Silatech, EAA, OHCHR sign MoU to promote rights of young people

*Sheikha Moza participates in Social Forum of Human Rights Council at UN *Promotion and protection of rights of children and youth through education stressed

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Education Above All and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Silatech, joined UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Education Above All (EAA), Silatech and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at the UN Office in Geneva.

The agreement was signed by Fahad al-Sulaiti, Chief Executive Officer, EAA; Sabah al-Haidoos, Chief Executive Officer, Silatech; and Eldon Pearce, Chief of Finance and Budget Section, UN Human Rights.

The MoU prioritises co-operation to promote and protect the human rights of young people. The emphasis of the agreement is to support young people's economic and social empowerment; strengthen co-ordination and share expertise on the human rights to education; and explore possibilities of co-operation in areas of mutual interest between the organisations.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, also UN Sustainable Development Goals Advocate, gave a keynote address at the annual Social Forum of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.

The Social Forum 2019 brought together UN Member States' representatives, NGOs, civil society actors, and high-level figures, including UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, to discuss "the promotion and protection of the rights of children and youth through education."

In her speech, Sheikha Moza made an impassioned case for the devastating consequences of prolonged armed conflict, highlighting the personal stories of the children who are living in conflict with little to no access to education.

"For education, what has been lost will be impossible to restore. Where there is no education, there will be no nation. If we do not turn the tide, we will continue to pay a high price."

She called upon the international community to take true accountability of the long-term, global effect of not ensuring every child has access to quality education.

Sheikha Moza proposed setting an annual international day for the protection of education during conflict to recognise and measure progress on protection, as well as help identify missing gaps on a yearly basis. The day aims to keep protection of education at the top of the public agenda.

Violations of the right to education persist worldwide. Today the right to education remains more of a statement of principle rather than a reality for 264mn primary and secondary age children and youth that are out of school.