UN expert in Colombia to examine right to education

A United Nations expert is in Colombia to see how two cities there are observing the right to education despite the difficulties imposed by a decades-old conflict that has displaced two million people and killed tens of thousands across the country.

Katarina Tomasevski, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education of the UN Commission on Human Rights, is expected to meet government authorities and representatives of non-governmental organizations in Bogotá and Choco during her 10-day visit.

While Colombia has a 92 per cent literacy rate and a 90 per cent primary school enrolment, the government has said 1.5 million children lack access to basic education. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has also said that 1 million children have been among the displaced over the past 15 years and 70 per cent of them never return to school.

Ms. Tomasevski visited China last month on a similar mission.