The Right to Early Childhood Care and Education – Part 2

by | Apr 29, 2026

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Interviewer: Sophie Smith

Sophie Smith graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc with Honours in Reproductive Biology in 2020. She then worked as an Associate Scientist, researching immunotherapy-based treatments for HIV in a Biotech company based in Oxford. Recently, she has made a career change into the world of audio. She currently works in a freelance capacity for a variety of different projects in Oxford and London including editing for The Rhodes Trust podcast and audio-proofing for The Economist. Sophie is also a voice-over artist, working in commercials, narration and audiobooks. At the Oxford Human Rights Hub, Sophie is the podcast producer and editor of the RightsUp podcast.

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International human rights law should protect and promote every individual’s human rights. But the reality is that international covenants on human rights appear remote and unattainable for the vast majority of ordinary people. This perception is supported by the structure of international human rights law, which is based on agreements between States and on the expectation that States will be true to their obligations in relation to the human rights of their own citizens. This podcast, however, recounts how international human rights can become a collaborative project, with individuals and civil society working from the grassroots upwards and from the international sphere downwards to develop and enforce human rights obligations on States.

 

The subject matter of this journey is one of central importance: the care and education of the youngest amongst us. Our interviewees today have been a part of a process of advocating for and advancing the protection of early childhood education as a human right through collaborative ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approaches. We will be speaking with project partners from a variety of organisations who share their experience of shaping human rights law interpretation and enforcement through practical advocacy, particularly on the right to ECCE.

In the second epsiode of this series we speak to Rajakumari Michaelsamy, programme manager at Right to Education Initiative (RTE) and Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN) representatives Alicia Lutomia and Esther Nyamatini.

 

RightsUp is brought to you by the Oxford Human Rights Hub.

The Executive Producer is Meghan Campbell.

This episode was produced, edited and hosted by me, Sophie Smith.

Music for this series is by Rosemary Allmann.

Subscribe to this podcast wherever you like to listen to your favourite podcasts.

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