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Human Rights EducationA Manual forNational Human Rights Institutions
Note
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the APF concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
ISBN 978-0-9873578-8-5 (print)ISBN 978-0-9873578-9-2 (electronic)
Human Rights Education: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions
© Copyright Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, July 2013 (updated October 2019)
No reproduction is permitted without prior written consent from the APF.
Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights InstitutionsGPO Box 5218Sydney NSW 1042Australia
Human Rights Education: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions 2
Contents
Foreword...................................................................................................................................7
Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................8
List of abbreviations..................................................................................................................9
Introduction for users...........................................................................................................10
Part I: Introduction to human rights education.....................................................11
Chapter 1: Human rights: An overview...............................................................................111.1. The characteristics of human rights...........................................................................11
1.2. The human rights story..............................................................................................12
1.3. The international human rights framework.................................................................14
Chapter 2: Human rights education: An overview.............................................................182.1. What is human rights education?...............................................................................18
2.2. Why do human rights education?...............................................................................23
2.3. Who is human rights education directed at?..............................................................26
Chapter 3: National human rights institutions and human rights education..................313.1. Mandate and role of national human rights institutions..............................................31
3.2. Basic requirements of NHRIs in providing human rights education...........................32
3.3. Examples from the Asia Pacific region.......................................................................37
Part II: Human rights education theory, principles and approach......................41
Chapter 4: Human rights education theory and principles...............................................414.1. Theoretical framework for human rights education....................................................41
4.2. Practice principles for a human rights education methodology..................................45
Chapter 5: A human rights education approach................................................................515.1. The multi-method approach to human rights education.............................................51
5.2. Frameworks to strengthen the multi-method approach..............................................54
Part III: Human rights education in practice..........................................................62
Chapter 6: Planning and designing human rights education...........................................626.1. Introduction................................................................................................................62
6.2. A Logic Model............................................................................................................63
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6.3. Using the Logic Model to plan and design an education activity...............................65
Chapter 7: Implementing human rights education............................................................787.1. The roles and functions of the human rights educator...............................................79
7.2. Recognizing diverse learning preferences.................................................................82
7.3. Creating effective environments.................................................................................82
7.4. Pacing the activity......................................................................................................83
7.5. Language and messaging used in written and oral communications........................83
7.6. Monitoring progress...................................................................................................84
7.7. Reflective practice, supervision and self-care............................................................87
Chapter 8: Evaluating human rights education.................................................................898.1. What is evaluation?....................................................................................................90
8.2. Carrying out evaluation..............................................................................................90
8.3. Reporting the evaluation outcomes............................................................................93
Chapter 9: Human rights education and gender................................................................979.1. Introduction................................................................................................................97
9.2. Human rights education and gender..........................................................................98
9.3. Applying a gender lens to human rights education..................................................101
Chapter 10: Working with the media.................................................................................10810.1. Introduction............................................................................................................108
10.2. Promoting community understanding of human rights...........................................110
10.3. Understanding news values...................................................................................111
10.4. Setting expectations...............................................................................................112
10.5. Planning for media engagement............................................................................113
10.6. Elements of effective communication.....................................................................115
10.7. Monitoring your coverage.......................................................................................116
10.8. Creating human rights content for the media.........................................................116
10.9. Connecting to communities through social media..................................................117
10.10. Supporting journalists in their work......................................................................119
Chapter 11: Human rights education in early childhood education centresand schools.........................................................................................................................122
11.1. International obligations.........................................................................................122
11.2. Human rights education in schools........................................................................125
11.3. Human rights education principles and early childhood educationand schools.....................................................................................................................126
11.4. Approaches............................................................................................................128
11.5. Case studies from NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region..............................................129
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11.6. International initiatives, curriculum materials and resources..................................133
Chapter 12: Human rights education in conflict and post-conflict situations..............13712.1. The importance of education in conflict and post-conflict situations......................137
12.2. The education role of NHRIs in conflict and post-conflict situations......................138
12.3. Voices from NHRIs in conflict and post-conflict situations.....................................139
Part IV: Tools and techniques...............................................................................145Tool 1: Force field analysis.............................................................................................151
Tool 2: Feedback continuum...........................................................................................153
Tool 3: Street survey.......................................................................................................154
Tool 4: Reef analysis.......................................................................................................155
Tool 5: Community mapping...........................................................................................157
Tool 6: Photovoice..........................................................................................................158
Tool 7: Sequencing.........................................................................................................159
Tool 8: Organising cycle..................................................................................................160
Tool 9: Learning curve....................................................................................................161
Tool 10: Facilitation techniques.......................................................................................163
Tool 11: Mind mapping....................................................................................................167
Tool 12: Tree diagram.....................................................................................................168
Tool 13: Theatre..............................................................................................................169
Tool 14: Visual arts.........................................................................................................171
Tool 15: Sample workshop on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights...................172
Tool 16: Workshop overview: Introduction to human rights............................................174
Tool 17: Workshop overview: Introduction to disability rights.........................................176
Tool 18: Workshop overview: Sexual and racial harassment.........................................178
Tool 19: Workshop overview: Bullying and harassment.................................................180
Tool 20: Equality card game...........................................................................................181
Tool 21: World café.........................................................................................................184
Tool 22: Fireball game....................................................................................................185
Tool 23: Activity diary......................................................................................................186
Tool 24: Evaluation dartboard.........................................................................................187
Tool 25: Feedback wheel................................................................................................188
Summary..............................................................................................................................190
Useful resources.................................................................................................................195
Glossary...............................................................................................................................202
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Appendices1. Logic Models applied to human rights education activities in theAsia Pacific region...........................................................................................................206
2. Choosing an appropriate human rights education method.........................................212
3. Logic Model checklist..................................................................................................216
4. Jakarta Guidelines for Human Rights Facilitation.......................................................219
5. AFN Human Rights Facilitator Competency Framework............................................225
6. Four categories of learning experiences or styles.......................................................230
7. Four types of thinking styles........................................................................................231
8. Self-evaluation, peer evaluation and external evaluation............................................232
9. Guide questions for evaluating whether an activity meets human rightseducation principles........................................................................................................234
10. UNICEF framework for the development of rights-respecting schools.....................236
11. “4-A” framework for education and international human rights instruments.............240
12. United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training....................241
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Foreword
To claim their rights and seek redress for violations, people first need to understand their rights. To properly respect, protect and fulfil the rights of those within their borders, agencies of the State and other duty bearers need training and professional development.
Human rights education is essential to the long-term prevention of human rights abuses. It is a powerful investment in the development of a strong human rights culture and, ultimately, in fairer and more just societies.
National human rights institutions (NHRIs) have a crucial role to play in advancing human rights education in their countries. It is a core part of their mandate.
The Paris Principles set out that NHRIs have a responsibility to “assist in the formulation of programmes for the teaching of, and research into, human rights and to take part in their execution in schools, universities and professional circles”.
The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training also stresses that NHRIs “can play an important role, including, where necessary, a coordinating role, in promoting human rights education and training by, inter alia, raising awareness and mobilizing relevant public and private actors”.
NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region have a long and rich tradition of delivering human rights education programmes for a broad range of stakeholders. Some provide training in human rights law and practice to the police, military and other law enforcement officials. Others work with their governments to encourage the incorporation of human rights into national school curriculums. Of course, many also undertake programmes at the grass-roots level to build the capacity of communities and civil society organisations to advocate for human rights, especially for those most vulnerable to violations.
And as new technologies develop, NHRIs will continue to design innovative ways to share human rights knowledge, skills, stories and perspectives with the many different groups with which they work.
This Manual seeks to draw together the principles and practice that are essential to effective human rights education. It provides a thorough theoretical framework to assist NHRIs with the design, delivery and evaluation of their human rights education programmes, as well as a broad range of case studies showcasing good practice from NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region.
I trust this Manual will be of assistance to NHRIs in their important work.
Kieren FitzpatrickDirectorAsia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions
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Acknowledgements
This Manual was written, gender mainstreamed and updated by Dr Jill Chrisp. Jill has undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in social science and education. She has worked in New Zealand, including with the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, and internationally facilitating regional, national and international human rights capability-building activities.
Pip Dargan, Deputy Director and Gender Focal Point, and Aishath Fasoha, Projects and Planning Manager led the Manual update for the APF Secretariat, with contribution from Kate Turner-Mann, Regional Training Manager.
An APF Gender Mainstreaming Expert Reference Group supported the updating of the Manual by contributing their expertise, experience and diverse perspectives.
Dr Ammar Dwaik and Ola Adawi, Independent Commission for Human Rights Palestine
Azhara Suleimenova Commission for Human Rights Kazakhstan and APF Facilitators’ Network (AFN)
Charles Dean, Office of the Ombudsman / NHRI Samoa
Fatima Al Tareef, National Institute for Human Rights Bahrain (AFN)
Dr Jayshree Mangubhai, The Pacific Community (SPC) Regional Rights Resource Team – Fiji / Pacific
Jensen Byrne, previous human rights consultant UN Bangkok Regional Hub
Joanna Maskell, New Zealand Human Rights Commission
Mohna Ansari, Human Rights Commission, Nepal
Rahman Ali Jawed, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
Rosslyn Noonan Expert to the APF
Twyla Rubin, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
Zaihan Zulkarnain, SUHAKAM Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (AFN)
Additional material and case studies were provided for the updated Manual by Rahman Ali Jawed, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Ashley Hill, Australian Human Rights Commission and members of the APF Facilitators’ Network.
