Education is an important tool for tackling racism and intolerance, while being at the same time an area in which both phenomena may exist, proliferate, and lead to discrimination, with harmful consequences for children and the society as a whole. ECRI has always strongly highlighted that human rights education based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, as well as tolerance and respect for diversity, can play a key role in combating racism and intolerance.

Following the adoption of General Policy Recommendation No. 10, ECRI paid special attention to education policies and efforts within the framework of its country monitoring work, with a particular emphasis being placed on inclusive education. In addition, in recent general policy recommendations, education issues feature prominently, including in ECRI’s revised General Policy Recommendation No. 5 on preventing and combating anti-Muslim racism and discrimination, revised General Policy Recommendation No. 9 on preventing and combating Antisemitism, and General Policy Recommendation No. 17 on preventing and combating intolerance and discrimination against LGBTI persons.

The factsheet outlines ECRI’s key recommendations on preventing and combating racism and intolerance in and through education, as reflected in its country monitoring reports of the fifth and sixth cycles over the last 10 years.

It is divided into four main sections with ample reference to over 60 recommendations made in country monitoring reports:

• Developing human rights education and promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in schools;
• Addressing any segregation in schools and paying special attention to pupils with a minority or migration background;
• Countering racist and LGBTI-phobic bullying in schools;
• Ensuring a non-discriminatory approach to the wearing of religious symbols or clothing.

The new factsheet is a tool supplementing relevant texts of a general nature adopted by ECRI and meant to assist member states in developing, implementing, and evaluating measures to prevent and combat racism and intolerance in and through education.