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Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
The Right to Education Human Rights instruments, EU and National legislation
Legal Norms in a plural cultural and gendered reality
Helga Aune, Postdoktor
Dept. of Public and Int. law
Oslo, 26. April 2012
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
I – Education, a fundamental rightand a precondition to secure the other human rights
• An individual right – a grounded perspective
• A universal right – different states face different challenges
• A common question – how may the legal norms work as tools for ensuring the right to education
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
1. Identifying the right to education- Legal rights- Values
2. Complex reality of lives
- family, religion, culture, ethnicity, gender
- special individual needs Legal norms interact with other norms (social, cultural, religious)
3. Ensuring the right
- Responsibility, control and sanctions
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
The Education Sector – an intersection where various professions meet
Various standards professionally; all obliged to fullfill the requirements according to the law, but not necessarily law trained:– Civil administration– School leaders /Kindergartens– Teachers
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Academic research• Women`s/girls positions constructed within
social institutions: family, religion, ethnic groups ( Stang Dahl, Anne Hellum, Sally Moore)
• Important to have knowledge about existing cultural and normative diversity in order to understand the effect this has on girls social and legal position
• State responsibility: ensure all citizens their legal rights within a civil state democracy
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Universal Human Rights instruments
• THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (1948)
• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
• UN Convention on the Elimination of all kinds of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1981)
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Universal Human Rights instruments, cont.
• Int. Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
• Int. Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCP)
• ILO – Convention 117• UNESCO Convention on Prohibition of
Discrimination in Education
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Regional Human Rights instruments
• European Convention on Human Rights (1950)
• African Charter on Human and People`s Rights (1981)
• American Convention on Human Rights (1978)
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Regional level, cont.
• EU• EEA (European Economic Area)
Recognition of professional qualifications – Directive 2005/36/EC– Free movement of employment, services
and goods – State aid (statsstøtteordninger)– Fundamental Principles for the Union/EEA
non-discrimination
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
The National State
• Local governance – the school owners (municipality + few private)
• The individual student– Right to education, right to privacy, family,
health, good learning/working conditions– The long-term effect of education
The interest of:
- parents
-different professions
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
DESIGN OF LEGISLATION
• Education law, civil administration law, tort/compensation law, employment law, family law, health law, anti-discrimination law
• Legal standards: More or less discretion in choices of solutions, or defined limits – classrooms of 27 students or ”base” rooms
with 60 students in a class?– safe and sound learning environment?– adequate level of learning?
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
DESIGN OF LEGISLATION, cont.• Acts and Regulations - How many?• Adm. Guidelines (Rundskriv) –
information about the interpretation of acts and regulations
• Circulars (Veiledere) - information about certain topics from the Directorate of Education
The amount of details in explaining how to fulfill a legal obligation, may depending on its form – narrow the discretional room prescribed in the act itself OR it may help ensure the right of the individual
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
II – Legal obligations
• The values to be protected• Dignity• Freedom• Equality
– Education shall enable all persons to participate in society
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
• (3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
Protocol 1, Article 2 – Right to Education”No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and to teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
ECHR Article 14 – Prohibition of discrimination
..rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with minority, property, birth or other status
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
EU - Charter of Fundamental RightsPREAMBLE
The peoples of Europe, are resolved to share a peaceful future based on common values,
The union is founded on the indivisble, universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity, based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
ECHR Cases - ”Education”
1) Framing of issue:– mentioned initially, but …
(A) environmental interests
(B) violence and health
2) Freedom of religion
3) Segregation/discrimination or separate classes based on special needs…
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
1 A) Education- environment
Cases: (Chapman), Coster, (Beard), Lee and Smith v The UK (2001)– Gypsies, all bougt land and stationed their
caravans without planning permission (right to private and family life article 8 vers. Communitys environmental interests)
– No violation of Article 2 of Protocol 1• Coster, now the children had left school• Lee, children had been attending school• Smith, children had been attending school
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
1B) Education – Violence
Strongly affects the ability to learn
Z and Others v. The UK (2001)– Failure of local authority to protect the
children against inhumane, degrading treatment in family, violation of art. 3, 13
– Compensation for past and future pecuniary and non-pecuniary losses• A (not integrated to the education system)• B (in school, special needs group, will have problem
obtaining and sustaining employment)• C+Z (in school, but need future psychotherapeutic care)
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
2) Education – freedom of religion
• Kjeldsen, Busk Madsen (1976) – right to education about reproductive rights and sexuality v parents religious beliefs
• Leyla Sahin (2005) – headscarf
• Folgerø (2007) – curriculum
• Lautsi (2011) – crusifix
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
3) Education- segregation/discrimination• D.H v. Czech (2007)
• Orsus v Croatia (2010)
• A High School story from Oslo (2011)
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
D.H v. Czech (2007)
Czech Roma children placed in special schools based on specific educaional needs, mapped after a variety of tests, consent of parents
- more basic curriculum and the segregation the system causes
- Parental consent not acceptable at the risk of racial discrimination
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
D.H v. Czech (2007) cont.
• Legislation applied resulting in a disproportionate number of Roma children being placed in special schools without justification
• Judgment (13-4)
Violation of art. 14 in conjunction with Article 2 Protocol 1
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
D.H v. Czech (2007), para 206
Whenever discretion capable of interfering with the enjoyment of a Convention right is conferred on national authorities, the procedural safeguards available to the individual will be especially material in determining whether the State has, when fixing the regulatory framework, remained within its margin of appreciation
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Det juridiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo
Orsus & Others v Croatia (2010)
• Facts similar to D.H., but parents to non-Roma children were to stage a demonstration in front of the school denying Roma children access to the school
• Violation of Article 14 in conjunction with Article 2 of Protocol 1 (Judg.9-8)
• Dissenting opinions (8): language deficit a result of obvious lack of parental support, objective reason for different treatment based on special needs
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