The first version of the Manual was written in 2013 with the support of an NHRI Peer Reference Group who provided input and feedback. Reference Group members included Ariunaa Chuluunbaatar (Mongolia), Cristina Ricci (Australia), Eka Tanlain (Indonesia), Jaideep Singh Kochher (India), Marc Titus Cebreros (Philippines), Shreeram Adhikari (Nepal) and Victorio Aleria (Philippines).
NHRIs of Australia and India, Sandra Bernklau from the Pacific Islands Regional Right Resource Team and Chris Sidoti, James Iliffe, Kieren Fitzpatrick, Lisa Thompson and Suraina Pasha from the APF Secretariat also contributed in their respective ways to the development of the Manual.
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List of abbreviations
APF Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions
HRE Human rights education
GANHRI Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions
NGO(s) non-governmental organization(s)
NHRI(s) national human rights institution(s)
NHRC National Human Rights Commission
OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
SDGs Sustainable Development Goals
UN United Nations
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
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Introduction for users
Purpose of the Manual
The Human Rights Education Manual has been designed to be a resource for human rights educators and national human rights institutions when they are planning to undertake a human rights education programme or activity. It aims to support experienced, and not so experienced, human rights educators by offering a theoretical and practical human rights education resource. The Manual does not propose a template for human rights education, nor does it suggest that there is a correct way to do human rights education. Rather it is suggesting that there are multiple ways of undertaking human rights education and that the best people to decide what those ways may be, are those who are involved in the human rights education activity and on whom the activity impacts.
A set of videos have been produced to accompany the Manual, Life Lessons: Human Rights Education and NHRIs.1
In 2017, the APF initiated a project to develop a professional network of human rights facilitators in the region, the APF Facilitators’ Network (AFN). The aim of the AFN is to enhance the capabilities of NHRIs to facilitate capacity development initiatives through skilled NHRI staff. The HRE Manual is a resource for this work. It has been sourced on APF’s online platform, FUSE, and the 2019 update has included the additional material relevant to the AFN.
About the Manual
The Manual is divided into four sections.
The first introduces human rights, human rights education and the role and mandate of national human rights institutions to provide human rights education.
The second section overviews the theoretical background to human rights education, its philosophy and principles. It introduces an approach to the practice of human rights education that is strengthened by several other human rights education frameworks.
The third section focuses on doing human rights education by introducing methods and processes for planning and designing an education activity, implementing an activity and evaluating its outcomes. It includes a specific focus on formal education of children and young people in schools and also introduces some of the considerations when working in conflict and post-conflict zones.
The final section pulls together a variety of tools that can be used for human rights education activities. The Manual concludes with a summary of each chapter and a collated list of resources.
The appendices build on the individual chapters and include the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education.
1 APF Video Series Life Lessons: Human rights education and NHRIs. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/life-lessons-human-rights-education-NHRIs/.
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Part I:Introduction to human rights education
Chapter 1:Human rights: An overview
Key questions What are human rights?
Where do human rights come from?
What are the significant international human rights instruments and what human rights do they cover?
What are the formal human rights obligations of the State?
Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.2
1.1. The characteristics of human rights3
Human rights are said to be inherent, inalienable and universal. They are inherent, in that they belong to every person because of their common humanity. They are inalienable, in that people cannot give them up or be deprived of them. They are universal, in that they apply regardless of who someone may be.
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled. They determine how individual human beings live in society and with each other, as well as their relationship with the State and the obligations that the State has towards them. Human rights require that everyone is equally entitled to their human rights without discrimination. They set out the basis for the relationship between the governed and those who govern. Human rights aim to recognize and protect the dignity of all human beings whatever their status or condition in life.
Human rights are universal and inalienable
Human rights are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each and every person. They are the rights of all people. Human rights should not be taken away, except in specific situations such as when someone breaks the law, and only then according to due process.
2 Universal Declaration of Human Rights; preamble.3 OHCHR. What are human rights? Available online at www.ohchr.org/en/issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspx and
SPC Regional Rights Resource Team (2017), The Building blocks of human rights available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxhQk1gduM (3.50).
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Human rights are interdependent, interrelated and indivisible
Human rights are intricately related to each other and none has priority over another. It is not acceptable to respect some human rights and not others. The enjoyment of one right is often dependent on the enjoyment of other rights. The violation of one right will often adversely affect other rights. Improving accessibility to one right will often advance the accessibility of other rights.
Human rights are equal and non-discriminatory
Human rights prohibit discrimination on the basis of any human characteristic. The principle of non-discrimination applies to everyone in relation to all human rights and freedoms. It is complemented by the principle of equality, meaning that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
Human rights are both rights and obligations
Human rights belong to everyone and are the responsibility of everyone. Every person in relation to another and every group in relation to another, has a relationship of rights and obligations. States assume particular obligations and duties under international law to respect, to protect and to promote human rights.
1.2. The human rights story
Human rights have existed for as long as humankind has existed. Most of the world’s major philosophies, religions and cultures have recognized human rights concepts in one form or another for centuries. These are what make up our human rights story. Some of the formal agreements that were forged among peoples are listed below. These examples are not a complete list. There will be others that relate specifically to the countries and communities within which human rights educators work.
International Human Rights Timeline (c. 1750 BC – 1919 AD)4
c. 1750 BC: The Code of Hammurabi, Babylonia, drafted by the first king of the Babylonian Empire, is one of the first known written codes of law in recorded history. It included the idea of the presumption of innocence and suggested that the accused and accuser should be given the opportunity to provide evidence.
c. 1200–100 BC: The Old Testament, also called the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, is an account of God’s dealings with the Hebrews. Along with the Ten Commandments, Old Testament laws include respect for life and property rights (for example, the obligation not to kill), the asylum tradition of synagogues and the principle of the presumption of innocence.
c. 551–479 BC: The teachings of Confucius include the twin principles of “[wh]at one does not wish for oneself, one ought not to do to anyone else; what one recognizes as desirable for oneself, one ought to be willing to grant to others”.
c. 40–100 AD: The New Testament provides an account of the life and teachings of Jesus and his apostles. Central principles include forgiveness, equality before God and compassion.
4 International Human Rights Milestones; New Zealand Human Rights Commission; 2008. Available online at www.hrc.co.nz/files/2714/2399/5138/10-Mar-2009_10-14-19_International_Milestones_Final.pdf.
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c. 644–645 AD: The Koran is the Muslim holy book and is considered to be the word of God as revealed to the prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel over a 23-year period. It shares many stories with the Bible, including Noah’s Ark and Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. It includes the principles of privacy, freedom, dignity and equality.
c. 1750 BC: The Code of Hammurabi, Babylonia, drafted by the first king of the Babylonian Empire, is one of the first known written codes of law in recorded history. It included the idea of the presumption of innocence and suggested that the accused and accuser should be given the opportunity to provide evidence.
c. 1200–100 BC: The Old Testament, also called the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, is an account of God’s dealings with the Hebrews. Along with the Ten Commandments, Old Testament laws include respect for life and property rights (for example, the obligation not to kill), the asylum tradition of synagogues and the principle of the presumption of innocence.
1142: Iroquois Great League of Peace, which united five nations into a League of Nations, or the Iroquois Confederacy, and became the basis for the Iroquois Confederacy Constitution. Each nation maintained its own leadership, but they all agreed that common causes would be decided in the Grand Council of Chiefs. Franklin referenced the Iroquois model as he presented his Plan of Union at the Albany Congress in 1754, attended by representatives of the Iroquois.
1215: The Magna Carta is the “charter of liberties” signed by John I of England after pressure from his nobles and the clergy. It introduced the concepts of habeas corpus (due process of law) and “no taxation without representation”, which became a central component of the Constitution of the United States.5
1400s: The Code of Nezahualcoyotl, a respected and influential king of Texcoco (now Mexico), brought the rule of law, scholarship and artistry to his kingdom. He established a code of law, based on a division of power and administered through councils of finance, war, justice and culture.
1648: The Treaty of Westphalia was the agreement that ended the Thirty and Eighty Years Wars between Protestants and Catholics. It gave rise to the modern notion of national sovereignty by allowing rulers to determine the religion of their realms. It also gave some freedom of worship to religious minorities.
1689: The English Bill of Rights was passed by the Parliament following the overthrow of the monarchist, James II. It prevented royalty from suspending laws or levying taxes without parliamentary consent and from interfering with elections. It also guaranteed the right to freedom of speech within the Parliament.
1776: The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted after the beginning of the American Revolution. The Declaration became a central statement of human rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
1789: The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was part of the transition from an absolute monarchy to a more democratic form of government. It listed the natural rights of “liberty, property, security and the rights to resist oppression”. It also replaced aristocratic privilege with the principle of equality before the law.
1863: The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, declaring the freedom of slaves.
5 Australian Human Rights Commission (2015) Magna Carta – Story of our freedom. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA-y8uOJs9k&t=181s.
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1893: New Zealand became the first nation to grant women the right to vote.
1919: The League of Nations Covenant, drawn up in the aftermath of World War I, sought to prevent conflicts and to promote international cooperation. League members agreed not to go to war until all possible means of peaceful settlement had been explored. This was weakened by the absence of the United States and the withdrawal of Japan, Italy and Germany.
1.3. The international human rights framework
While steps had been taken to recognize and codify some human rights, it took the atrocities that occurred during World War II to galvanize the international community into developing common standards and processes for the protection of human rights.
