Human Rights EducationHuman Rights Education

Soon Won KangSoon Won Kang

(Hanshin University, (Hanshin University,

South Korea)South Korea)

Human Rights Education Human Rights Education RecognitionRecognition

Vienna Conference in 1993Vienna Conference in 1993United Nations Decade for United Nations Decade for

Human Rights Education Human Rights Education (1995-2004)(1995-2004)

World Program for Human World Program for Human Rights Education (2005-2007)Rights Education (2005-2007)

HRE in Asian countriesHRE in Asian countries

Having been deprived from the progress Having been deprived from the progress of modernization by the “western” of modernization by the “western” imperialist influences, suffer from low imperialist influences, suffer from low education indexes, as well as low education indexes, as well as low Human Rights Education awarenessHuman Rights Education awareness

Confused terms with value, moral, civic, Confused terms with value, moral, civic, religious, and national education, etcreligious, and national education, etc

Limited roles of the stateLimited roles of the state

ESD/EIU/HREESD/EIU/HRE

A comprehensive Human Rights Education A comprehensive Human Rights Education program is indispensable for the establishment of a program is indispensable for the establishment of a background of respect for human rights, respect background of respect for human rights, respect for future generations, respect for diversity, and for future generations, respect for diversity, and respect for cultural differences—qualities that are respect for cultural differences—qualities that are essential for an effective Education for Sustainable essential for an effective Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Human Rights Education, Development (ESD). Human Rights Education, based on the fundamental values of human liberty based on the fundamental values of human liberty and dignity, is also a crucial element for peaceful and dignity, is also a crucial element for peaceful fulfillment of the Education for International fulfillment of the Education for International Understanding (EIU) through international Understanding (EIU) through international cooperation and proper understanding of the cooperation and proper understanding of the international community. Therefore, Human Rights international community. Therefore, Human Rights Education is not merely a subtopic of ESD and EIU, Education is not merely a subtopic of ESD and EIU, but an essential nucleus that must not be but an essential nucleus that must not be overlooked. overlooked.

Universal Declaration of Human RightsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights

““Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,”the rule of law,”

Human Rights AreasHuman Rights Areas

1.1. Civil and Political Rights:Civil and Political Rights:

Classified as the Rights to Freedom;Classified as the Rights to Freedom;

An individual life, freedom and security;An individual life, freedom and security;

Freedom from interrogation and slavery;Freedom from interrogation and slavery;

Political participation, opinion, ideology, Political participation, opinion, ideology, expression, conscience, and religious expression, conscience, and religious freedom;freedom;

Freedom of assembly and associationFreedom of assembly and association

2. Economic and Social Rights:2. Economic and Social Rights: Classified as the Classified as the droits sociauxdroits sociaux, or , or Social Rights; Social Rights; Rights to work, the right to education, to Rights to work, the right to education, to proper level of life, and food, residence, heproper level of life, and food, residence, health, and welfarealth, and welfare

3. Rights of environment, culture, and 3. Rights of environment, culture, and development:development:

Right to live in a clean environment, Right to live in a clean environment, and the right to cultural development and the right to cultural development

Universal Declaration of Human Universal Declaration of Human Rights through education:Rights through education:

““Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and educationby teaching and education to promote to promote respect for these rights and freedomsrespect for these rights and freedoms…”…”

Human Rights Education is an Human Rights Education is an education education about, for, and ofabout, for, and of

human rights.human rights.

“ “It refers to the collective effort for the It refers to the collective effort for the transmission of human rights related transmission of human rights related information and education, as well as information and education, as well as raising proper knowledge and a raising proper knowledge and a positive attitude, through all necessary positive attitude, through all necessary educational means to all members of educational means to all members of society, in order to establish a society, in order to establish a universal culture of human rights.”universal culture of human rights.”

The United Nations Decade for Human The United Nations Decade for Human

Rights Education foundations:Rights Education foundations:

Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Rights

Article 13 of the International Covenants on Article 13 of the International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural RightsEconomic, Social and Cultural Rights

Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the ChildChild

Article 10 of the Convention on the Elimination of Article 10 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women All Forms of Discrimination against Women

Article 7 of the International Convention on the Article 7 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination

Clauses 33 and 34 of the Vienna DeclarationClauses 33 and 34 of the Vienna Declaration Articles 78 - 82 of the Vienna Program of ActionArticles 78 - 82 of the Vienna Program of Action

Orientation of human rights Orientation of human rights education of UNDHREeducation of UNDHRE

1) The strengthening of respect for human rights and 1) The strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.fundamental freedoms.

2) The full development of human personality and sense of 2) The full development of human personality and sense of dignity, regardless of social background.dignity, regardless of social background.

3) The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender 3) The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender equality, friendship among all nations indigenous peoples, equality, friendship among all nations indigenous peoples, and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups.and racial, national, ethnic, religious and linguistic groups.

