DOCSLIB.ORG

Human Rights Education Ways and Means

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Human Rights Education Ways and Means Human Rights Education Ways and Means Dr K S Sajan Publication Date: 24 April 2010 Abstracts: This paper describes the importance of human rights education as proclaimed by UN (1994) and also the strategies for developing human rights education by UN General assembly 2005. In proclaiming the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004), in December 1994, the General Assembly defined human rights education as “a life-long process by which people at all levels of development and in all strata of society learn respect for the dignity of others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect in all societies.” The Assembly called upon Governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, professional associations and all other sectors of civil society to concentrate their efforts, during the ten-year period 1995-2004, on promoting a universal culture of human rights through human rights education, training and public information. This paper also focuses on different strategies for human rights education as practices or developed in different parts of the world. As in the case of any other education, human rights education can also be grouped in to three categories – formal, non- formal and informal. Parents have a role for imparting human rights education from early child hood itself. The role of mass media, NGO, Informational technologies, other organizations, commissions & local bodies are explained under the heading non formal. The role of formal educational bodies like schools, universities and other educational institutions are explained under the heading ‘formal’. Human rights education programs should address:- particular vulnerable groups, including women, children, indigenous peoples, minorities, refugees and displaced persons, the elderly, workers, peasants, persons in extreme poverty, disabled persons and persons with HIV/AIDS;- particular professional groups, including security, military, police and prison personnel, judges and lawyers, public officials and decision-makers, officials involved in development cooperation, media personnel, health professionals and social workers;- the formal education sector, including early childhood, primary and secondary schools, higher education, teacher training; and non-formal learning, including general public information, education within trade-unions and women’s and youth organizations, and education in difficult situations such as armed conflicts and internal tension. 1 There is a strong international movement for human rights education. According to leading educators, teaching and learning about human rights in age- appropriate ways is feasible and desirable from kindergarten through grade twelve and beyond. Schools in most parts of the world have incorporated human rights education into the curriculum. The paper also reviewed the developing human rights education / training programs, the researches going on world around and opinion papers presented on various seminars regarding the strategies for human rights education. The paper concluded with a note on the importance of developing new learning materials, text books and media for the proper human rights education. Key terms: Human Rights Education, Strategies, Methods Introduction In proclaiming the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004), in December 1994, the General Assembly defined human rights education as “a life-long process by which people at all levels of development and in all strata of society learn respect for the dignity of others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect in all societies.” The Assembly called upon Governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, professional associations and all other sectors of civil society to concentrate their efforts, during the ten-year period 1995-2004, on promoting a universal culture of human rights through human rights education, training and public information. Dr. Dong-Hoon Kim, Director of HURIGHTS OSAKA (1999) said that there are many countries which are not interested in implementation of human rights education programs. Human rights education programs, if any in such countries, are usually provided by NGOs. Thus, it is necessary in the region to build an effective network among these NGOs Dr. Clarence Dias said in a paper entitled "Back to the Future” (1999) some important aspects while developing human rights education in Asia-Pacific region. These include: to help put human rights awareness in action; to develop human rights 2 education strategies in order to bring about social changes; and to make human rights education a life-time education. UN – World Programme for Human Rights (Revised draft plan of action for the first phase - 2005-06) Human rights education can be defined as education, training and information aiming at building a universal culture of human rights through the sharing of knowledge, imparting of skills and moulding of attitudes directed to: (a) The strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; (b) The full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity; (c) The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender equality and friendship among all nations, indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups; (d) The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free and democratic society governed by the rule of law; (e) The building and maintenance of peace; (f) The promotion of people-centred sustainable development and social justice. Human rights education encompasses: (a) Knowledge and skills — learning about human rights and mechanisms for their protection, as well as acquiring skills to apply them in daily life; (b) Values, attitudes and behaviour — developing values and reinforcing attitudes and behaviour which uphold human rights; (c) Action — taking action to defend and promote human rights. The objectives of the World Programme for Human Rights Education and the principles for human rights education activities are detailed in this draft plan that can be utilized by educational experts and policy makers for the effective implementation of Human Rights Education. In accordance with resolution 2004/71 of the Commission on Human Rights, the first phase (2005-2007) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education will focus on the primary and secondary school systems. The detailed procedures suitable for this programme were given in the draft plan. It includes: 3 (a) Policies — developing in a participatory way and adopting coherent educational policies, legislation and strategies that are human rights-based, including curriculum improvement and training policies for teachers and other educational personnel; (b) Policy implementation — planning the implementation of the abovementioned educational policies by taking appropriate organizational measures and by facilitating the involvement of all stakeholders; (c) Learning environment — the school environment itself respects and promotes human rights and fundamental freedoms. It provides the opportunity for all school actors (students, teachers, staff and administrators and parents) to practice human rights through real-life activities. It enables children to express their views freely and to participate in school life (d) Teaching and learning — all teaching