In 1945, the United Nations Charter was signed, laying out responsibilities to maintain peace and security and to cooperate in solving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems. Three years later, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights6 was adopted by the United Nations, with 48 Member States7 voting in favour, the majority of which were non-Western countries, and eight abstaining. There were no objections.
The Declaration was followed by two major human rights treaties, adopted by the United Nations in 1966. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights8 includes the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, equality before the law and freedom from discrimination. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights9 includes the right to participate in culture, as well as the right to work, education, health, language and an adequate standard of living.
The human rights principles and standards set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights have been further refined in a series of other treaties or conventions that address matters of concern to particular groups.
1951: Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees10
The Convention defines who can be considered a refugee and outlines the rights of refugees, such as freedom of religion and movement, the right to work, education and access to travel documents. It also sets out the obligations of refugees towards their host Governments.
1965: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination11
The Convention refers to persistent racial discrimination, particularly by Governments, and calls for the elimination of all racial discrimination. It promotes education as a tool to increase understanding and respect between people of different racial backgrounds.6 Available online at www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/index.html.7 The following countries voted in favour of the Declaration: Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil,
Burma, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Thailand, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.
8 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CCPR.aspx. 9 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx. 10 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/StatusOfRefugees.aspx. 11 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CERD.aspx.
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1979: Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women12
Along with recognizing women’s rights to participate in political and public life, the Convention is the only human rights treaty which affirms the reproductive rights of women. It also identifies culture and tradition as influential forces shaping gender roles and family relations.
1984: Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment13
The Convention requires States to take effective measures to prevent torture within their jurisdictions. It also forbids States to transport people to any country where there is reason to believe that they will be tortured.
1989: Convention on the Rights of the Child14
The Convention places a legal obligation on States to ensure that the provisions set out in the 1959 Declaration on the Rights of the Child are met, such as the right to food, clean water, health care, free education, survival and development, and the right to children’s own culture, religion and language. It emphasizes that children may not be used for cheap labour or as soldiers.
1990: Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families15
The Convention seeks to guarantee equality of treatment and the same working conditions for migrants as those enjoyed by nationals. It is based on the fundamental notion that all migrants should have access to a minimum degree of protection.
2007: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities16
The Convention represents an important shift from viewing persons with disabilities as “objects” of charity, medical treatment and social protection to “subjects” who are active members of society with rights. It emphasizes that they are capable of claiming those rights and making decisions for their lives.
2007: Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples17
The Declaration acknowledges that indigenous peoples have suffered from historic injustices as a result of colonization and dispossession of their land and resources. It emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue development in keeping with their needs and aspirations.
12 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CEDAW.aspx. 13 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CAT.aspx. 14 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx.15 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CMW.aspx. 16 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/ConventionRightsPersonsWithDisabilities.aspx.17 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/Pages/Declaration.aspx.
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1.3.1. The international human rights framework in practice
A treaty is an agreement by a country to be bound by particular rules. International treaties have different names such as covenants, charters, protocols, conventions, accords and agreements. A treaty is legally binding on those States that have consented to be bound by the provisions of the treaty – in other words, they have agreed to become a “party to the treaty”.18
Even if a State is not party to a treaty, that State may still be bound by those treaty provisions that have become part of customary international law or constitute rules of international law, such as the prohibition against torture.
Once a State has agreed to be party to a treaty, it is obliged to implement the provisions of that treaty. The international community has a role to ensure that this happens by seeking country reports and contributing to the Universal Periodic Review process.19
International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions20 provides a useful guide to understanding the international human rights framework.
Key points: Chapter 1 Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled. They
determine how individual human beings live in society and with each other, as well as their relationship with the State and the obligations that the State has towards them.
While the formalization of common standards and processes for the protection of human rights began in the middle of the 1900s, human rights have existed for as long as humankind has existed. Most of the world’s major philosophies, religions and cultures recognize and promote human rights concepts.
The first international human rights instrument to be adopted was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This was followed by international treaties on civil and political rights and on economic, social and cultural rights. A number of other treaties that address the human rights of particular groups have also been developed.
States have an obligation to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of their citizens.
Useful resourcesInternational Human Rights and the International Human Rights System:A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions; APF; 2012
“What are human rights?”; OHCHR; available at www.ohchr.org/en/issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspx
United Nations, What Are Human Rights. Available online at www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/human-rights/
18 “Human Rights for All”, United Nations. Available online at www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/humanrights/index.shtml.
19 More information on the Universal Periodic Review is available online at www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/upr/pages/uprmain.aspx.
20 The Manual was published by the APF in 2012. It is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/media/resource_file/International_HR_System_Manual_Web.pdf .
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Chapter 2:Human rights education: An overview
Key questions What is human rights education?
How does the international human rights framework include human rights education?
What is the purpose of human rights education?
Who is human rights education directed towards?
Based on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant treaties and instruments, human rights education and training aims to:
(a) raise awareness, understanding and acceptance of universal human rights standards and principles, as well as guarantees at the international, regional and national levels for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) develop a universal culture of human rights, in which everyone is aware of their own rights and responsibilities in respect of the rights of others, and promoting the development of the individual as a responsible member of a free, peaceful, pluralist and inclusive society;
(c) pursue the effective realization of all human rights and promoting tolerance, non-discrimination and equality;
(d) ensure equal opportunities for all through access to quality human rights education and training, without any discrimination;
(e) contribute to the prevention of human rights violations and abuses and to the combating and eradication of all forms of discrimination, racism, stereotyping and incitement to hatred, and the harmful attitudes and prejudices that underlie them.21
2.1. What is human rights education22?
2.1.1. Human rights education and the international human rights framework
The obligations on States to recognize, respect, protect, promote and fulfil human rights are mandated across the broad range of international human rights treaties. Human rights education is an essential tool for meeting these obligations.
The preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms.”
21 United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training; article 4.22 APF (2015) What is human rights education? Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8RMOxHpVcM&t=3s
(5.41).
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Article 26 provides that:
… education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
Human rights education is included in a number of international human rights instruments, including the:
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1965 (article 7)23
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 (article 13)24
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1979 (article 10)25
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 1984 (article 10)26
Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 (article 29)27
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, 1990 (article 33)28
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006 (articles 4 and 8)29
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 (articles 14 and 15)30
Efforts to promote human rights education formed part of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action31 and are central to a number of other initiatives of the United Nations,32 33 including the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995–2004).
On 10 December 2004, the General Assembly initiated the World Programme for Human Rights Education. The goal was to promote a common understanding of the basic principles and methodologies of human rights education and to provide a framework for action. The first phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005–2009) focused on primary and secondary schools, while the second phase (2010–2014) focused on human rights education for higher education and on human rights training programmes for teachers and educators, civil servants, law enforcement officials and military personnel.34
23 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CERD.aspx.24 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx.25 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CEDAW.aspx.26 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CAT.aspx.27 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx.28 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CMW.aspx. 29 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/ConventionRightsPersonsWithDisabilities.aspx.30 Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/Pages/Declaration.aspx.31 See Part I, paras. 33-34 and Part II, paras. 78-82.32 Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and
Related Intolerance; see Declaration, paras. 95-97; and Programme of Action, paras. 129-139.33 Outcome Document of the Durban Review Conference; paras. 22 and 107.34 “World Programme for Human Rights Education”: OHCHR; available at
www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Education/Training/Pages/Programme.aspx.
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A seminal point in the history of human rights education was the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training35 in 2011. The Declaration reaffirms the principles and standards of previous human rights treaties and acknowledges the fundamental importance of human rights education and training to the realization of all human rights.
The preamble to the Declaration appeals to States to strengthen their efforts and commitment to human rights education and training. The 14 articles in the Declaration set out:
the right to human rights education and training
the scope of human rights education and training
the principles that underpin human rights education and training
the responsibilities on States and others, as well as key roles to take action
guidelines on implementation, including by the international community.
2.1.2. Definitions of human rights education
Although there are many definitions of human rights education, they all include elements of awareness raising, participation, empowerment and motivation to act.
Amnesty International: Human rights education is a deliberate, participatory practice aimed at empowering individuals, groups and communities through fostering knowledge, skills and attitudes consistent with internationally recognized human rights principles.36
Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education (2003): Human rights education is a participative process which contains deliberately designed sets of learning activities using human rights knowledge, values and skills as content aimed at the general public to enable them to understand their experiences and take control of their lives.37
Jordan National Centre for Human Rights: Human rights education is all learning that develops the knowledge, skills and values that advance human rights, responsibilities and actions.38
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): Human rights education promotes values, beliefs and attitudes that encourage everyone to uphold their own rights and those of others. It develops an understanding of everyone’s common responsibility to make human rights a reality in each community.39
El Centro de Estudios Democráticos de América Latina (CEDAL): Human rights education, as critical thinking, moral reflection and meaningful experiences which contribute to an understanding of power-relations and power-structures, is both a tool for and the process of the struggle for social change and for the implementation of human rights.40
35 Available online at https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/467/04/PDF/N1146704.pdf?OpenElement.36 “What is human rights education?” Available online at www.amnesty.org/en/human-rights-education.37 Human Rights Education Pack. Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education; 2003; p. 22.38 Prepared for a human rights education workshop in 2004.39 Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; “Human rights education and training”; available at
www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/education/training/index.htm.40 “Towards a Pedagogy of Human Rights Education. La Catalina, Costa Rica, International Consultation on the Pedagogical
Foundations of Human Rights Education, 1996. Available online at www.pdhre.org/dialogue/costarica.html.
