On 27 February 2024, an important high-level side event took place at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC55), hosted at the Palais des Nations. The gathering underlined the opportunities and inherent challenges related to the digitalisation of education. Esteemed participants included our Executive Director, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, alongside dignitaries such as the the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia, H.E. Mr. Margus Tsahkna; the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, H.E. Mr. Alejandro Solano; Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Education and Science for Digital Development, Mr. Dmytro Zavgorodnii; UNICEF's Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Ms. Regina De Dominicis; and OHCHR's Director of the Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division, Ms. Peggy Hicks.

The session was adeptly moderated by the Undersecretary for Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia and the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica. 

The dialogue centered on the realisation of the right to education in the digital era, with an emphasis on global access to quality and inclusive education. Participants dissected best practices, pinpointed challenges, and deliberated on strategies to foster digital literacy and bridge the digital divide, ensuring no learner is left behind. 

Aligned with our advocacy efforts, our ED illuminated the complex interplay between digitalisation and the right to education, noting both the potential benefits and risks. She highlighted how digital tools could democratise access to education but also flagged critical issues such as the risk of privatisation in and of the education sector. Magdalena Sepúlveda expressed how the commodification of education threatens its recognition as a fundamental human right and public good. In response to these challenges, our ED urged states and development partners to adhere to the Abidjan Principles on the right to education to ensure digital technologies in education are rigorously regulated and monitored by states, promoting the full realisation of the right to education for all, especially for vulnerable, marginalised, and disadvantaged groups. Moreover, she emphasised the importance of preventing public resources from being exploited by commercial interests prioritising profits over human rights and reiterated the necessity to conduct human rights impact assessments prior to launching digital initiatives in education. 

In conclusion, the event underscored that while digitalisation offers potential to enhance educational access and quality, it also poses significant challenges that must be navigated carefully. Our ED called for collective action among all stakeholders to leverage digital technology as a means of empowerment rather than a barrier to human rights. She advocated for robust legal and policy frameworks, grounded in human rights principles, to manage private sector involvement in the digitalisation of education and to champion the strengthening of public education systems for the benefit of all learners and educators.