Education is a HUMAN RIGHT - banning GIRLS FROM SCHOOL IS A VIOLATION.

I am adding my voice to the many who have already expressed their grave concern.

The recent draft directive by?the Ethiopian Ministry of Education (MoE) is a clear violation of the rights of girls to education, equality, and non-discrimination. It is not right, and counterproductive by any standards. It is also contrary to the principles and provisions of the Ethiopian Constitution and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Ethiopia has ratified and is obliged to respect, protect, and implement.

The Constitution of Ethiopia - despite its widely criticized limitations - guarantees the right to education for all citizens, regardless of their sex, age, marital status, pregnancy, or any other condition. Article 41(4) states that "[t]he State shall allocate ever-increasing resources to provide to the public health, education, and other social services." Article 25 affirms that, considering the historical inequalities and aiming to provide special attention, "women [and girls] are entitled to affirmative measures."?

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and health rights of every child, regardless of their sex, pregnancy, or any other status. Article 2(1) states that "States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights outlined in the present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without discrimination." The Convention advises that the primary motive for any national policy or programmatic measures is the "best interests of the child."?

The MoE draft directive contradicts these constitutional and international obligations by discriminating against girls who become pregnant, denying them the right to education, and exposing them to further risks of poverty, violence, stigma, and exclusion. The directive should have rather focussed on addressing the root causes of teenage pregnancy, such as child marriage, sexual abuse, lack of reproductive health information and services, and broader gender inequality; OR, facilitate affirmative actions such as supplementary classes or provision of child care services.??

The draft directive ignores?the best interests of the child, both the pregnant girl and her unborn or born child, who have the right to life, survival, and development.

The MoE draft directive is unjust and unlawful but also ineffective and counterproductive. It does not prevent or reduce teenage pregnancy but rather discourages girls from seeking help, support, and care, and forces them to seek unwarranted practices that will endanger their lives. It does not promote or protect the health and well-being of girls and their children but rather exposes them to more significant health risks and complications. It does not enhance or ensure the quality and relevance of education but rather undermines the educational achievements and aspirations of girls and their potential contribution to the country's development.

The MoE draft directive should be scrapped and replaced by a comprehensive and rights-based policy that respects, protects, and fulfills the rights of all children, especially girls, to education and health. The MoE draft directive is a step backward for the rights of girls and the development of Ethiopia. It should be revised and revisited to ensure girls' best interest in Ethiopia.

END.?