Sustainable Development Goals, Stateless Individuals and Inclusive Education

Abstract

The paper posits that the notion of universal fundamental human rights for all underpins all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. It provides human dignity moorings for the SDGs as the SDGs are constitutive of universal dignity values in terms of which no human being should be sidelined in human rights matters regardless of such person’s circumstances in life. This is the context in which this paper discusses SDG4 through which the UN seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for everyone. In terms of this discussion, which is based on international law, the paper argues that a reservation made by Zambia, a State Party to the 1954 Statelessness Convention, by which it limits elementary education to its citizens alone and excludes children of stateless persons, undermines the human rights basis of SDG4. It is, also, illegal in international law as it goes against the object and purpose of the Convention, which is to provide certain human rights to stateless individuals to enable them to maintain their human dignity. Hence, the paper contends that the reservation must be withdrawn.