and learning processes and tools are rights-based (for instance, the content and objectives of the curriculum, participatory and democratic practices and methodologies, appropriate materials including the review and revision of existing textbooks, etc.); (e) Education and professional development of teachers and other personnel — providing the teaching profession and school leadership, through pre- and in- service training, with the necessary knowledge, understanding, skills and competencies to facilitate the learning and practice of human rights in schools, as well as with appropriate working conditions and status. The components of human rights education in the primary and secondary school system is given in the appendix of the revised draft plan of action. The plan also focuses on Implementation strategies at national level , its stages, what are the steps to be followed, which includes specific actions and its out put. The co ordination of the implementation strategies at international level and the evaluation criteria that can be effectively used for the evaluation of the first phase (2005-07) of the world programme are also detailed in the plan. In harmony with the plan of action several developments are going on regarding the Human Rights Education on the different parts of the world. All such works focus on the urgent need to strengthen existing capacities for human rights education, as well as to develop new capacities, at regional, national and local levels. 4 During the Decade, there must be coordinated efforts to enhance the capacity of human rights education programs for: - Provision of human rights education to people in difficult situations; - Contribution to sustainable capacity-building through the further education of human rights educators; - Development of strategies for human rights education which address the diverse conditions of learners and build on local concepts and cultural sensitivities; - Provision of public access to primary human rights documentation in relevant forms and languages; - Provision of information about international human rights supervisory procedures, including information about opportunities for NGOs and individuals
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education
    © Peti Wiskemann Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship Directorate of Education and Languages and Human Rights Education Council of Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex Tel.: +33 (0)3 88 41 35 29 Fax: +33 (0) 3 88 41 27 88 Internet: http://www.coe.int/edc Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education Adopted in the framework of Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)7 of the Committee of Ministers Introduction Education plays an essential role in the promotion of the core values of the Council of Europe: democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as in the prevention of human rights violations. More generally, education is increasingly seen as a defence against the rise of vio- lence, racism, extremism, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance. This growing awareness is reflected in the adoption of the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education (“EDC/HRE”) by the Organisation’s 47 member states in the framework of Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)7. The Charter was developed over a period of several years as a result of wide-ranging consultations and is non-binding. It will be an important reference point for all those deal- ing with citizenship and human rights education. It will hopefully provide a focus and catalyst for action in the member states, as well as a way of disseminating good practice and raising standards throughout Europe and beyond. 3 Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education Adopted in the framework of Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)7 of the Committee of Ministers Section I – General provisions 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights Day Dec 10, 2016 Safety Dignity Freedom Hope Education Justice Humanity Equality Peace
    GGC Make A Difference Days Instant Meeting Human Rights Day Dec 10, 2016 SAFETY DIGNITY FREEDOM HOPE EDUCATION JUSTICE HUMANITY EQUALITY PEACE a Instant Meeting HUMAN RIGHTS DAY HUMAN RIGHTS DAY Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on December 10 to commemorate the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This Declaration was created in order to help achieve universal dignity, freedom, and equality for all. At the core of the Human Rights Declaration is the belief that we are all entitled to these rights and that no one person is less important than another. This day is all about celebrating and understanding these rights, which will help to ensure universal equality. Human rights are rights that are inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language or any other status. We are equally entitled to these rights without discrimination. In some countries these rights are guaranteed by laws, but this is not the case everywhere. Ensuring that human rights are universal is fundamental to their success. To celebrate Human Rights Day, Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada (GGC) has created an instant meeting that highlights the first article in the Declaration of Human Rights which states that: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. In this resource we have included a variety of activities that challenge units to embrace our differences and to uphold the notion that regardless of your identity we are all equal and entitled to basic human rights.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights Education
    NCSS Position Statement: Human Rights Education: A Necessity for Effective Social and Civic Learning Introduction Within the United States, education has long been valued as a means of fostering the growth and development of each person in order to realize the democratic ideals of freedom, equality, non-discrimination and respect for the rights of all. In an increasingly globalized world and within the United States itself, this growth and development must emphasize not only the rights and obligations arising from American citizenship but also the rights and responsibilities that arise domestically and globally from our common humanity. Social studies education is best suited for this task, as it equips students with the knowledge, values and attitudes, skills, and dispositions to be engaged, reflective citizens and responsible, aware members of the world community. The National Council for the Social Studies affirms that Human Rights Education, in both its civil and its humanitarian aspects, is a necessary element of social studies programs and should be integrated throughout the educational experience of all learners from early childhood through advanced education and lifelong learning. Intended Audience As proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “every individual and every organ of society… shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for” the human rights of all. Therefore, this position statement is intended for a broad audience of the general public, preK-12 school communities, social studies supervisors and directors, higher education, and all educators, formal and informal, throughout society. Background Questions about rights and responsibilities of humans in society are as old as humankind.
