Universal Periodic Review of Malaysia

  • Broken Chalk is a non-profit NGO with one main goal to protect human rights in education. The organisation investigates and reports education rights violations worldwide while advocating and supporting human-rights-focused educational development. By submitting this report, Broken Chalk aims to contribute to the 45th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Malaysia with a focus on the education sector, encouraging the country to continue its improvement efforts and providing further insight into how to overcome current challenges and deficiencies regarding human rights in education.
  • This culturally diverse country has become an upper-middle-income country for the last two decades. Since 2010, it has grown at a 5.4% annual rate and was predicted to move from an upper middle-income economy to a high-income economy by 2024 [1]. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a substantial negative impact on Malaysia, mostly on vulnerable households. Following the revision of the official poverty line in July 2020, 5.6% of Malaysian households live in absolute poverty. The pandemic worsened issues affecting adolescents, children, and women in many ways. [2].

By Müge Çınar

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References

[1] World Bank. (2022, 11 29). Overview: The World Bank in Malaysia. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malaysia/overview#1
[2] UNICEF. (2022, December 1). Institutionalizing Social And Behavioural Change In Malaysia. from https://www.unicef.org/malaysia/reports/institutionalizing-social-and-behavioural-change-malaysia

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Universal Periodic Review of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

  • Broken Chalk is a non-profit organisation with one main goal – To protect human rights in education. The organisation started with a website and articles and is currently working on multiple projects, each aiming to fight human rights violations in the educational sphere. As the UPR is related to human rights violations, inequalities, human trafficking, and other violations, Broken Chalk prepares this article for the fourth Cycle and the specific country – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • In the last cycle, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia received 258 recommendations and supported 182 recommendations in adopting its UPR outcome at Human Rights Council 40 in March 2019 (United Nations Human Rights Council, 2018). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has addressed many issues highlighted in the previous Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycles. Saudi Arabia has introduced an economic vision called Vision 2030, which involves educational reform, mandated by the Tatweer Project, focusing on projects such as enhancing schools’ teaching methods and strategies (Allmnakrah and Evers, 2019). Tatweer Project has trained more than 400,000 teachers in school management, educational supervision, computer science, and self-development (Arab News, 2017). It has also revised Saudi’s curriculum to keep pace with advanced international science curricula (Arab News, 2017). This report will provide an update on the previous issues related to education, plus recommendations on how to deal with new ones.

By Mayeda Tayyab

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Universal Periodic Review of Malta

  • Broken Chalk is a non-profit organisation with one main goal – To protect human rights in education. The organisation started with a website and articles and is currently working on multiple projects, each aiming to fight human rights violations in the educational sphere. As the UPR is related to human rights violations, inequalities, human trafficking, and other violations, Broken Chalk prepares this article for the 45th session regarding Malta.
  • The principles, aims, objectives, and regulations of the education system in Malta are laid down in Education Acts Chapters 327 and 605 of the Laws of Malta and pegged to the Malta Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning. State, Church and Independent schools provide education. It comprises childcare (for children 0-3 years old), two years of kindergarten (for 3-5-year-olds), 11 Years of compulsory education including six years of Primary school (mainly for 5-11-year-olds), a 2-year orientation cycle (middle school, for children aged 11-13) and a 3-year cycle of specialisation (secondary school, for children aged 13-16-year-olds), during which students pursue academic or vocational subjects.
  • Malta is committed to providing quality education for its population. However, like many countries, Malta faces educational challenges that impact the effectiveness and inclusivity of its education system. Recognising and addressing these challenges is crucial for fostering an equitable and high-quality education system that prepares students for the demands of the modern world.

By Asha Ouni

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Universal Periodic Review of Senegal

  • Broken Chalk is a non-profit organisation with one main goal – To protect human rights in education. The organisation started with a website and articles and is currently working on multiple projects, each aiming to fight human rights violations in the educational sphere. As the UPR is related to human rights violations, inequalities, human trafficking, and other violations, Broken Chalk prepares this article for the fourth Cycle and the specific country – the Republic of Senegal.
  • This report will provide an update on the previous issues related to education, plus recommendations on how to deal with new ones.

By Camille Boblet-Ledoyen

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Universal Periodic Review of Central African Republic

  • This report drafted by Broken Chalk contributes to the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for the Central African Republic. This report focuses exclusively on human rights issues in Central Africa Republic’s education field.
  • The Central African Republic, a landlocked country in the heart of Africa, stands among the world’s most impoverished nations. It grapples with a turbulent past marked by conflicts, instability, and mass displacement, which present significant obstacles to its peaceful progress. One of the pressing issues confronting the nation is the profound educational crisis it faces. Regarded as one of the most challenging environments for children to grow up in globally, the country is plagued by a critical problem of insufficient access to education that is both of high quality and safe.
  • Approximately two-thirds of children in the Central African Republic either do not attend school regularly or are deprived of educational opportunities.
  • In the previous UPR cycle, the Central African Republic was reviewed by UPR WG 31 in November 2018. It received 207 recommendations and supported 179 recommendations at the adoption of its UPR outcome at Human Rights Council 40 in March 2019 (an increase of 1% with respect to the 2nd cycle).
  • Supported recommendations relate to Legal and general framework of implementation, universal and cross-cutting issues, civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights (including rights to education), women’s rights, and rights of other vulnerable groups and persons.
  • This report first explores the main issues in the educational field in the Central African Republic, reflecting on the recommendations the country received in the 3rd cycle UN UPR review in 2018 and its progress since. Finally, Broken Chalk offers some suggestions to the Central African Republic on further improving its human rights in the educational field.
  • As per the letter by the High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs[], issues were raised explicitly for the right to education, which included making necessary measures to ensure universal and free access to education, particularly for the most marginalised and disadvantaged populations.
  • Making efforts to improve school infrastructure and seeking the assistance of international partners to that end; tackling the root causes of school dropout; and implementing a social transfer scheme for the poorest households to ensure equitable access to education.
  • Making education and the restoration of the education system a priority in the peace and reconciliation initiatives, taking practical and adequate measures to prevent the parties to the conflict from requisitioning schools, and ensuring that demobilised child soldiers have access to education.
  • Adopting an inclusive education policy, particularly for girls, children with disabilities and indigenous children, and sustainably restoring access to education, including internally displaced children, by implementing non-formal education programmes.

