Central America and the Caribbean regional synthesis: climate change, displacement and the right to education

From rising sea level to drought and increasingly frequent natural disasters - the effects of climate change are well-known today. However, its effect on human mobility is just coming to the forefront of the political discussion. In 2020 alone, 30.7 million people globally were displaced by natural disasters. Central America and the Caribbean region is prone to the effects of climate change and displacement due to its socioeconomic characteristics and geographic location. Country case studies were carried out in the Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Jamaica to examine the impacts on the right to education in the region. The research shows that climate change directly threatens education through the destruction of schools and property. It also leads people across borders where their legal residency and right to education are not guaranteed. This report aims to guide policy-makers on how to ensure education is protected in the face of climate change and displacement. The report is one of four being developed and will contribute to UNESCO’s global initiative on climate change, displacement and the right to education. It will inform the development of a Global Report with policy recommendations.