    [Show full text]
  • HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION in ACTION Practices of Human Rights Education with and by Young People
    HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN ACTION Practices of Human Rights Education with and by young people Learning Equality. Living Dignity. Human Rights Education in Action Practices of Human Rights Education with and by young people Edited by: Nik Paddison Human Rights Education in Action Practices of Human Rights Education with and by young people Acknowledgements We would like to express our gratitude to all those who contributed to this present publication and to the online collection of good practices, with special thanks to all organisations who submitted information on their projects and to all others who supported editors with suggestions and feedback. We have made all possible efforts to keep all the information as true to the original submitted text as possible, and to give all the necessary credits. We apologise for any omissions and will be pleased to correct them in the next edition. Editor Nik Paddison is primarily a freelance trainer in the field of European youth. He also works as a writer, consultant, and copy editor. For conferences and large youth events he works as a speaker, facilitator and rapporteur. Nik has a background as a youth worker from the UK, although now he lives in Montenegro. The views expressed in this manual do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Council of Europe. Copyright of this publication is held by the Council of Europe. No parts of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes in any form or by any means, electronic (CD-ROM, Internet, etc.) or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publishing Division ([email protected]), Directorate of Communication of the Council of Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Udhrposterseriesandteachers
    OUT' :::J :::J Introduction :::J THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (UDHR) :::J RRST ADOPTED BY THE MEMBER STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN 1948, THE THIRTY ARTICLES OF THE UDHR SET OUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS FUNDAM ENTAL TO THE DIGNITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF EVERY HUMAN :::J BEING. THESE RIGHTS RANGE FROM ECONOMIC, SUCH AS THE RIGHT TO WORK AND TO AN ADEQUATE STANDARD OF LIVING, TO POLITICAL, SUCH AS FREEDOM OF OPINION, EXPRESSION AND ASSOCIATION. ...J THEY INCLUDE CIVIL RIGHTS, SUCH AS EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW, AND SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS, SUCH AS THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CULTURAL LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY. :::J THE UDHR IS THE STANDARD FOR INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS. IT IS THE CORNERSTONE UPON WHICH THE WORK OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IS BASED, AND IT SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR MANY :::J INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HUMAN RIGHTS CONVENTIONS. MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE ARENA OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE YEARS SINCE THE UDHR WAS INTRODUCED, BUT FOR MANY :::J AROUND THE WORLD ITS PROMISES REMAIN UNFULFILLED. ...J :::J Why Human Rights Education? ::J Education for and about human rights is essential for young people to become globally aware and civical ly ::J conscious. Analyzing human rights helps students develop skills of empathy and advocacy, and it empowers them to take action for change. ::J However, for human rights values to become truly a part of the consciousness of the young, the philosophy needs to be integrated throughout their education and not just taught as an "add on . ~ Human rights are relevant :::J to so many aspects of life and education that they can be woven naturally into the fabric of existing curriculums.
    [Show full text]
  • Ii. What Is Human Rights Education?
