Ei-iE

The 10th Education International (EI) World Congress, meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 29 July to 2 August 2024 notes:

1. That defending the human and trade union rights of all people around the world is a fundamental principle enshrined in international laws;
2. That the promotion and protection of human rights irrespective of racial identity, cultural backgrounds, social class or religion and belief is an important principle adopted by EI and its member organisations;
3. That discrimination in education establishments takes many forms, including institutional and personalised, and that this includes hair and caste discrimination, and other forms of cultural bias;
4. That these forms of cultural bias pervades the lives of many pupils and teaching staff worldwide and are based on ill-conceived perceptions and stereotypes that leads to differences in education attainment, social exclusion and other wide scale inequalities;
5. That teachers and other education staff, as pivotal figures in shaping educational environments, have a crucial role to play in fostering inclusivity and combating discrimination.

Congress further notes:

6. That hair discrimination and cultural biases are rooted in systemic racism and are often expressed as micro- and macro-aggressions that impacts negatively on teaching, learning and employment practices;
7. Research conducted by World Afro Day that identifies how employees of African descent are expected to change their appearance to ‘blend in’ more with European-centred professional standards;
8. The importance of adopting school uniform policies and staff dress codes that do not reinforce ethnocentric and discriminatory values and beliefs;
9. The importance of initiatives such as World Afro Day that marks a global day of celebration and liberation for afro hair and African identity;
10. That caste discrimination affects more than 250 million people worldwide and has been acknowledged and condemned by the United Nations and EI member organisations.

Congress believes:

11. That hair discrimination and cultural bias create environments in which students are made to feel unwelcome or ashamed of their cultural heritage. Students may face bullying, harassment, or even exclusion from social activities based on their natural hairstyles or cultural practices. These discriminatory attitudes have resulted in suicide incidents, among other detrimental effects;
12. That the international trade union movement has a responsibility to address the deeply ingrained issues of hair discrimination, cultural bias, and caste discrimination in education.

Congress resolves that the Executive Board will take action to:

13. Advocate for policies within educational institutions that promote inclusivity and respect for diverse cultural practices, including diverse hairstyles, and challenge the perpetuation of caste-based discrimination;
14. Work with relevant organisations and member organisations to campaign against culturally dismissive policies, attitudes and behaviours in education;
15. Campaign for the introduction of cultural competence, anti-racism and anti-caste discrimination awareness within initial and continuing professional development education programmes;
16. Work with member organisations to create the conditions for creating a more inclusive and equitable educational environment for all students and school staff, regardless of their cultural backgrounds, caste or hairstyles.