GENEVA – Governments, experts, civil society representatives and child advocates from around the world meet at the United Nations in Geneva from 31 August to 2 September to advance discussions on a possible new international agreement aimed at strengthening children’s rights to education. The proposed optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child would explicitly recognize that the right to education includes early childhood care and education, and that States shall make public pre-primary and public secondary education available free for all children.
At its second session, the open-ended intergovernmental working group, established by Human Rights Council resolution 56/5, will consider revision one of the draft Key Principles intended to guide the future development of the proposed optional protocol. This follows discussions on the zero draft Key Principles, shared with Member States and other stakeholders in April 2026, during the intersessional consultations. The discussions mark a significant step in exploring how international law could further strengthen access to education from early childhood through secondary school.
A distinctive feature of the process, reflected in the working group’s mandate, is ensuring meaningful participation of children. Throughout the session, child advocates representing all geographic regions will contribute directly to discussions, present perspectives gathered through regional consultations they co-led during the intersessional period and share children’s reflections on the draft Key Principles under consideration.
The three-day session, taking place in the Assembly Hall, features opening remarks by UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Awa Dabo, as well as contributions from the Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Sophie Kiladze, and the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, Farida Shaheed. The session is chaired by Chair-Rapporteur Ambassador Samuel U.B Saffa Esq., Sierra Leone’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.
Discussions will be organized around four thematic clusters covering:
- the scope and objectives of a possible optional protocol
- substantive elements and key obligations
- implementation and monitoring, including international cooperation and child participation
- working methods for a possible future drafting phase
The session will conclude with consideration of conclusions and recommendations and Chair-Rapporteur’s summary of discussions, which will inform future deliberations of the Human Rights Council.
- Assembly Hall, Building A, Palais des Nations, Geneva
- All public meetings will be webcast live and available in the six official UN languages
- Meeting website and programme of work: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/wg-opcrc-education/session2
- Registration is open through Indico until 5 p.m. (Geneva time) on 30 August 2026: https://indico.un.org/event/1019522/