    II. WHAT IS HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION? … [E]very individual and every organ of society … shall strive by teaching and education to pro- mote respect for these rights and freedoms… Preamble, Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1. Introducing human rights education No single defi nition for human rights education will serve the many ways in which people young and old come to understand, practise and value their rights and respect the rights of others. Th e Council of Europe’s Human Rights Education Youth Programme defi nes human rights education as: …educational programmes and activities that focus on promoting equality in human dignity, in conjunction with programmes such as those promoting intercultural learning, participation and empowerment of minorities. Th e telling phrase in this defi nition is “in conjunction”, for human rights education is rarely undertaken outside of a specifi c context, ideally based on the needs, preferences, abilities and desires of the learners. Th e key to defi ning human rights education is its purpose, for no matter what the methodology or con- text, its aim is always the development of a culture of human rights. Th e essential elements of such a culture can provide general objectives for human rights education: . to strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms . to value human dignity and develop individual self-respect and respect for others . to develop attitudes and behaviours that will lead to respect for the rights of others . to ensure genuine gender equality and equal opportunities for women and men in all spheres . to promote respect, understanding and appreciation of diversity, particularly towards diff erent national, ethnic, religious, linguistic and other minorities and communities .
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Look at Implementing Human Rights Commission Laws
    I N S T I T U T E F O R I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A W & H U M A N R I G H T S A Comparative look at Implementing Human Rights Commission Laws March, 2009 Prepared by The Institute for International Law & Human Rights with the assistance of ǯ 1 I N S T I T U T E F O R I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A W & H U M A N R I G H T S Executive Summary In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the Paris Principles relating to the status of national human rights institutions. This marked a movement towards the establishment of national human rights commissions in many countries throughout the world. These commissions have adopted different models, and possess varying degrees of power. However, they share the common goal of seeking to address human rights violations and educating the public about human rights. The Parliamentary Council of Representatives in Iraq passed a law in 2008 establishing a High Commission for Human Rights. This memorandum examines comparative models of human rights institutions and suggests a number of best practices to be applied to ensure the independence and effectiveness of the High Commission for Human Rights. A commission should ideally be independent of the government. This means that it should be financially independent to the greatest extent possible, and that the government should have little or no control over the functioning of the commission.
    [Show full text]
  • International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Education: an Exploration of Differences and Complementarity
    Volume 3 Number 1 (2009): 64-79 http://www.infactispax.org/journal/ International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Education: An Exploration of Differences and Complementarity Josefine Scherling Universitat Klagenfurt, Austria This article is meant as a small attempt to deal critically with Humanitarian Law within Human Rights Education. After a quick glance at the nature of Humanitarian Law, its relation to Human Rights Education will be discussed and possibilities for linking it to Human Rights Education will be contemplated. The article’s intention is to initialize a discourse which, after further intensive analysis, should contribute to clarifying the relation between Human Rights Education and education in Humanitarian Law. 1. Short introduction of Humanitarian Law Humanitarian Law is part of International Law. As a so-called lex specialis it determines the minimal standards for international and partially also domestic armed conflicts and is therefore also called ius in bello. It is applied in all cases of declared war as well as “any other armed conflict […], even if the state of war is not recognized by one of them”.1 Article 3 describes the minimal standards that also apply in non-international conflicts. Some of the clauses are also valid in times of peace, like the protection of the Red Cross symbol. Humanitarian Law includes – first – regulations for the protection of persons who are not or no longer partaking in the conflict and – second – limitations of means and methods of war. Humanitarian Law is concerned with the protection of human dignity in the extreme situation of war. Its regulations are intended to limit violence in armed conflicts and to ease human suffering.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights Council Resolution 8/4. the Right to Education the Human Rights Council, Reaffirming All Previous Resolutions of Th
