What is human rights education?

Human Rights Education (HRE) is learning that develops the KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and VALUES of
human rights with the broad goal of building a universal human rights culture. In other words, students
should be aware of the issues, concerned by the issues, and capable of standing up for human rights.
Human rights education will move students from understanding human rights concepts to examining their
experiences from a human rights perspective and incorporating these concepts into their personal values
and decision-making processes.

The following is a general breakdown of the the objectives of human rights education:

Knowledge Skills Values

Learn about human rights Learn for human rights Learn through human rig

Promote awareness and understanding of human Develop the skills and abilities Develop attitudes of respec
rights issues so that people recognize violations of necessary for the defense of human human rights, so people do
human rights. rights violate the rights of other

 The belief that every human is born with  Active listening and  A sense of responsib
the inalienable human rights listed in the communication: being able to for one's own actions
UDHR. listen to different points of view, commitment to perso
to advocate one's own rights development and soc
 Key concepts such as: freedom, justice, and those of other people; change
equality, human dignity, non-
discrimination, democracy, sustainability,  Critical thinking: finding relevant  Curiosity, an open m
poverty, universality, rights, information, appraising and an appreciation
responsibilities, interdependence, evidence critically, being aware diversity
solidarity, and peace. of preconceptions and biases,
recognizing forms of  Empathy and solidar
 The idea that human rights provide a manipulation, and making with others and a
framework for negotiating and agreeing decisions on the basis of commitment to suppo
on standards of behavior in the family, reasoned judgement; those whose human
school, community, and the world. are under threat
 The ability to work cooperatively
 The interdependence of civil/political and to address conflict  A sense of human di
rights and economic/social/ cultural rights. positively; of self-worth and of o
worth, irrespective of
 Recognize the root causes of human  The ability to participate in and social, cultural, lingui
rights issues/concerns. organize social groups religious differences

 Understand human rights terms and  Acting to promote and  A sense of justice, th
concepts according to age/ grade level. safeguard human rights both desire to work toward
locally and globally ideals of freedom, eq
and respect for diver

Human rights education framework

Many teachers often deal with aspects of human rights without giving it that name. HRE provides a
common framework through which different subject matters may be taught in relation to one another. The
topics of globalization, the environment, peace, citizenship, gender equality, democracy, poverty, and
intercultural relations all address human rights issues and attempt to build a culture that respects human
rights. Rather than teaching about these subject matters in isolation, using a HRE framework provides
educators and students with a shared value system through which all subjects intersect.