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United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training: Human rights education and training comprises all educational, training, information, awareness raising and learning activities aimed at promoting universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and thus contributing to, inter alia, the prevention of human rights violations and abuses by providing persons with knowledge, skills and understanding and developing their attitudes and behaviours, to empower them to contribute to the building and promotion of a universal culture of human rights.41
Human Rights Centre, University of Minnesota: Human rights education is a process of acquiring relevant knowledge, skills and values for knowing, asserting and vindicating one’s rights based on international human rights norms. This definition implies that human rights are empowerment tools … By encouraging the development of competencies and capabilities, [human rights education] can expand the meaning of what it is to be human. Thus, education can and should be an empowering process, one that enables those who have been marginalized in the economic, social, political and cultural spheres to claim their status as full participating members of a community.42
World Programme for Human Rights Education – Third Action Plan (2015–2019): Human rights education can be defined as education, training and information aimed at building a universal culture of human rights. Effective human rights education not only provides knowledge about human rights and the mechanisms that protect them, but also develops the skills needed to promote, defend and apply human rights in daily life. Human rights education also fosters the attitudes and behaviours needed to uphold human rights for all members of society.43
The National Human Rights Commission of Nepal has developed a structured course of instruction to support human rights defenders working at the grass-roots level in Nepal.
The three-part programme, delivered over five days, introduces human rights defenders to:
foundational human rights issues, as well as the national and international system for promoting and protecting human rights
the rights of specific vulnerable groups in Nepal, including women, children and minority groups
human rights issues “on the ground”, through field visits to prisons, detention centres, children’s homes and other places.
The course also discusses the role and functions of human rights defenders, human rights protection mechanisms, human rights dialogue and advocacy and a human rights-based approach to development. In addition, participants develop skills in report-writing to assist them document human rights violations.
A training course conducted by the Commission brought together 26 human rights defenders from 11 districts across Nepal, representing a broad range of NGOs and civil society organizations.
More information is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/nepal-nhrc-develops-new-training-course-for-human-rights-defenders.
41 UNDHRET Article 2.42 “Module 20: Education for Empowerment. Available online at
www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/IHRIP/circle/modules/module20.htm.43 Available online at https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G14/099/55/PDF/G1409955.pdf?OpenElement.
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2.1.3. Forms of human rights education
Human rights education is a lifelong process that involves all ages and levels. It includes all forms of education, training and learning. It can take place in all settings: public or private, formal, non-formal or informal.
Formal education extends from early childhood education, through primary and secondary school to tertiary education. It is generally curriculum-based and includes general academic studies and technical and professional training.
Non-formal education involves organized educational activity, usually outside the formal education system. It is designed for specific learning groups, with particular learning objectives. Non-formal education can include work-based education and training, as well as adult and community education, advocacy for human rights, networking and community development.
Informal education is an unorganized and often unintentional lifelong process where individuals acquire attitudes, values, skills and knowledge from their experiences and the educative influences and resources in their environment.
2.1.4. Principles that guide human rights education
Human rights education principles apply across all levels of human rights education activity, whether in formal or non-formal settings. While specific settings will influence how the educator approaches and delivers human rights education, the following six principles have been developed as a guide for this Manual.
Human rights education:
is participant-centred and relevant
is enhanced by partnerships and collaborations
acknowledges participants as educators
deepens knowledge and experience
recognizes that societal change comes from thoughtful action
is empowering, guided by human rights principles of non-discrimination, equality and inclusion.
Chapter 4 addresses these principles in more detail.
2.1.5. The practice of human rights education
The practice of human rights education is consistent with, and guided by, human rights and education principles. As a result, the activity of human rights education focuses on strengthening respect for the human rights and dignity of participants and enabling their full and active participation in the learning process.
Good human rights education practice:
demonstrates human rights principles of equality, human dignity, inclusion and non-discrimination
uses facilitative and participatory methods, processes and techniques
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is participant-centred
engages ‘hearts, minds and hands’
is innovative and adaptable to a wide range of learning environments
is relevant to the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual and cultural contexts of participants
respects and is enriched by the diversity of participants
aims at reflecting on lived experience through a human rights viewpoint
prioritizes the specific challenges and barriers faced by, and the needs and expectations of, people who experience human rights violations because of the situations they live in or how they identify, or how they are identified.
encourages critical thinking and problem solving
takes into account wider national and international human rights circumstances, while promoting local initiatives.
2.2. Why do human rights education?
Human rights education is both a means to achieving the protection of human rights as well as a right in itself.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1996
2.2.1. The international human rights instruments
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights acknowledges the critical role of human rights education. It states in its preamble that “every individual and every organ of society … shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance”.
The purpose of human rights education is also articulated in article 1 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training:
1. Everyone has the right to know, seek and receive information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms and should have access to human rights education and training.
2. Human rights education and training is essential for the promotion of universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, in accordance with the principles of the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights.
Human rights education aims to develop an understanding of everyone’s common responsibility to make human rights a reality in each community and in the society at large. In this sense, it contributes to the long-term prevention of human rights abuses and violent
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conflicts, the promotion of equality and sustainable development and the enhancement of participation in decision-making processes within a democratic system.44
2.2.2. Goals of human rights education
Human beings need to understand their experiences in order to take control of their actions and circumstances. Human rights education aims to develop essential human rights knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that enable and motivate individuals, groups, communities and nations to contribute to making human rights a reality for all.
Human rights education has three goals. It aims to provide experiences where people learn about human rights, learn through human rights and learn for human rights.45
Learning about human rights encourages the understanding and application of human rights norms, principles, values and mechanisms. It aims at ensuring that people know about the history and structures of the international human rights system, treaties and declarations. It also encourages an understanding about how human rights relate to their own worlds and it assists them to make connections between their own lives and the lives of others, particularly those affected by human rights violations. Learning about human rights promotes understanding of, and the practice of, human rights values.
Learning through human rights means ensuring that the way in which human rights education occurs is in keeping with human rights principles and standards. This could include: the way that people taking part in the education activity behave toward each other; the nature of the education environment; the processes and tools that are used for the education activity; its accessibility; and its appropriateness to its context.
Human rights education clubs in high schools in India
To instil awareness on human rights among the young generation, the Institute of Parliamentary Affairs launched human rights education clubs in 145 high schools across the state of Kerala in 2015. This was the first state in the country to start such clubs with a coordinator in every school. District coordinators are also appointed to carry forward the project.
In 2018, over 450 schools across India had opened Human Rights Clubs that aim to teach young students about values and attitudes related to human rights.
The effect of the clubs on students is undeniable. Children learn how to identify the human rights issues that affect them, being able to share their problems and express their opinions without fear. They also feel empowered to claim their rights in unfair situations or when their rights are violated. Jayasurya, a student in the Government Adi Diravida High School in Tamilnadu, says that “If anyone violates our rights, we bring such violators to the notice of our teachers and we collectively tackle such acts”.
Soosai explains that many results have been seen in the schools thanks to the Human Rights Clubs, from getting children who had dropped out of school back into education, to appealing to authorities in matters of water and sanitation, to even preventing child marriage.
44 Definition adapted from the draft plan of action for the second phase (2010–2014) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education (A/HRC/15/28; para. 1). The plan of action was adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council on 30 September 2010 (resolution 15/11).
45 United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training; article 2.2.
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In 2019, Human Rights Clubs across the country are focusing on the new campaign ‘Our Safety, Our Rights’, which looks to prevent sexual abuse and protect children by creating awareness among children to understand and identify the various forms of abuse, especially sexual abuse. The campaign hopes to help children speak up and report abuse without fear of repercussion. Children are also encouraged to develop their own safety norms. A student from Government Girls High School, in Telangana, says: “the campaign ‘Our Safety, Our Rights’ taught me to move to safer places when we encounter dangerous situations and to shout loud for help”.
Campaigns and initiatives continue developing in schools all across the country, and the clubs keep expanding. As Jayasurya from Tamilnadu says, “we should ensure such rights not only for the members of the young citizen’s Human Rights Club but also for the entire student community”.
Human Rights Clubs empower youth in India; Amnesty International; May 2019
Learning for human rights involves building people’s ability to enjoy and exercise their own rights and to respect and uphold the rights of others. It encourages people to act in response to human rights violations and teaches them about the tools that could be used in that action. Human rights education stimulates and engages learners, with the aim of transforming people’s lives, the environment, the community and the broader society.
Specific outcomes for human rights education may include, but are not limited to:
increased knowledge and general awareness about human rights, such as:
– the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments
– relevant domestic human rights legislation
– the historical processes that have prevented the realization of human rights
– the rights of specific marginalized groups
– mechanisms for addressing human rights grievances
– power relations and social forces.
Increased capability of people to:
– apply human rights knowledge and understanding to their own situations
– apply international human rights standards to local, national and international contexts
– translate United Nations legal and technical language and concepts into those appropriate to their contexts
– analyse structures and systems through a human rights lens
– reflect on their own actions and the consequences of their behaviours
– identify those human rights issues that are most pertinent to their group, community or society
– develop strategies to prevent and address human rights violations.
motivated individuals and communities able to take action toward human rights outcomes.
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2.3. Who is human rights education directed at?46
Human rights education is for everyone. However, there are three identifiable groups to whom human rights education may be directed:
rights holders; those most vulnerable to human rights violations
duty bearers; those most able to defend or violate others’ rights
influencers; those most able to influence other’s opinions and actions.
