Geneva: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have reaffirmed their deep belief in the importance of protecting and promoting the right to education, which they consider a crucial element for progress in teaching, scientific research, and academia at various levels and frameworks.
This statement was delivered by Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Office in Geneva HE Hend bint Abdalrahman Al Muftah, on behalf of the GCC, in her capacity as chairperson of the Gulf Group, during the "Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education," as part of the 56th session of the Human Rights Council.
The GCC countries highlighted their agreement with the Special Rapporteur's report on the importance of safeguarding the right to education against contemporary challenges and threats posed by the digitization of education, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
They pointed out that they have implemented various supportive measures for scientific research, such as providing financial, technical, and technological incentives, as well as continuous support and development in this field.
These measures have enabled academic and research institutions to achieve advanced positions in terms of the quality of scientific research and the level of teaching. The GCC also emphasized the need to address the risks of harmful use of artificial intelligence, which poses a real threat to scientific research.
In light of the dire situation in Gaza and the deprivation of Palestinian students from their right to education, the GCC countries condemned the systematic and ongoing targeting of educational institutions by the occupying power, noting approximately 625,000 children have been without education for more than eight months due to the war, with nearly 90 percent of schools and universities destroyed.
The GCC countries called on the international community to take action to end this brutal war completely and to provide all possible means to allow Palestinian students to continue their educational journey, which is closely linked to human rights.
