What is the Salamanca Statement?
The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education was adopted in June 1994 at a UNESCO conference in Salamanca, Spain, attended by representatives of 92 governments and 25 international organisations. It declared that regular schools with an inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discrimination and building an inclusive society, and it called on governments to adopt inclusive education as policy.
What this means in practice
Salamanca is often described as the starting point of the global inclusive education movement. It is cited in national policies across India, the Gulf, Asia and Africa, and it appears frequently in teacher education exams and assignments.
Key ideas
- Every child has a fundamental right to education.
- Every child has unique characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs.
- Education systems should be designed for this diversity.
- Children with special educational needs should have access to regular schools.
- Inclusive regular schools combat discrimination and are cost-effective.
Its influence
The Statement shaped later frameworks, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), and national policies such as India's inclusive education provisions, Ghana's 2015 policy and South Africa's White Paper 6.
Using it in your studies
When writing assignments, cite the Statement for the principle of inclusion, then show how your country's law turns that principle into duties.
Practical next steps
- Read the Statement's opening declaration.
- Note the five principles.
- Compare them with your country's inclusion policy.
- Apply the principles to one classroom decision.
What to keep in mind
Salamanca is a declaration, not a binding treaty. Binding obligations come from treaties such as the CRPD and from national laws.
Common follow-up questions
When was the Salamanca Statement adopted?
In June 1994, at the World Conference on Special Needs Education in Salamanca, Spain.
Is the Salamanca Statement legally binding?
No; it is a policy declaration, though it strongly influenced binding laws.
Sources
- The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action (1994), European Agency copy
- UNESCO: Inclusion in education
Sources inform the explanation; examples are educational illustrations, not individual clinical advice. How these answers are prepared.