Everyone is potentially a rights holder, a duty bearer and an influencer. In a particular context, however, there is usually a set of dynamics that can identify the specific position that each person or group occupies. Using a structural analysis lens,47 these groupings are based on power relations; who has the power in a situation and who does not.
Before, we were afraid, because we did not know that we had any rights. Even if others treated us badly, we did not fight back, because of fear.
(Sama Dilaut/Bajau, Philippines)
Rights holders are those who are entitled to specific rights and protections. On an individual basis, a rights holder may be such because of the relationship they have with a duty bearer; for example, a child to a parent, a student to a teacher, a woman to a man, a disabled person to a non-disabled person, a teacher to the school board, a soldier to the General, a Government to a multinational corporation.
In a society, whole groups of people may be the rights holders due to their marginalized status. The specialized human rights treaties reflect some of these groups; women, children and young people, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants and refugees, indigenous peoples and prisoners. Other groups that do not currently have specialized human rights treaties dedicated to them but are nonetheless still covered under the protections offered by all core human rights treaties include older people, people living in poverty and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and intersex people.48 While individuals within these groups may not specifically encounter marginalization or discrimination, the group they belong to does.
A rights holder:
is entitled to rights
is entitled to claim rights
is entitled to hold the duty bearer accountable
has a responsibility to respect the rights of others.49
Duty bearers are individuals or institutions who are obligated to promote and protect the rights of the rights holders. As with the rights holder, a duty bearer may be such due to their 46 APF (2015) Who is Human Rights education for? Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8X6DBc_hsk (5.07).47 See p. 45 for an explanation of “structural analysis”.48 There are also sets of international human rights principles relevant to certain groups, such as the Yogyakarta Principles
(and the Yogyakarta Principles +10) which apply to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. Available online at https://yogyakartaprinciples.org/principles-en/yp10/.
49 Applying a Human Rights-Based Approach: An Inspirational Guide for Civil Society; Danish Institute for Human Rights; 2007.
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relationship with someone who does not have power in that relationship. Institutionally, duty bearers are those with the role and ability to uphold the human rights of others.
Being a member of the military, this project gave me a profound awareness of my job and I learned how to protect the rights of every individual. (Philippines)
The overall responsibility for meeting human rights obligations rests with the State or legal duty bearers. This responsibility includes all the agencies of the State, such as parliaments, ministries, local authorities, judges and justice authorities, police and immigration services, defence forces, teachers, lecturers and those involved in school communities. All are legal duty bearers.
Every other individual or institution that has the power to affect the lives of rights holders is a moral duty bearer. Moral duty bearers could include the business sector, private companies, local leaders, civil society organizations, international organizations and heads of households.
Influencers have an important role to play in persuading the duty bearers to fulfil their obligations and the rights holders to understand and claim their rights. This group includes, among others, the media, religious leaders, tribal and ethnic leaders, unions, NGOs, human rights defenders and NHRIs.
Following is a list of groups to which human rights education may be directed and why.50
Young children and their families
A parent, grandparent or other significant adult, is often a child’s first teacher. Educational research51 shows that the first 10 years in a child’s life are significant to the development of attitudes about equality and human dignity. It is important then that a child’s family and community also know about human rights and how to apply them.
Teachers, principals, and educators
It is important that teachers have a fundamental grounding in human rights in what they teach and how they teach it.
For teachers to effectively include human rights in the classrooms, they require the endorsement and support of a whole educational system.
Doctors and nurses, lawyers and judges, social workers, journalists, police and military officials
Some urgently need to understand human rights because of the power they have or the positions of responsibility they hold. Human rights courses should be fundamental to the curricula of medical schools, law schools, universities, police and military academies and other professional training institutions.
50 Adapted from The Human Rights Education Handbook: Effective Practices for Learning, Action, and Change; Nancy Flowers et al; 2000. Available online at http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/pdf/hreh.pdf.
51 Early years, life chances and equality: a literature review; Paul Johnson and Yulia Kossykh, Frontier Economics; published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission; 2008 Available online at www.dcya.gov.ie/documents/childcare/diversity_and_equality.pdf and www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/research_report-7-early-years-life-chances-and-equality-literature-review.pdf. Diversity and equality guidelines for childcare providers; Office of the Minister for Children (Ireland); 2006. Available online at www.dcya.gov.ie/documents/childcare/diversity_and_equality.pdf.
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Groups most at risk of human rights violations
Human rights education must not be limited to formal schooling. Many people never attend school. Many live far from administrative centres. Yet they, as well as refugees, minorities, migrant workers, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities and people living in poverty, are often among the most powerless and vulnerable to abuse. Vulnerable peoples need to understand their rights and the protection systems and processes they may engage to protect and uphold their rights.
Activists and non-profit organizations
A solid grounding in the human rights framework strengthens the work of human rights activists. Developing strategies for human rights activism strengthens human rights work. People working in NGOs may not recognize that they are engaged in human rights work. Those who work on issues such as fair wages, health care and housing may not understand their work in a human rights context or how the human rights framework can be used to help achieve their aims.
Public office holders, whether elected or appointed
An understanding of, and support for, human rights is critical for those who serve the interests of communities. All candidates for election should be required to make a public commitment to human rights and human rights should be included in the orientation and ongoing development of all new office holders.
Power holders
This group includes members of the business and banking community, landowners, traditional and religious leaders and anyone whose decisions and policies affect the lives of many people. As holders of power, it is important that they understand that human rights benefit the community and themselves and that human rights provide the basis for long-term stability and further development.
Human rights education aims to strengthen the capacity of duty bearers to protect the rights of others. It aims to empower rights holders to take control of their lives. The effective design and delivery of human rights education requires an analysis of the power context of the participants.
Key points: Chapter 2 Human rights education is an essential tool for the realization of human rights. It is a
lifelong process that involves all ages and levels and includes all forms of education, training and learning. Human rights education occurs in many settings, including public, private, formal, informal and non-formal situations.
Human rights education is included in a number of international human rights treaties and declarations. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training reaffirms the principles and standards of these treaties.
The purpose of human rights education is to disseminate knowledge about human rights, build the capability of people to apply human rights to their lives and to strengthen individuals and communities to take action toward human rights outcomes.
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Human rights education is for everyone. Participants can be divided into three broad groups: rights holders, duty bearers and influencers.
Useful resources
APF (2015) Who is Human Rights education for?Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8X6DBc_hsk (5.07)
Human Rights Education: Open Source WebsitePromotes human rights education at the local, national and international levels. Set up in 2018, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to contribute to the goals of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. Available at www.power-humanrights-education.org/about-us/
HRE 2020A global civil society coalition aiming to support and strengthen the monitoring and implementation of international human rights education commitments, as enshrined in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and the World Programme for Human Rights Education. Working with civil society, governments and international organizations, HRE 2020 promotes human rights education through advocacy, capacity building and resource development. Available at www.hre2020.org
NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning A working group of the NGO Committee on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. It aims to ensure NGO participation in the processes of global policy making on human rights education in relation to UN institutions, principally the UN Human Rights Council. Available at www.ngowghrel.wordpress.com
The Platform for Human Rights Education and TrainingThe Platform for Human Rights Education and Training is an informal cross-regional governmental grouping in support of human rights education and training. It is comprised of the following UN Member States: Brazil, Costa Rica, Italy, Morocco, Philippines, Senegal, Slovenia, and Thailand.
Path to Dignity – The Power of Human Rights EducationSoka Gakkai International (SGI) and UNHCR (2013): Video series available at www.hrea.org/path-to-dignity/
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)Human rights education is central to the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote and protect the effective enjoyment by all of all human rights. Through its headquarters and field presences, the high commissioner implements related programs and provides assistance to governments, institutions and civil society. Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Education/Training/Pages/HREducationTrainingIndex.aspx
Soka Gakkai International (SGI)SGI collaborates with other civil society organizations and intergovernmental agencies in the fields of human rights education, nuclear disarmament, gender equality, sustainable development and humanitarian relief. Available at www.sgi.org
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Chapter 3:National human rights institutions and human rights education
Key questions What does the international human rights framework say about the mandate and role of
NHRIs to provide human rights education?
What do NHRIs need in order to provide a quality human rights education programme?
What are some examples of human education programmes around the Asia Pacific region?
“… national human rights institutions can play an important role, including where necessary a coordinating role, in promoting human rights education and training by, inter alia, raising awareness and mobilizing relevant public and private actors.”52
3.1. Mandate and role of national human rights institutions53
Human rights education is a central mandate of NHRIs. The Paris Principles54 outline the minimum standards relating to the status and functioning of NHRIs. Compliance with the Paris Principles is the central accreditation requirement for NHRIs to be able to participate in discussions at the United Nations Human Rights Council and other international human rights bodies.
According to the Paris Principles, NHRIs have three goals and functions that relate to promoting human rights:
to inform and to educate about human rights
to foster the development of values and attitudes which uphold human rights
to encourage action aimed at defending human rights from violation.
Paris Principles-compliant NHRIs play a critical role in promoting the effective implementation of international human rights standards at the national level.
As part of their human rights promotion function, NHRIs have a responsibility to:
raise community awareness about their purpose, role and functions
build practical and applied understanding of human rights and enable and mobilize others to become human rights actors and defenders
use their unique national position to build cultures of human rights across all levels and sectors of society.