4) The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a 4) The enabling of all persons to participate effectively in a free and democratic society governed by the rule of law. free and democratic society governed by the rule of law.

5) The building and maintenance of peace.5) The building and maintenance of peace.6) The promotion of people-centered sustainable development 6) The promotion of people-centered sustainable development

and social justice.and social justice.

1) Promote the interdependence, indivisibility and 1) Promote the interdependence, indivisibility and universality of human rights including civil, universality of human rights including civil, economic, political, social and cultural rights, and economic, political, social and cultural rights, and the right to development.the right to development.

2) Foster respect for and appreciation of differences, 2) Foster respect for and appreciation of differences, and opposition to discrimination on the basis of and opposition to discrimination on the basis of race, sex, language, religion, political or other race, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, physical or opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, physical or mental condition and on other bases.mental condition and on other bases.

3) Encourage Analysis of chronic and emerging 3) Encourage Analysis of chronic and emerging human rights problems, which would lead to human rights problems, which would lead to solutions consistent with human rights standards.solutions consistent with human rights standards.

4) Empower communities and individuals to identify 4) Empower communities and individuals to identify their human rights needs and to ensure that they their human rights needs and to ensure that they are met. are met.

Principles of human rights education activitiesPrinciples of human rights education activities

5) Build on the human rights principles, embedded 5) Build on the human rights principles, embedded within the different cultural context and take into within the different cultural context and take into account historical and social development in each account historical and social development in each country.country.

6) Foster knowledge of and skill to use local, national, 6) Foster knowledge of and skill to use local, national, and international human rights instruments and and international human rights instruments and mechanisms for the protection of human rights.mechanisms for the protection of human rights.

7) Make use of participatory pedagogies that include 7) Make use of participatory pedagogies that include knowledge, critical analysis and skills for action knowledge, critical analysis and skills for action furthering human rights.furthering human rights.

8) Foster teaching and learning environment free from 8) Foster teaching and learning environment free from want and fear that encourage participation, want and fear that encourage participation, enjoyment of human rights and the full development enjoyment of human rights and the full development of the human personality.of the human personality.

9) Be relevant to the daily life of the learners, engaging 9) Be relevant to the daily life of the learners, engaging them in a dialogue about ways and means of them in a dialogue about ways and means of transforming human rights from the expression of transforming human rights from the expression of abstract norms to the reality of their social, cultural abstract norms to the reality of their social, cultural and political conditions.and political conditions.

World Program for Human Rights World Program for Human Rights

EducationEducation

1) Improved quality of learning achievement by 1) Improved quality of learning achievement by promoting child-centered and participatory promoting child-centered and participatory teaching and learning practices and processes, as teaching and learning practices and processes, as well as a new role for the teaching profession. well as a new role for the teaching profession.

2) Increased access to and participation in schooling 2) Increased access to and participation in schooling by creating a rights-based learning environment by creating a rights-based learning environment that is inclusive and welcoming and fosters that is inclusive and welcoming and fosters universal values, equal opportunities, diversity, universal values, equal opportunities, diversity, and non-discrimination.and non-discrimination.

3) A contribution to social cohesion and conflict 3) A contribution to social cohesion and conflict prevention by supporting the social and prevention by supporting the social and emotional development of the child, by emotional development of the child, by introducing democratic citizenship and values.introducing democratic citizenship and values.

According to the UN definition, According to the UN definition,

““Human rights education” aims at Human rights education” aims at developing an understanding of our developing an understanding of our common responsibility to make human common responsibility to make human rights a reality in every community and in rights a reality in every community and in society at large. society at large.

- Prevention of human rights abuses and Prevention of human rights abuses and violent conflictsviolent conflicts

- Promotion of equality and sustainable Promotion of equality and sustainable development development

- Enhancement of people’s participation in Enhancement of people’s participation in decision-making processes within a decision-making processes within a democratic systemsdemocratic systems

What is to be done What is to be done in Asia-Pacific in Asia-Pacific

Region?Region?

HRE in schools as well as in the lifelong process in HRE in schools as well as in the lifelong process in the non-formal sectors - the church, local the non-formal sectors - the church, local community, media, corporations and labor community, media, corporations and labor unions, public sectors and all gatherings.unions, public sectors and all gatherings.

Vertical integration

Work place, family, religious institutions, community, etc

Kindergarten, school, religious institutions, family, etc

Stakeholders, such as individuals, local agencies, Stakeholders, such as individuals, local agencies, and HR Commissions, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the and HR Commissions, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the states should cooperate for the culture of peace states should cooperate for the culture of peace and nonviolence.and nonviolence.

HR Commissions

Local Agencies

UNICEF

IndividualsUNESCO

The State

From that perspective, the HRE, ESD, and From that perspective, the HRE, ESD, and the EIU share a common objective.the EIU share a common objective.

EIU HRE

ESD