The impacts of climate change are no longer isolated incidents but have become the new normal worldwide, leading to the displacement of over 30 million people globally in 2020 alone. The right to education for climate-displaced individuals, particularly vulnerable and marginalized groups, is compromised by various barriers.
UNESCO has released a regional report focused on Central America and the Caribbean, analyzing the effects of climate change and displacement on the right to education. This report is part of UNESCO’s initiative on The Impacts of Climate Change and Displacement on the Right to Education, and it contributes to a forthcoming Global Report expected by the end of 2023.
The Central America and Caribbean region is particularly vulnerable to climate change and displacement due to socioeconomic factors and its geographical location. The report includes country case studies from the Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Jamaica, examining specific vulnerabilities and the impacts of climate change on education in the region.
Key findings of the report include:
- Internal displacement in the Caribbean is commonly caused by sudden-onset events, while in Central American countries, it is often due to drought and leads to international migration.
- Climate change and displacement worsen existing educational inequalities and barriers, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations such as the financially disadvantaged, irregular migrants, girls and women, rural communities, indigenous communities, and persons with disabilities.
- Financial resources are a major barrier to education following disasters and climate-related displacement, with families prioritizing education after achieving economic security. Additional costs for education, such as books, uniforms, and transport, further exacerbate financial barriers.
- Administrative barriers, lack of documentation, residency requirements, and language barriers impede access to quality education for climate-displaced individuals, especially indigenous communities in Guatemala.
- Climate-displaced persons face specific trauma and discrimination that teachers are often not adequately trained to address, particularly in the case of Haitian and indigenous communities, women, and economic migrants.
- Climate-induced damage or destruction of schools, coupled with an influx of climate-displaced persons, endangers access to education in rural and remote areas where educational institutions and teachers are already scarce.
- None of the countries studied has a comprehensive national strategy explicitly guaranteeing the right to education for those displaced by climate change, except for Cuba, which grants refugee status to those displaced by natural disasters in its national legislation, thereby eliminating residency-related barriers to education.
- Insufficient public funding for the education sector, particularly in the aftermath of disasters, is a common issue in the studied countries.
To address the barriers to education resulting from climate change and displacement, intersectoral action is necessary at both the common and national levels. UNESCO aims to provide global policy guidance based on the findings and recommendations of regional studies. A global report will be published during COP 28 to contribute to international discussions on climate change and education.