52 United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training; article 9.53 For more information, see Chapter 4 of A Manual on National Human Rights Institutions; APF; 2013.54 Principles relating to the status of national institutions (General Assembly resolution 48/134). Further information on the
Paris Principles is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/members/international-standards.
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Although NHRIs have the autonomy to undertake human rights education in a way that is appropriate to their national context, most will:
develop and distribute information on human rights
engage in public awareness sessions
provide specialized training to targeted groups
use the media to promote understanding and awareness of human rights and of their own work
work toward ensuring that human rights are taught in schools.55
The plan of action for the second phase56 of the World Programme for Human Rights Education identified NHRIs is a key body to work with State agencies in scoping, planning, implementing and evaluating national human rights education plans. It is also the responsibility of NHRIs to monitor the progress of State national human rights education plans and to report on progress to the United Nations through human rights reporting mechanisms.
3.2. Basic requirements of NHRIs in providing human rights education
As covered in the following chapters, human rights education involves a wide range of approaches and activities. It is a lifelong process, involving all sectors of society. NHRIs, as independent institutions, are well placed to provide human rights education across these sectors.
NHRIs promote understanding of human rights through their educational programmes and other activities. They provide basic information about human rights but also go further and explain human rights concepts and law. This requires much more than the production of posters, leaflets and even reports. It requires personal engagement and interaction through formal and non-formal educational programmes and activities.
All NHRIs have considerable experience in the struggle to change attitudes. However, many have had only some successes. Attitudinal change requires more than educational courses and programmes. It can often be achieved through the ordinary activities of NHRIs in investigating and exposing human rights violations.
People begin to question their own attitudes, and the attitudes of others in government and in the community, when they are confronted with the experiences of those who have suffered human rights violations. Most of the work of NHRIs can and should have an educational component. NHRIs should be conscious of this and ensure that all programmes and activities have a specific component of human rights education. Some NHRI activities, such as national inquiries into situations of human rights violation, have human rights education as one of their principal goals and one of their main methodologies.57
55 National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010; p. 73.
56 Available online at www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/WPHRE_Phase_2_en.pdf. 57 For more information, see Chapter 2 of the Manual on Conducting a National Inquiry into Systemic Patterns of Human
Rights Violation, APF, (updated 2019).
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The Australian Human Rights Commission, in partnership with the Sydney Community Foundation, made 20 short films to show how people have used the law to change their lives and the lives of others.
The federal Disability Discrimination Act provides people with disabilities – and their relatives or associates – with the opportunity to pursue a complaint if they are treated less favourably than other people in a range of areas of public life.
“Going to school, catching a bus, watching a movie or entering a building are things we do every day. But some of us have had to fight hard to be able to do them,” Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes said.
He said the films show that the biggest barrier Australians with a disability face is not the disability, but negative attitudes towards disability.
Speaking at its launch, Australia’s Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, said the film series is “of great practical import, filled with constructive advice and valuable information for the way forward”.
Twenty Years: Twenty Stories is available at www.humanrights.gov.au/twentystories/index.html.
More information is available at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/australia-videos-showcase-achievements-of-people-with-disabilities.
It is good practice for NHRIs to ensure that their human rights education programmes and activities have action dimensions and action results. They can encourage and enable people to act for human rights by:
proposing action possibilities through human rights education programmes and activities
incorporating learning by action and reflection in human rights education programmes and activities
assisting learners to develop human rights projects to follow up human rights education programmes and activities
supporting learners to implement what they have learnt in human rights education programmes and activities.
NHRIs produce materials that assist people to talk about human rights. Some of these materials are purely informational but others are more specifically directed towards education, for example, training and education modules and manuals.
NHRIs also conduct programmes that develop human rights educators. Building the ability for others to be human rights educators is an effective way for NHRIs with limited resources to maximize their impact in communicating human rights messages. NHRIs cannot provide human rights education directly to everyone. Equipping others to do so is one of the most effective and efficient means of broadening human rights education. Human rights education programmes conducted or sponsored by NHRIs should develop strategies for this to occur.
The three basic requirements of NHRIs in providing human rights education include:
a planned, strategic and resourced human rights education programme
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skilled human rights educators
effective resources.
3.2.1. A planned, strategic and resourced human rights education programme
A successful human rights education programme moves individuals beyond knowledge into action. In order to achieve this, the programme needs to be strategic, cooperative and leveraged.58 An NHRI doesn’t have the resources available to meet a country’s human rights education requirements. Its human rights education programme therefore can maximize its impact by identifying and focusing on priorities, partnering with others involved in human rights education and motivating and enabling others to be human rights educators.
The key aspects of a good human rights education programme include:
a focus on researched, assessed and prioritized human rights issues
contributing to the NHRI’s strategic direction and priorities, including identifying where it can make a unique contribution and have the most significant impact
attention to both the formal education system and the non-formal sector
human rights curricula and resources that are:
– participant-focused
– well researched, current and constantly revised
– inclusive and accessible
– socially, culturally and spiritually grounded and contextualised
internal expertise and capability in formal and non-formal education methodologies, processes and tools
collaboration with others through informal or formal partnerships, perhaps as part of the development of a national human rights action plan or a national human rights education plan
a focus on duty bearers, rights holders and influencers
a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation mechanism.59
3.2.2. Skilled human rights educators
The role of the [human rights] educator is to present to people in a challenging form, the issues they have raised in a confused form.
Mao Tse Tung
As there is not an internationally recognised competency set for human rights educators, the following are offered as a high-level guide. These competencies are in addition to generic attributes a human rights educator may be required to have, such as project management, leadership, information and communications technology, self-management and relationship management.
58 National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010; p. 55.
59 A framework to measure the impact of education and training programmes has been developed by the International Council on Human Rights Policy. See Assessing the Effectiveness of National Human Rights Institutions; 2005; pp. 35-38.
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The competencies are divided into three groupings:
Knowledge competencies – what the human rights educator needs to know about.
Technical and professional practice competencies – what the human rights educator needs to be able to do.
Personal competencies – the personal traits that the human rights educator brings to their work.
Each competency has matching performance indicators.
Competency Performance indicators
Knowledge competencies
Human rights knowledge of:
human rights in general and issues specific to the country, the Asia Pacific region and its sub-regions international and domestic human rights frameworks and legislation mechanisms, and mechanisms for addressing human rights grievances
the role of a national human rights institution (NHRI)
priorities and strategic direction of their own NHRI
human rights-based approaches.60
Education and training knowledge of:
the theories and principles of education in general, and human rights education specifically and applies appropriately to education processes including:
– planning
– implementation and monitoring
– monitoring and evaluation.
education methodologies, processes and tools as they relate across diverse settings.
Technical and professional
Ability to:
apply a human rights-based approach to human rights education
60 For an explanation of a “human rights-based approach”, see Chapter 5, section 2.2.
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practice competencies
plan, implement, monitor and evaluate context-appropriate human rights education programmes across diverse settings
use a broad range of human rights education methods and tools,
apply a gender lens to, and promote gender equality through, all stages of a human rights activity
recognise the diverse individual, country and region-specific cultural backgrounds, values, beliefs and identities of participants and their contexts and facilitate an activity accordingly.
Personal competencies
ability to reflect on and improve professional practice
ability to recognize personal identity and standpoint and the impact that this may have on others
motivation to promote and defend human rights, both locally and globally.
3.2.3. Adequate human rights education resources
The third basic requirement of an NHRI in order to provide an effective human rights education programme is adequate resourcing. The most important resource is its people – its human rights educators. Each NHRI has a responsibility to commit budget and human resourcing to ensure that its promotion mandate can be met. Most NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region have a team with dedicated education staff. Some also ensure that a level of education capability is included in other operational areas, such as complaints and investigations and policy development.
NHRIs will produce materials for education purposes. The nature and use of the resources, both the content and the medium, will vary according to its education purpose. Core education materials may include:
general information about the NHRI, what it does and how to contact it
general information on human rights and principles
targeted information about specific rights and for specific groups
publication of the NHRI’s activities, for accountability reporting, education and advocacy
resources developed from published research and outcomes of investigations and inquiries
ongoing and updated information related to a particular sector or topic, such as newsletters, websites and social media sites
model human rights education curricula and human rights training modules.
Other resource considerations may include administration and communications systems, equipment and technologies.
3.3. Examples from the Asia Pacific region
The following examples describe some of the human rights education programmes offered by NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region.
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3.3.1. Australian Human Rights Commission61
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s community engagement and human rights education programme works to build understanding and respect for rights at home, at school, at work and in the community.
Under the Australian Government’s Human Rights Framework, the Commission received funding over four years (2010–2014) to expand its community education and engagement role. Activities have included:
promoting the integration of human rights education in schools as part of the development of a new national curriculum, as well as providing rightsED teaching resources for teachers and human rights information for students
using social media to involve the Australian community in human rights discussions that move people to take action62
engaging with business and industry to promote human rights principles as an everyday part of their operations
working with employers to build understanding of their legal responsibilities and put in place strategies to create discrimination-free workplaces
supporting the national Play by the Rules programme, which promotes inclusive, safe and fair sport.
3.3.2. Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines63
We were able to build confidence since the [human rights] issues and concerns within the tribe were given attention by different agencies.
(Higaonon, Philippines)
The mission of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines is “[to] evolve a human rights culture through the institutionalization of a continuing multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary human rights education programme in the formal, non-formal and community-based sectors”.
3.3.3. Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)64
To carry out its functions in the fields of education and information, Komnas HAM has mandate and duty to:
disseminate human rights principles and information to the Indonesian public
endeavour to enhance public awareness of human rights through formal and non-formal education institutions and various other circles
cooperate with organizations, institutions or other parties at the national, regional and international levels in the field of human rights.
