2025 has great potential to become a milestone year on our path to guaranteeing the right to education worldwide and strengthening SDG 4, as an initiative is currently underway at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for a new treaty to strengthen the right to free education under international law.
In July 2024, a Human Rights Council Resolution proposed a new optional protocol to the Convention of the Rights of the Child (the UNCRC), to guarantee free pre-primary as well as free secondary education and to recognise that the right to education includes early childhood care and education.
This new addition would address a gap left by the 1989 UNCRC, which guarantees all children a right to free primary education, but says nothing about early childhood education or pre-primary education, and does not require governments to make secondary education free for all children.
For millions of children around the world, the cost of education remains one of the most significant barriers to education (see the World Bank’s Global Findex). And – although nearly 90 percent of children now complete primary education worldwide – only 59 percent complete secondary education, and only half of pre-primary-aged children attend preschool (2024/25 GEM Report, UNESCO, chapters 7 to 9) with the youngest children (under age of three) having little access to early childhood care and education services of high quality (UNESCO GEM Report on ECCE). Globally, only two thirds of students achieve the minimum proficiency level in reading and less than half in mathematics at the end of primary school, with pre-primary education linked to better overall child development (2024/25 GEM Report, chapters 7 to 9).
Over 50 countries have already publicly expressed support for this initiative, including the majority of our fellow European Union members, and with most supporters coming from the Global South.
Ireland already exceeds the minimum standards envisioned by the proposed new treaty. Yet, despite the support from over 50 countries, including the majority of our fellow European Union members, and with most supporters coming from the Global South, Ireland has not expressed its support for the initiative.
This is why INEW has launched our Campaign for Free Education Worldwide. By backing the new treaty, Ireland has an opportunity to lead by example and advocate for free education internationally.
We urge the Irish government to build on its strong track record and deep commitment to realising the right to education for every child by publicly voicing its support for a strong treaty that guarantees free education for all children, from pre-primary through secondary. In particular, we urged Ireland to participate during the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the optional protocol from 1st to 4th September 2025 in Geneva, and to make a strong statement on the first day during the general debate, emphasising Ireland’s support to advance this vital initiative.
Together with OMEP Ireland and the DCU Early Childhood Research Centre (ECRC), we have recently shared a letter to ask for support for the protocol with:
- Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris TD,
- Minister for International Development and Diaspora Neale Richmond TD,
- Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee TD,
- Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley TD, and
- the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon.
This campaign has also been supported by Plan International Ireland’s Youth Advisory Panel. Their letter to the same ministers and offices can be read here.
Earlier this year, we shared a submission with the OHCHR to support the Intergovernmental Working Group, highlighting the transformative impact that free education has had in Ireland. We believe Ireland’s experience and the evidence presented in the submission, can serve as a powerful source of inspiration for shaping an ambitious and effective new treaty for free education.
