Convention against Discrimination in Education - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Convention against Discrimination in Education, 1960, articles 1 (1-2), 3

Article 1

1. For the purpose of this Convention, the term "discrimination" includes any distinction, exclusion, limitation or preference which, being based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic condition or birth, has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing equality of treatment in education and in particular:

1. Of depriving any person or group of persons of access to education of any type or at any level;
2. Of limiting any person or group of persons to education of an inferior standard;
3. Subject to the provisions of article 2 of this Convention, of establishing or maintaining separate educational systems or institutions for persons or groups of persons; or
4. Of inflicting on any person or group of persons conditions which are incompatible with the dignity of man.

2. For the purposes of this Convention, the term "education" refers to all types and levels of education, and includes access to education, the standard and quality of education, and the conditions under which it is given.

Article 3

In order to eliminate and prevent discrimination within the meaning of this Convention, the States Parties thereto undertake:

1. To abrogate any statutory provisions and any administrative instructions and to discontinue any administrative practices which involve discrimination in education;
2. To ensure, by legislation where necessary, that there is no discrimination in the admission of pupils to educational institutions;
3. Not to allow any differences of treatment by the public authorities between nationals, except on the basis of merit or need, in the matter of school fees and the grant of scholarships or other forms of assistance to pupils and necessary permits and facilities for the pursuit of studies in foreign countries;
   
4. Not to allow, in any form of assistance granted by the public authorities to educational institutions, any restrictions or preference based solely on the ground that pupils belong to a particular group;
5. To give foreign nationals resident within their territory the same access to education as that given to their own nationals.