    Human Rights Council Resolution 8/4. The right to education The Human Rights Council, Reaffirming all previous resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to education, inter alia, resolution 2005/21 of 15 April 2005, Recalling that everyone shall enjoy the human right to education, which is enshrined, inter alia, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other pertinent international instruments, Recalling also that in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, it is resolved that children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling and that girls and boys will have equal access to all levels of education by 2015, and emphasizing the importance of realizing the right to education in attaining the Millennium Development Goals, Affirming that the realization of the right to education, including for girls and persons belonging to vulnerable groups, contributes to the eradication of poverty and of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Deeply concerned that some 72 million children, 57 per cent of whom are girls and 37 million of whom live in conflict-affected fragile States, are out of school, and that 774 million adults, 64 per cent of whom are women, still lack basic literacy skills, despite progress made in recent years towards achieving the goals of the Education for All initiative agreed upon at the World Education Forum, held
    [Show full text]
  • Advances in Promoting Literacy and Human Rights for Women and Girls Through Mobile Learning Helen Crompton Old Dominion University, [email protected]
    Old Dominion University ODU Digital Commons Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications Teaching & Learning 2016 Advances in Promoting Literacy and Human Rights for Women and Girls Through Mobile Learning Helen Crompton Old Dominion University, [email protected] Judith Dunkerly-Bean Old Dominion University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_fac_pubs Part of the Communication Technology and New Media Commons, Gender Equity in Education Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Online and Distance Education Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Repository Citation Crompton, Helen and Dunkerly-Bean, Judith, "Advances in Promoting Literacy and Human Rights for Women and Girls Through Mobile Learning" (2016). Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications. 53. https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/teachinglearning_fac_pubs/53 Original Publication Citation Crompton, H., & Dunkerly-Bean, J. (2016). Advances in promoting literacy and human rights for women and girls through mobile learning. International Women Online Journal of Distance Education, 5(2), 01. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Teaching & Learning at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. International Women Online Journal of Distance Education April, 2016 Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Article: 01 ISSN: 2147-0367 ADVANCES IN PROMOTING
    [Show full text]
  • Respect, Equality, Participation: Exploring Human Rights Education in Great Britain November 2020
    Research report Respect, equality, participation: exploring human rights education in Great Britain November 2020 Dr. Leah Culhane and Emma McGeough equalityhumanrights.com Respect, equality, participation: exploring human rights education in Great Britain © 2020 Equality and Human Rights Commission First published November 2020 ISBN 978-1-84206-832-8 Research report 134 Equality and Human Rights Commission Research Report Series Please contact the Research Team for information about our other research reports, or visit our website. Post: Research Team Equality and Human Rights Commission Arndale House The Arndale Centre Manchester M4 3AQ Email: [email protected] For information on accessing one of our publications in an alternative format, please contact: [email protected]. 1 Respect, equality, participation: exploring human rights education in Great Britain Contents Acknowledgments ............................................................................................. 5 Acronyms and abbreviations ............................................................................ 6 Executive summary............................................................................................ 7 Overview .......................................................................................................... 7 What is human rights education?................................................................. 8 How do schools implement human rights education? ............................... 8 What do schools
    [Show full text]
  • Human Rights Literacy: Moving Towards Rights-Based Education and Transformative Action Through Understandings of Dignity, Equality and Freedom
    South African Journal of Education, Volume 35, Number 2, May 2015 1 Art. # 1044, 12 pages, doi: 10.15700/saje.v35n2a1044 Human rights literacy: Moving towards rights-based education and transformative action through understandings of dignity, equality and freedom Anne Becker, Annamagriet de Wet and Willie van Vollenhoven Edu-HRight Research Unit, Faculty of Education Sciences, North-West University Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa [email protected] The twentieth century has been characterised by the proliferation of human rights in the discursive practices of the United Nations (Baxi, 1997). In this article, we explore the continual process of rights-based education towards transformative action, and an open and democratic society, as dependent upon the facilitation of human rights literacy in teacher training. Our theoretical framework examines the continual process of moving towards an open and democratic society through the facilitation of human rights literacy, rights-based education and transformative action. We focus specifically on under- standings of dignity, equality and freedom, as both rights (legal claims) and values (moral action) across horizontal and vertical applications, considering the internalisation and implementation of dignity, equality and freedom towards trans- formative action. Our analysis of data stemming from a project funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) entitled ‘Human Rights Literacy: A quest for meaning’, brought student-teachers’ understandings into conversation with the pro- posed theoretical framework. In terms of understandings related to dignity, equality and freedom, participants seemingly understand human rights either as legal interests, or alternatively, as they pertain to values such as caring, ubuntu , respect, human dignity and equality.
    [Show full text]