11.11.2022

Human Rights and Diversity in Compulsory Education: A Brief Legal Commentary

In her research report, Dr Mariya Riekkinen, of Åbo Akademi University (Public Law), discusses the protection of human rights in compulsory education of minority-language pupils, including migrant and refugee pupils and pupils belonging to minority groups. The study first provides an overview of the principles of accommodating diversity in education, as they are guaranteed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights, and reflected in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. In addition to the right to education, the focus is on the freedom of expression, thought, conscience and religion, and the right of minorities to use their own language, enjoy their culture, and practice religion. The report then moves on to present the key provisions in national legal regulation and curricula pertaining to multilingual education in three Nordic countries: Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Decisions by relevant national oversight bodies, such as ombudsmen, are also reviewed. Such decisions interpret the principles of accommodating diversity and human rights in multilingual education, often with the purpose of finding a balance between various conflicting rights.

Dr Riekkinen’s report is a part of the project “To language through culture: methodological support for migrant pupils in Finland, Sweden, and Norway” (2020-2022). This was a joint Nordic project, led by Åbo Akademi University in partnership with Nord University (Norway), and funded by NordPlus Nordic Languages. The report is published in the Research report series of the Institute for Human Rights at Åbo Akademi University.