A/HRC/16/53 promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. In terms of their professional backgrounds, the 12 experts included a newspaper editor, television anchor, foreign correspondent, wire reporter, online blogger, head of newsgathering and representatives of an umbrella organization of journalists, an international human rights organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Alliance of Civilizations. 19. As part of the discussion, two specific cases studies were analysed, i.e. the media coverage of recent plans to burn copies of the Qur’an9 and the challenges of reporting on post-electoral conflicts in an ethnically divided country.10 The Special Rapporteur learned more about the decision-making processes within the different mass media organizations and the conditions for making their day-to-day judgement calls, adhering to the key principles of professionalism and independence. The experts highlighted several challenges faced by mass media, for example the increasing competitive nature of the industry and the need to provide news around the clock, coupled with a global and evolving media landscape. Drawing upon their work, the experts also reflected upon existing initiatives and guidelines used by mass media organizations to promote equality, freedom of expression and diversity.11 They acknowledged that self-regulation for mass media is the best system, albeit imperfect, yet also emphasized that self-regulation should not lead to detrimental self-censorship or a conspiracy of silence. They also stressed the importance of skills training, including with respect to investigative reporting. III. Freedom of religion or belief and school education A. Introductory remarks 20. The school constitutes by far the most important formal institution for the implementation of the right to education as it has been enshrined in international human rights documents, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (art. 26), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 13), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (art. 28) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (art. 24). The right to education is also anchored in basic documents of regional human rights protection systems.12 There seems to be worldwide consensus that the right to education is of strategic importance for the effective enjoyment of human rights in general. Not least for this reason, article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child demands that primary education be made compulsory and available free to all, whereas secondary education should be made available and accessible to every child. 9 10 11 12 See also the Special Rapporteurs’ allegation letter dated 8 September 2010 (A/HRC/16/53/Add.1). See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=2122&LangID=E. See for example Aljazeera’s Code of Ethics (http://english.aljazeera.net/aboutus/2006/11/2008525185733692771.html); the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Editorial Guidelines (www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines); Article 19’s Camden Principles on freedom of expression and equality (www.article19.org/advocacy/campaigns/camden-principles); and the International Federation of Journalist’s The Ethical Journalism Initiative (http://ethicaljournalisminitiative.org). See for example the first Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (art. 2); the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (art. 17, para. 1); the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (art. 11); and the Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 13). 7