18 and 21, with parental consent.
145.The Education Act contains a right to re-admission to schools for parenting students. It also prohibits corporal punishment and gender-based violence.
146.The minimum age of employment is 15 years, however the duration of compulsory education is not specified by law so it is not possible to confirm whether the two ages are aligned.
147.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2020 the gross enrolment rate in primary education was 95% globally (96% for girls and 94% for boys). There is no recent data for secondary education.
148.According to UIS’ latest data, in 2022 expenditure on education by Zambia represented 3.58% of GDP. In 2024, it represented 15.38% of total government expenditure (there is no data for total government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP for that year).
149.Zambia has not submitted a national report on the measures taken to implement the Convention against Discrimination in Education to the current 11th Consultation on the Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (2024–2025) and should be encouraged to do so.