Abstract:
Internal displacement is a global problem that affects individual and group rights, including the right to
education. Currently, the number of internally displaced persons at the global level has reached 71.1
million, up from 59 million in 2021. From this, school-aged children have a significant share, and most of
them are out of school as little attention is given to education in emergencies. Although internal
displacement is affecting children in many ways, there is no binding agreement at the international level
to protect and support IDPs. The only instrument specific to IDPs at the international level is the nonbinding UN guiding principles on internal displacement. However, the African Region has adopted the
Kampala Convention on the protection of IDPs. In Ethiopia, over the last five years, despite the absence
of exact statistical data, the number of IDPs has been continuously increasing. Accordingly, the number
of IDPs is roughly estimated to be above 4.5 million, of which school-aged children account for over 1
million. And among these school-age children, the majority of them lack access to education. This thesis
was conducted to assess the recognition and implementation of the rights of internally displaced children
to education in Ethiopia by implementing qualitative research. To that effect, the legal, institutional, and
policy frameworks underlying the right to education have been consulted, and interviews with
stakeholders, including IDPs, have been conducted. The research brought to light that not only the right
to education of internally displaced children has been disrupted, but the FDRE government has
practically failed to live up to the commitment it assumed under international legal instruments and the
FDRE Constitution. More, no one is sure regarding the day these significant numbers of children will be
back to school. Accordingly, no one can exactly predict when the violation of human rights to education
for internally displaced children will end. Short of political ways that would help end the underlying
causes of internal displacement, the government of Ethiopia should live up to the international and
national commitments it assumes under various legal instruments that underline the right to education of
internally displaced children. Hence, it needs to adopt national policy frameworks and legal and
institutional frameworks, along with allocating a sufficient budget that will help children exercise their
right to education in IDPs’ camps and within host community schools.