61 More information is available online at www.humanrights.gov.au/human-rights-education-and-community-engagement. 62 The Commission’s social media initiatives have included Tell Me Something I Don’t Know and Something in Common.63 Philippine Human Rights Education Decade Plan: A sectoral compilation 1998–2007; Commission on Human Rights of the
Philippines. More information is available online at www.chr.gov.ph. 64 More information is available online at www.komnasham.go.id.
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3.3.4. Jordan National Centre for Human Rights65
In its 2010–2012 Strategic Plan, the Jordan National Centre for Human Rights described its goal to promote and enhance human rights through awareness raising programmes, communications, education and training by:
disseminating human rights education on the widest possible scale
promoting and disseminating best practices in the field of human rights
promoting internal complaint mechanisms within public institutions and among civil servants
integrating human rights education in formal and non-formal education, including university education
developing and maintaining human rights materials
intensifying awareness raising and educational campaigns.
3.3.5. National Human Rights Commission of India
A training division has been established within the National Human Rights Commission of India to spread human rights literacy and to sensitize people belonging to various sections of society on all aspects relating to human rights. While the focus is necessarily on the public functionaries, so that they are sensitized and motivated to fulfil their duties regarding the protection of human rights of the public at large, efforts are also required to priority focus on young people at universities/colleges and schools in order to build a society fully aware of human rights issues.
The Commission places a large focus on human rights education programmes for police, which responds to the significant number of complaints received by the Commission based on police behaviour. Other public functionaries targeted for sensitization on human rights issues include the judiciary, prison officials, government functionaries in other departments, doctors, paramedical staff, nurses, paramilitary forces, the army and teachers/principals/education officers. Members of media and human rights defenders are also included in these programmes.66
3.3.6. National Human Rights Commission of Korea67
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has a mandate to provide human rights education and training for the promotion of public awareness on human rights. The Commission:
makes efforts to integrate human rights principles into the curricula of every educational institution, including primary and secondary schools and universities
arranges a variety of educational activities to make human rights important criteria for selections and evaluations, including civil service exams
builds a culture of human rights in society through publications and the development of cultural contents
operates a human rights library to provide access to the human rights information.
65 More information is available online at www.nchr.org.jo/User_Site/Site/View_Article.aspx?type=2&ID=1009.66 More information is available online at www.nhrc.nic.in/Documents/TrgGuidelinesdated2July2013.pdf. 67 More information is available online at www.humanrights.go.kr/.
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The Commission also recommends:
human rights education for prosecutors and prison and police officers
the operation of human rights research schools
the operation of human rights education centres
the development of human rights educational materials for primary and secondary schools
production and distribution of human rights films and animations.
3.3.7. New Zealand Human Rights Commission
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission identifies human rights education as a significant way to fulfil its mandate by:
being an advocate for human rights and promoting and protecting, by education and publicity, respect for, and observance of, human rights
promoting, by research, education and discussion, a better understanding of the human rights dimensions of the Treaty of Waitangi and their relationship with domestic and international human rights law.
Encouraging community action (using human rights education as a key approach) is one of three cross-cutting approaches which the Commission uses to achieve its priorities.68
3.3.8. APF69
In 2017, and as a result of feedback from its members, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) initiated a programme to establish the APF Facilitators Network (AFN). It was envisaged that the AFN would build facilitation capacity and capability within NHRIs and across the region.
To initiate the AFN, 20 NHRIs took part in a blended learning programme involving both online and face-to-face development. The programme aimed to:
build participants’ understanding and practice of facilitation as it related to adult-centred learning and human rights education, and
initiate a region-wide network of human rights facilitators.
The face-to-face workshop component of the programme was held in Jakarta in December 2017. At this workshop facilitators began a process of identifying what they understood facilitation to be and developing a set of guiding principles for effective human rights facilitation. This was the beginning of the Jakarta Guidelines for Human Rights Facilitation (the Guidelines).
Since this initial programme, facilitators have delivered initiatives in their own NHRIs and countries. Experiences and resources have been shared online in the APF Learning Community, and at a face-to-face network meeting in Bangkok. The Guidelines have been further developed at the Bangkok meeting and through subsequent sub-regional contributions.
68 More information is available online at www.hrc.co.nz/our-work/human-rights-education/.69 More information is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/apf-facilitators-bolster-human-rights-skills/.
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The APF is aiming to increase the effectiveness of human rights education provision by strengthening the practice of facilitation – that is of, ‘participant-centred’ human rights capacity development rather than ‘teacher/trainer-centred’ instruction on human rights.
Key points: Chapter 3 Undertaking human rights education is a core requirement of NHRIs, as set out in the
Paris Principles and the World Action Plan for Human Rights Education.
NHRIs need three things in order to offer a quality human rights education programme: a planned, strategic and resourced human rights education programme, skilled human rights educators and adequate human rights education resources.
There are a number of effective human rights education programmes being delivered by NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region.70
Useful resources
National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010
APF (updated 2018) A Manual on National Human Rights Institutions. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/manual-on-nhris/
70 APF, Transforming Communities Across our region. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0DSCnPZ7FQ .
Human Rights Education: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions 39
Part II:Human rights educationtheory, principles and approach
Chapter 4:Human rights education theory and principles
Key questions How can human rights education be empowering and transformative?
What are some of the theoretical concepts that guide human rights education?
What are some of the principles that guide human rights education?
Education is not only political, but it is based on the political sense that emerges from love and the political sense that attempts to build a world of justice and community. ... This love of course is not purely sentimental emotion, but it is the kind of love that is concerned with transforming the degrading living conditions to which human beings are subjected. Politics is the love by which people work together to transform inhumane and unjust conditions; it is part of the noble quest and struggle for dignity and justice.71
This chapter discusses the theory and principles that provide the foundation for the design, implementation and evaluation of an education programme and activity. There are many theories about education. Those that are important to human rights education are about encouraging individual and societal change through developing human rights knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours. Designing, implementing and evaluating human rights education seeks to achieve this result.
The first half of this chapter brings together some ideas developed by educators who focus on education that is based on empowerment, equality and justice.72 The human rights education principles outlined in the second half of the chapter have been developed from this thinking.
4.1. Theoretical framework for human rights education
Education has the potential to empower people, encouraging them to become active and responsible members of society. So it is with human rights education. For human rights education to work toward freedom, justice and peace, it must challenge the conditions that allow and perpetuate violations of human rights. Human rights education works for positive transformation across all sectors and levels of society.
71 Father Fernando Cardenal, Director Literacy Campaign, Nicaragua, 1980.72 This section is informed by the works of selected education theorists, including Sylvia Ashton-Warner, Augusto Boal,
Franz Fanon, Paulo Freire, Michel Foucault, Ivan Illich, Malcolm Knowles, Maria Montessori and A.S. Neil.
Human Rights Education: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions 40
Listed below are concepts developed by theorists that are committed to education that is empowering and transformative. A number of these concepts come from the “popular education/educação popula” movement that uses education to improve the conditions of the poorest and most marginalized people.
Banking education:73 Some education relies on information-giving as the only method. In this form of education, the educator is seen as the authority of the knowledge. The participants are treated as if they have no knowledge or experience that can contribute to the leaning. Human rights education risks becoming a “banking” process if the only methods used are “giving information”.
Bottom-up/top-down perspective: The bottom-up/top-down dimension describes the behaviour of an individual or group when it imposes its views and ideas onto another individual or group. This is particularly so when the relationship is hierarchical and power-based. A “top-down” process can be important and effective; a department of education, for example, may decide that all teachers will include human rights education in the curriculum. Effective human rights education, however, relies significantly on a “bottom-up” approach, where based on fundamental human rights principles people are encouraged to relate these to their own contexts, attitudes and behaviours and actions.
Figure 4.1: Bottom-up/top-down perspective
Critical pedagogy:74 It is important to encourage participants to think critically about their own situations and to make connections between their individual issues, priorities and experiences and their wider contexts. A critical pedagogy of education involves encouraging a deep understanding of the world and the events that impact on the world’s communities. It also includes taking action. The role of the human rights educator is to provide an opportunity for participants to identify shared concerns, analyse them and find agreed and practical solutions.
Dialogical education: Real learning happens when people communicate, and listen to, different experiences, thoughts and ideas. Through genuine dialogue, everyone learns. The role of the human rights educator is to create a genuine “learning community” where those involved, included the educator, are able learn from each other.
Perceptions of human rights
73 A term coined by Paulo Freire in Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968).74 Ibid.
Human Rights Education: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions 41
A three-day workshop was organised in Fiji by the Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) of the Pacific Community (SPC), in partnership with the APF, for participants to:
share examples of effective human rights communication and education initiatives in the Pacific
develop skills and strategies to build community engagement on human rights issues.
The workshop brought together representatives from the three national human rights institutions in the Pacific – Samoa, Fiji and Tuvalu – as well as from government agencies and civil society organisations from the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Tonga.
One of the greatest barriers when discussing human rights in the Pacific is the community attitude that it is a 'foreign' concept, at odds with traditional cultural values, participants explained at the workshop.
What emerged however, was an understanding that human rights and Pacific cultural values share far more in common than their differences and that when these shared values are communicated effectively, understanding and enjoyment of rights can increase substantially.