By Leticia Cox

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Universal Periodic Review of Mauritius

Broken Chalk is a non-profit organization with one main goal – To protect human rights in the world of education. The organization started with a website and articles and is currently working on multiple projects, each aiming to fight human rights violations in the educational sphere. As the UPR is related to human rights violations, inequalities, human trafficking, and other violations, Broken Chalk prepares this article for the 45th session regarding Mauritius.

By Asha Ouni

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Universal Periodic Review of Chad

The education system in Chad, located in Central Africa, faces numerous challenges that hinder access to quality education. However, there are also some positive aspects worth
considering. This article will discuss the issues and pros of the education system in Chad, along with lessons that other countries in the region can learn from Chad’s experiences.

By Sharandeep Bose

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Universal Periodic Review of Republic of Congo

  • Broken Chalk is a non-profit organisation with one main goal – To protect human rights in education. The organisation started with a website and articles and is currently working on multiple projects, each aiming to fight human rights violations in the educational sphere. As the UPR is related to human rights violations, inequalities, human trafficking, and other violations, Broken Chalk prepares this article for the fourth Cycle and the specific country – the Congo.
  • During the last Cycle, the delegation put forward 194 recommendations. The Republic of Congo supported 188 recommendations, and the rest they noted. At the adoption of its UPR outcome at Human Rights Council 40 in March 2019 (an increase of 15% concerning the 2nd cycle). Supported recommendations related to Legal and general framework of implementation, universal and cross-cutting issues, civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights, women’s rights, and rights of other vulnerable groups and persons.
  • The Republic of Congo (Congo) – not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of Congo – is sparsely populated, with over half its population concentrated in the two largest cities and almost half its population under 18 (World Bank, 2019). Child rights in Congo (also known as Congo-Brazzaville) are improving, with good access to education and many legal mechanisms to protect child rights. Significant concerns remain as children who labour, girls, and indigenous children continue to experience serious rights violations and often have difficulty meeting their basic needs.

By Ruth Lakica

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Universal Periodic Review of Jordan

  • This report drafted by Broken Chalk contributes to the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review for Jordan. This report focuses exclusively on human rights issues in the field of education in Jordan.
  • In the previous UPR cycle, Jordan received 226 recommendations, and it supported 149 recommendations. Some of these recommendations focused on the Sustainable Development Goal of “Quality Education”.
  • This report first explores the main issues in the educational field in Jordan, reflecting on the recommendations Jordan received in the 3rd cycle UN UPR review in 2018 and its progress since. Finally, Broken Chalk offers some recommendations to Jordan on further improving human rights in the educational field.
  • As per the letter by the High Commissioner to the Foreigner Minister, issues were raised explicitly for the right to education, which included making education accessible, particularly by ratifying human rights instruments, making education culturally acceptable, preventing marginalisation, making education accessible for those students in remote areas, promote tolerance and respect for religious diversity,  emphasis to be laid on non-discrimination focusing on inclusivity in education, particularly for women and other minority groups and persons with disabilities and ensuring educational rights are guaranteed to refugee children.
  • Jordan has continued its commitment to the right to education through the Jordan Declaration on Inclusion and Diversity in Education.

By Caren Thomas

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Universal Periodic Review of Monaco

  • Broken Chalk has drafted the following report as a stakeholder contribution to the 4th cycle of the 45th session of the Universal Periodic Review [UPR]. As Broken Chalk’s primary focus as an organisation is to combat human rights violations within the educational sphere, this report and the following recommendations will be related to the Right to Education.
  • During the previous Cycle of the UPR, Monaco has supported 72 out of 113 received recommendations, noted 35, and has not expressed its position on six other recommendations. Five suggestions are directly concerned with the Right to Education, and Monaco has supported all of them. Recommendation 76.31 urges Monaco to take action to ensure equal access to education. Recommendation 76.34 advocates for strengthening access to education at all levels for girls and young women. Recommendation 76.35 refers to integrating deaf-mute and visually impaired persons and their specific needs into the Monegasque educational system. Last but not least, recommendations 76.32 and 76.33 advise Monaco to take further legal measures to strengthen the right to education for children who are not Monegasque citizens and to guarantee access to education for all children, irrespective of their nationality.
  • The Permanent Representative of Monaco to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Carole Lanteri, has expressed deep commitment and attachment to the promotion and protection of human rights and the Universal Periodic Review and has noted equal access to education and care for all children who live in Monaco, without any discrimination based on gender or age.

By Aurelia Bejenari

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