In 1948, the UN proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris, in which the human right to education was established internationally for the first time. The right to education is also mentioned in the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966, in which the signatory states commit to ensure a minimum level of education. Education gives people the opportunity to develop freely. Jernej Letnar Černič in his chapter "Corporate human rights obligations under specific socio-economic rights," shows us how, especially in structurally weak countries, companies are often involved in education. In some regions, for example, education remains a privilege, as business models often cause problems for people in socially disadvantaged groups regarding access to education and its financing. The implementation of the right proved difficult for many governments. Černič correctly recognizes that many countries already have the right to education enshrined in their constitution, but often national debt and lack of financial resources impede the construction of an adequate school system that ensures basic education. The absence of a comprehensive network of schools means that children, who mostly also have to contribute to their families’ income, can often only attend school under difficult conditions. The most common reason for children not attending school is poverty. In developing countries, families often have to make precise budget allocations, with education falling behind food, housing, and health. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that parents already have no education and are illiterate. For them, other gender specific plans for their children's future seem to make more sense. However, one looks at the impact of education, shows how important education and the right to education is for the development of all countries. Access to education opens up new prospects for the future of the individual by giving them the chance to find diverse jobs and earn higher incomes. It can also be seen that political interest and participation increases with education, making people more inclined to exercise their rights. Education is thus indispensable for building democracy. Yet, in many regions, even if financial resources were available, there are not sufficient human resources. Due to generally low levels of education in those regions, there is often no one qualified enough to provide education. However, the lack of education is not exclusively a problem in developing countries. Industrialized countries also have a problem with providing adequate education free of charge and without discrimination. For example, children from socially disadvantaged structures are often disadvantaged since they might have access to a school, but the quality of education is very poor—therefore, they have less chance of being competitive on the labor market later on. However, it is clear how strongly education depends on the political and economic stability of a country. It is important to enforce the minimum level of education worldwide: availability, accessibility, quality, and adaptability. This is the only way to promote and create global sustainable development. Černič proposes that companies should be actively involved and taken into account in this process.
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