Summary of the Statement:

Submitted under Item 3 entitled “The Role of the UAE in Supporting the Right to Education.” It emphasizes education as a fundamental right linked to human dignity and sustainable development, while presenting global challenges and UAE initiatives.

Content of the Statement:

• Drew upon major international reports, including:
  • Special Rapporteur’s Report on the Right to Education (2025) focused on the safety of the learning environment.
  • Education Cannot Wait Report (2025): 234 million children at risk of being deprived of education, 85 million out of school.
  • UNESCO’s Denied Education Report: over 1.5 million girls deprived of education in Afghanistan.
  • GEM Report 2024/25: 272 million children and youth out of the global education system.
• Key UAE achievements:
  • Free and compulsory education, and integration of AI into curricula from the age of four.
  • Gender equality policy and inclusion of people of determination.
  • Digital School initiative educating one million refugee and marginalized students.
  • Funding of field schools in Yemen, Syria, Pakistan, Sudan, and Afghanistan.
  • $200 million to the Global Partnership for Education since 2018.
  • Partnerships with UNESCO, UNICEF, and ECW.
  • Hosting international conferences such as the Global Education Improvement Summit (Sharjah 2025).
• Recommendations: Ensure education continuity during crises, integrate it into relief plans, and document UAE practices as replicable models.

Importance of the Statement:

• Reflects that education is a non-negotiable right even in crises.
• Highlights the UAE as a model combining national development with international solidarity.
• Links education to empowering girls and refugees, strengthening social justice.
• Reinforces the UAE’s image as a global partner in achieving SDG 4.