Belarus was last reviewed in May 2020. The country received 284 recommendations, of which 143 were supported and 141 noted. Regarding the Right to Education, 11 recommendations were made, all of which were supported by the state. [vi]
Among the topics of remarks were to continue efforts to ensure equal access to education, including primary one, which is free of charge, to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities, to improve school attendance among Roma children, and to verify that the rights of women and children are protected.[vii]
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern over the significant percentage of Roma children not attending school, despite the country’s high literacy rate. The Human Rights Committee recommended that Belarus strengthen its efforts to guarantee equal access to education and adequate standards for all children in the country. [viii]
The Committee on the Rights of the Child and UNESCO encouraged Belarus to continue strengthening its policies for people with disabilities to ensure inclusive education and integration for everyone, particularly in higher education. [ix]
Following these recommendations, Belarus implemented a 5-year education modernization project, aiming to improve the teaching and learning environment and the information on labor market relevance of higher education. This plan aimed to improve learning conditions for children with disabilities and foster a more inclusive environment. [x]
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women raised concerns about certain state institutions of higher education, including the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which impose higher admission score requirements for female students and limit the number of women who can be admitted to the institution. [xi]
Belarus introduced policies emphasizing equal access to education for both genders, with a focus on increasing women’s participation in higher education. There is an increasing trend of women enrolling in tertiary and secondary education compared to men, constituting 56% of all students. [xii]
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[vi] UPR Library. “Recommendations Received by Belarus,” 2020. https://upr-info-database.uwazi.io/en/library/?q=(allAggregations:!f,filters:(cycle:(values:!(%27567eec7b-d5ab-4c36-a712-57c38fae9124%27)),state_under_review:(and:!t,values:!(gdnfyzks07w))),from:0,includeUnpublished:!f,limit:30,order:desc,searchTerm:%27belarus%20%27,sort:_score,treatAs:number,types:!(%275d8ce04361cde0408222e9a8%27),unpublished:!f)
[vii] United Nations Human Rights Council. Compilation on Belarus: Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. A/HRC/WG.6/36/BLR/2. Geneva: United Nations General Assembly, 27 February 2020.
[viii] United Nations Human Rights Council. Compilation on Belarus: Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. A/HRC/WG.6/36/BLR/2. Geneva: United Nations General Assembly, 27 February 2020.
[ix] United Nations Human Rights Council. Compilation on Belarus: Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. A/HRC/WG.6/36/BLR/2. Geneva: United Nations General Assembly, 27 February 2020.
[x] World Bank. Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project: Combined Project Information Documents / Integrated Safeguards Datasheet (PID/ISDS). Appraisal Stage, October 14, 2019. Washington, DC: World Bank Group.
[xi] United Nations Human Rights Council. Compilation on Belarus: Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. A/HRC/WG.6/36/BLR/2. Geneva: United Nations General Assembly, 27 February 2020.
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