Human Rights Council 40: UK Statement for the Annual Full Day Meeting - Rights of the Child
This UK statement was delivered during at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The Human Rights Council takes place in Geneva.
The UK is committed to championing a fairer world in which no one is left behind. Protecting and promoting all children’s rights, including the most marginalised, forms an integral part of the UK’s domestic and international human rights agenda.
In 2018, the UK co-hosted the first Global Disability Summit, driving real change for people with disabilities. We announced several new initiatives, including: the global Inclusive Education Initiative, a partnership supporting countries to accelerate disability inclusive education and the Disability Inclusive Development Programme, a £37m programme improving the lives of people with disabilities.
The UK published its Disability Inclusion Strategy. Inclusive Education is a priority area, ensuring all children with disabilities access quality education. Our Education Policy: Get Children Learning, is central to this, helping children with disabilities transition into mainstream education, supporting comprehensive interventions; and increasing the number of specialist teachers and support staff.
The UK launched the ‘Leave No Girl Behind’ campaign, calling for 12 years of quality education for all girls and boys. In line with the UK’s Strategic Vision for Gender Equality, we have also focused on the education of highly marginalised girls with disabilities. We have already provided an education to 46,000 girls with disabilities through the Girls’ Education Challenge, and will reach up to an additional 18,000 girls in the second phase.
A key challenge in ensuring quality education for children with disabilities is under-resourced and poorly implemented plans. What steps are needed to ensure they are properly resourced?