Education - job number 1 : Norwegian strategy for delivering Education for All by 2015

Education for all is a human right. Our assistance to education will be based on this principle. The rightsbased perspective is rooted in UN conventions on economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, on children's rights and against the discrimination of women and racial groups. Every single human being has a right to education in accordance with his or her needs and interests, abilities and aptitudes.

This means that race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other views, national or social origin, property, birth or other status must not preclude the right to education. It is particularly important that the right to education becomes a reality for discriminated and disadvantaged groups. The human dignity of all children must be respected. They must have a right to freedom of speech and religion and not be subjected to degrading treatment, financial exploitation or sexual abuse.

The public authorities must take the main responsibility for education. The authorities must respect and promote human rights. They must therefore take measures to safeguard children's rights and to ensure that all children have access to compulsory and free primary education of good quality. In this connection it is immaterial whether the school is public or private. The authorities must incorporate international commitments into their national legislation, support secondary and higher education and make efforts to ensure that it is available to all. Norway will seek to make this possible. The rights-based approach underlies all the principles on which Norway bases its assistance to education.