Modelo de las Naciones Unidas

G-MUN
Colegio Campestre Goyavier

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (HRC)

https://www.ohchr.org/EN

Topic: The right to education for refugees and internally displaced people.

● President:
Henry Andrés Chaparro

● Vice-president:
Laura Moya

PRESIDENTS LETTER AND INTRODUCTION TO THE COMISSION

Dear delegates
Welcome to the Human Rights Council, committee that we will be presiding, and will take
part in the second edition of GMUN. This year is going to encompass a topic that has caused
great controversy and uncertainty between the moral and the will to help refugees and
immigrant people. Therefore, this will generate debate in our commission, because of the
specific interests of each country, whether economic or political, will play an important role
over which posture should a nation take regarding this topic.

EXPECTATIONS

We want all delegates to nurture the debate, give their position and at the same time be open
to listening carefully to others’ perspectives, argue and counter-argue in an atmosphere of
diplomacy and respect. Being able to reach resolutions is an important part of the
commission, so we invite you to interact with other delegates, create alliances and support

1
 Modelo de las Naciones Unidas
G-MUN
Colegio Campestre Goyavier

each other. If you have any kind of doubts, please do not hesitate to communicate it to us, we
desire that the discussion flows as naturally as possible, without misunderstandings or
ambiguities. We hope to see you soon and live an enriching experience with you.

ABOUT THE COMISSION

The HRC is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47
States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe. It
can discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention
throughout the year. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.

The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by
resolution 60/251. Its first session took place from 19 to 30 June 2006. One year later, the
Council adopted its "Institution-building package" to guide its work and set up its procedures
and mechanisms.

Among them were the Universal Periodic Review mechanism which serves to assess the
human rights situations in all United Nations Member States, the Advisory Committee which
serves as the Council’s “think tank” providing it with expertise and advice on thematic human
rights issues and the Complaint Procedure which allows individuals and organizations to
bring human rights violations to the attention of the Council.

2
 Modelo de las Naciones Unidas
G-MUN
Colegio Campestre Goyavier

MANDATE AND MISSION

● Give priority to addressing the most pressing human rights violations, both acute
and chronic, particularly those that put life in imminent peril.
● Focus attention on those who are at risk and vulnerable on multiple fronts.
● Pay equal attention to the realization of civil, cultural, economic, political, and
social rights, including the right to development.
● Measure the global impact of the topic.

REMEMBER: The principal porpoise of the HRC is to maintain alive the respect for
the other, always having in mind that the society must recognize human civil rights.

SUBJECT OF THE COMMISSION: THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION FOR

REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE

The right to education for refugees and internally displaced people.

The right to education is a fundamental human right protected by the 26th article of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the General Assembly of the
United Nations on the 10th of December 1948. It states that everybody should have access
to free education, including refugees and displaced people. According to the Oxford
dictionary, a refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country to escape war,
persecution, or natural disaster and Internally displaced people (IDPs) have not crossed a
border to find safety. Unlike refugees, they are on the run at home. IDPs stay within their
own country and remain under the protection of its government, even if that government is
the reason for their displacement’. Since 1948, the United Nations is developing projects to
help refugees and displaced people all around the world to have access to education.

3
 Modelo de las Naciones Unidas
G-MUN
Colegio Campestre Goyavier

HISTORIC CONTEXT

The history of the right to education for refugees and internally displaced persons
is rather short. This right is the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights in 1948 and the direct product of World War two. Since the 90’s, protecting
this right has become a top priority for the United Nations. The Millennium
Development Goals sets as a priority to achieve universal primary education.
Now, the Global Education 2030 Agenda is a global movement to eradicate
poverty through 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Education, essential
to achieve all of these goals, has its own dedicated Goal 4, which aims to “ensure
inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all”. Moreover, discussing this particular right- nowadays- is
interesting as we are currently facing the biggest refugee crisis since WW2. Thus,
the numbers of refugees and IDPs has increased, among them children that have
the age to go to school, to exist, this right had to wait the recognition of universal
education and the creation of the status of refugees and internally displaced
persons.

TOPIC APPROACHES OR APPROACH

This committee will discuss how the right to education for refugees and internally displaced
persons (IDPs) can be guaranteed and respected. The United Nations tried over the years to
provide guidelines and reports to promote the development of projects worldwide that enable
refugees and internally displaced persons to have access to education. First of all, it was
needed to establish whose responsibility it is to provide and protect the refugees and IDPs
and their rights. The primary responsibility to provide assistance and protection to them is
placed on the Government and States. The role of NGOs is only complementary. Thus, the

4
 Modelo de las Naciones Unidas
G-MUN
Colegio Campestre Goyavier

responsibility is shared by States, NGOs but also charities meaning they are expected to
cooperate altogether. The responsibility of the issue being split makes the issue itself even
more complex. Consequently, each country is expected to ensure to provide assistance and
protection: it can be done through legislation, projects, etc …One of the major problems
regards to the budget dedicated to education. Second of all, the rights of the refugees and the
IDPs are compiled in different documents and recognized at different time. The rights of the
refugees can be found in the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees adopted in 1951.
The right to education of the refugees is protected by Article 22 of the Convention.

Approach:
Introduction:
The rights of the internally displaced persons were finally compiled in the Guiding Principles
on Internal Displacement, written in 1998. The 23rd principle states that ‘every human being
has the right to education […] shall be free and compulsory at the primary level […] facilities
shall be made available’. One can notice it took several decades after the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights to establish the rights of the internally displaced persons and
barely a decade to recognize those of the refugees. Finally, the issue arises furthermore with
the sharing of the funding between all those actors to create and run those facilities and
projects all around the world.

Critical point:
The right to education for refugees and IDPs has been internationally recognized for over 50
years. However, the main challenge is to protect it and apply it. Countries where refugees
are, need to create programs to ensure they have access to it.
Considering that as long as there is a conflict somewhere in the world, people will continue
to flee their homes. The main issue that needs to be mentioned is political instability, due to
war, unstable government, oppression of a part of the country’s population, among others. If
there are stable and peaceful States, people will no longer feel the need to flee their homes in
search of a better place.

5
 Modelo de las Naciones Unidas
G-MUN
Colegio Campestre Goyavier

The remaining problem for IDPs is the lack of clarity by the state about granting their right
to education by providing good chances to have access to educational institutions or
programs. To protect the right to education for IDPs may be ensuring the right to education
for everyone is the solution.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How can countries implement decent education for refugees, immigrants, and
displaced people without affecting their national identity?
2. How can countries guarantee equal education between refugees and nationals?
3. Why is it important to provide quality education to displaced people due to
violence?
4. How an educated refugee population can affect the culture and national identity of
the country that receives them?
5. What negative effects does national education standards have on educating a
refugee or displaced immigrant population?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Statement of the Issue “Questions and Answers about IDPs”, United Nations Human
Rights Office of the High Commissioner. <
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IDPersons/Pages/Issues.aspx\ >. Moumné, Rolla/
Sakai, Leticia. “Protecting the right to education for refugees”. 2017.

2. Relevant International Action Dryden-Peterson, Sarah. “Refugee Education, A

Global Review”. Nov “Charter for Action”. Action for Refugee Education. 2018.. Naylor,
Ruth. “The right to education for refugees and internally displaced persons”. Institute of
Development Studies. 9th December 2016. “Migrants, refugees and internally displaced
persons”. Right to Education Initiative. 2018