Authors: Mustafa Kamal
Abstract: The right to education is a fundamental human right and an essential instrument for protecting the dignity, development, and future opportunities of refugees and forcibly displaced persons. International law recognizes education as a universal entitlement through major human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. These legal frameworks impose obligations on states to ensure non-discriminatory and equitable access to education, particularly for vulnerable populations. However, despite the existence of extensive international legal protections, refugees and forcibly displaced persons continue to face significant barriers to accessing quality and continuous education. These barriers include restrictive national policies, lack of documentation, language differences, poverty, inadequate educational infrastructure, discrimination, forced mobility, armed conflict, and insufficient international funding. The situation has become increasingly complex due to contemporary global challenges such as protracted displacement, mass migration, climate-related displacement, political instability, and the growing number of children and young people living outside their countries of origin. This study examines the international legal framework governing the right to education of refugees and forcibly displaced persons, analyzes the obligations of states and other relevant actors, and identifies major gaps between legal commitments and practical implementation. It further explores contemporary global challenges affecting educational access and emphasizes the need for stronger international cooperation, inclusive national education systems, sustainable financing, and effective accountability mechanisms. The study concludes that ensuring the right to education is not merely a humanitarian responsibility but a binding legal and developmental obligation essential for promoting social inclusion, protection, empowerment, and long-term solutions for displaced populations.
