“The situation of trade unions rights in Arab countries remains of grave concern,” said Patrick Roach, of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers who addressed Congress on Resolution 2.10 Resolution: Issues in the Arab Countries.
He highlighted the difficulties in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, and Iran and brought Congress’ attention to the repression of trade unionists and student activists, to the arrest and murder of teachers, to child labour and child brides in different parts of the region.
Nehma Mahfoud, TSL, Lebanon, highlighted the challenges of dealing with the needs of the high numbers of displaced children hosted by Lebanon. Abdelaziz Iouy, SNE-FDT (Morocco) spoke about the violation of rights experienced by Arab people.
The resolution resolves that EI and its affiliates will call on the global community to provide the needed resources to aid in the education right of a whole generation of refugee children. It also makes commitments around ending the use of child soldiers and sexual exploitation and supporting affiliates in the EI Arab Countries Cross-Regional Structure to advocate on behalf of children’s right to equal education opportunities.
Photo Credit: Gabriel Castro - IEAL