Human Rights Council – 62nd Session
Item 2 - Interactive Dialogue on the report of
the Special Rapporteur on the right to education
Statement delivered by Iceland on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States
17 June 2026
President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her report and for bringing attention to the important role of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment in realizing the right to education.
We welcome the report's focus on the aims of education and on how education systems can better prepare learners for the opportunities and challenges they face today. Further we commend efforts made in consulting children and young people directly. Their experiences and perspectives are essential to ensuring that education remains relevant and responsive to their needs.
Teachers, learners and parents all have an important role to play in shaping education systems. What learners are taught, how they are taught and how learning is assessed should promote respect for human rights, increase knowledge and tolerance, and contribute to active participation in society. In this regard, the relationship between international standards and local realities needs to be considered.
Madam Special Rapporteur,
How can States best ensure that curriculum development and reform processes are aligned with international standards for education while responding to the diverse realities and needs of learners and local communities?
I thank you.