The right of children with disabilities to education: A rights-based approach to inclusive education [Position paper]. UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CEECIS). UNICEF 2011

This publication was commissioned by the UNICEF Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CEECIS ). It describes the challenges encountered by children with disabilities in CEECIS to get access to education and more importantly, it provides a menu of policies and strategies that need to be put in place and implemented by a range of stakeholders (government, municipalities, non-state actors including parents and civil society…) in order to realize the right of each and every child with a disability to quality education. The paper provides rights-based tools for Inclusive Education for children with disabilities meant to serve as a reference for advocacy and policy making to UNICEF ’s government counterparts and other partners in CEECIS. It provides clear strategy options for Inclusive Education for children with disabilities, while keeping in mind the need for system-wide approaches designed to address the needs of ALL children. The approach to inclusive education proposed in this publication is better understood within the UNICEF Child Friendly Schools framework. The Right of Roma Children to Education – Position Paper and this paper are meant to help realizing the right to education of two of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups of children. Inclusive education is central to the achievement of high quality education for all learners and the development of more inclusive societies.