A common theme throughout the discussions was the importance of using stories that connect human rights with the cultural values that are meaningful to people in different parts of the Pacific.
Participants began planning a communications or education program they would like to run in their respective countries. Some of the practical ideas discussed by participants included:
Developing human rights content for an induction program for public servants
Preparing an engaging program on human rights and the work of parliamentarians for incoming MPs
Providing human rights information for detainees in prisons and other places of detention
Integrating songs, legends, stories and proverbs with linkages to human rights values into the school curriculum and human rights education activities.
Working with village councils to promote human rights values in the development of by-laws
Developing media guidelines on how to report on persons with disabilities.
Further information can be found at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/changing-community-perceptions-human-rights/
Human rights education pedagogy:75 In order for human rights education to contribute to equality, non-discrimination and justice, the human rights educator has a role to ensure that education activities respect the human dignity of all those involved. In this way, both the content and the process of education results in individual and collective empowerment and transformation.
75 The term “pedagogy” most commonly refers to the science and art of education for all ages. However, since the term derives from the Greek word for “child”, some use the term “andragogy” to refer to adult education.
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Insider/outsider perspective:76 Human rights education emphasizes the role and the contribution of the participants. The concept of “insider/outsider” is one way of explaining the dynamics involved in developing and delivering human rights education. In this approach, the participants are the “insiders”. They are the ones involved in the education activity. Those not involved in the activity are the “outsiders”.
The “outsiders” may have a legitimate interest and an investment in the education activity, but it is not about them. The task of the human rights educator is to ensure that the knowledge and experience of the “insiders” guides the education activity. Sometimes the educator is an “insider” to the participant group; for example, a young person working with youth participants or a police officer working with other police officers. If the human rights educator is an “outsider” to the participant group – for example, a non-indigenous person working with an indigenous group or a man working with a group of women – it is important that “insider” collaborations or partnerships are formed.
The Palestinian Independent Commission on Human Rights has held workshops in the West Bank and Gaza to raise awareness around reproductive rights and how they apply to the local setting. The workshops were a follow-up activity to a major regional consultation in June 2011.
The Commission hosted two workshops to provide staff members with an opportunity to discuss the principles and concept of reproductive rights. Staff also developed a number of suggestions for integrating reproductive rights into the work of the Commission, such as:
conducting joint research projects with the United Nations Population Fund
reviewing draft legislation for consistency with reproductive rights, and
incorporating reproductive rights into training programmes.
In addition, the Commission hosted a workshop in Gaza in October to draw attention to the issue of violence against women in the Palestinian territories.
More information is available at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/palestine-building-awareness-of-reproductive-rights.
Participatory approach: Using a participatory approach to human rights education involves participant and stakeholder contribution to the planning, implementation and evaluation of an activity. The benefits of this are many.
It strengthens group, organization and community capacity.
Programmes are developed effectively and efficiently.
Mutual learning happens through the sharing of information, skills and experiences.
It generates a greater understanding of the human rights issues to be addressed.
It builds broader support for programmes and activities.
It takes advantage of knowledge and expertise that might otherwise be overlooked.
It identifies possible controversial aspects of an issue and helps bring together different points of view to achieve consensus in a collaborative manner.77
76 “Maranga Mai! Human Rights Community Development” by Dr Jill Chrisp in the Australian New Community Quarterly (Vol. 9, No. 1); Autumn 2011.
77 Adapted from Participatory Methods Toolkit: A Practitioner’s Manual; Dr Nikki Slocum; joint publication of the King Baudouin Foundation and the Flemish Institute for Science and Technology Assessment, in collaboration with the United
Human Rights Education: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions 43
Praxis: Action is more effective if it is connected with review and reflection. Praxis involves not only taking action but thinking about what actions are being taken and what actions are best to take.
Relevance: People will act on issues for which they have strong feelings. There is a close link between emotion and the motivation to act and so education activities should be about those issues that are important to the participants, The role of the human rights educator is to learn about, and from, the participants so that the education activity is meaningful to them.
Structural analysis: This approach analyses the structures and power relations in society in order to identify the most effective interventions that will facilitate positive change to human rights conditions.
Transformative education: The opposite of “banking” education, transformative education involves participants in deciding how best to transform their lives, the environment, community and society. The human rights educator works to build the ability and commitment of each person to be actively engaged in creating change. Transformative education is empowering.
4.2. Practice principles for a human rights education methodology
Human rights education principles apply across all levels of human rights education activity, whether in formal or non-formal settings. While specific settings will influence what, and how, the educator develops and delivers human rights education, the following principles are presented as a guide.
4.2.1. The six principles of human rights education
The six principles have been developed specifically for this Manual but are informed by the work of educationalists, human rights educators and by the contributions of NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region.
Figure 4.2: The six principles of human rights education
Nations University – Comparative Regional Integration Studies; 2003.
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Principle 1: Relevant to participants
Human rights education is participant-centred and relevant.
No human rights education activity occurs in isolation. It will occur in a moment or period of time and in a particular environment, whether this is place-based or internet-based. It will involve people who bring with them their own perceptions, experiences, viewpoints, priorities, preferred ways of learning and levels of knowledge. It will also be influenced by the structures and relationships that exist.
The “relevant to participants” principle requires the human rights educator to have a thorough understanding of the participants; who they are, the environments in which they live, the way they learn, their religious and cultural backgrounds and beliefs and the human rights issues they face. The human rights educator needs to be innovative and adaptable to ensure that the education activity is relevant and meaningful to the participants.
Child marriage, the plight of migrant workers and the need to uphold the land rights of Malaysia's indigenous peoples are the focus of a powerful new social documentary, Hak Yang Hilang 78.
Produced by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) and UNAM (United Nations Association of Malaysia) Youth, the documentary explains each issue through stories and statistics.
The 20-minute documentary is available on a campaign website at www.hakyanghilang.org. It features video materials and information dedicated to each issue:
Child Marriage79
78 Available online at www.facebook.com/pg/SUHAKAM/videos/ . 79 Available online at www.hakyanghilang.org/chapter-1?fbclid=IwAR0D1Uyux0ZKmeH-
Rpt3FH9VSzoA1vIt3nUJe_QdGzVoCWGrYgDXl8eOpTc .
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Orang Asli land rights80
Migrant workers’ rights81
The campaign website provides up-to-date information and statistics on each issue, an overview of SUHAKAM's current work, its recommendations to government to improve the human rights situation, and relevant links to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Trailers for Hak Yang Hilang have been widely promoted on social media to engage young Malaysians in a conversation about human rights.
Further information is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/human-rights-film-spotlights-contemporary-challenges/
The Office of the Ombudsman/NHRI Samoa ensures that their approach, practices and methods of human rights education weave in the concept of Fa’asamoa (traditional system of roles and responsibilities that spell out different relationships within the family and community) to ensure that people understand and relate to human rights in a way that is relevant.82
Principle 2: Collaborative83
Human rights education is enhanced by partnerships and collaborations.
In order to develop and implement a human rights education activity that is relevant to participants and that will have a lasting impact, the human rights educator uses the knowledge and connections of others. These are collaborators or partners.
Sometimes the collaboration may be formalized through a partnership agreement; for example, between an NHRI and a department of police in the facilitation of human rights education programme for police officers. However, for the most part, these will be informal connections made between the educator, the NHRI and those who may have information that will enhance the education experience.
The “collaborative” principle requires the human rights educator to identify others who will usefully engage with the activity as partners or collaborators.
The NIHR of Bahrain is introducing key human rights principles to 160 security personnel.
The NSA Inspector General, Mohammed Rashed Al-Rumaihi, commended the efforts afforded by the NIHR in providing human rights training for security forces, reaffirming the significance of raising the awareness of law enforcement personnel in national, regional and international human rights mechanisms, in accordance with the principles stipulated in the
80 Available online at www.hakyanghilang.org/chapter2?fbclid=IwAR0D1Uyux0ZKmeH-Rpt3FH9VSzoA1vIt3nUJe_QdGzVoCWGrYgDXl8eOpTc .
81 Available online at www.hakyanghilang.org/chapter-3 . 82 The Parliamentarian 2018: Issue Four. Contextualising human rights is crucial from the perspective of a small state (pp
310 & 311). Available online at https://issuu.com/theparliamentarian/docs/theparliamentarian2018issuefourfina/62 . 83 SPC Regional Rights Resource Team (2019), Sustaining campaign coalitions. Available online at
https://rrrt.spc.int/resources/videos/sustaining-campaign-coalitions .
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constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, national legislation and regional and international human rights instruments.
The program will focus on national human rights mechanisms, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, lnhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol, in addition to UN treaty and charter-based human rights mechanisms.
Further information is available at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/nihr-launches-training-program-national-security-agency/.
Principle 3: Participatory
Human rights education ensures that people fully participate in the education activity.
Real education occurs when people experience that who they are – their priorities, thoughts, and questions – is valued and contributes meaningfully to the learning. The human rights educator looks for authentic and respectful ways to engage participants.
A participatory approach to education is characterized by:
knowledge that is dynamic and changing, as participants contribute their experiences and perspectives
people becoming actively engaged in learning
people learning about themselves
the educator acting as a facilitator, rather than the source of knowledge
a relationship with the educator that is based on interaction
learning through interaction, rather than memorizing knowledge through repetition
a focus on analysis, synthesis and application, rather than facts and information.84
The “participatory” principle requires the human rights educator to ensure that participants are fully and actively engaged in the education activity.
Principle 4: Probing
Human rights education deepens knowledge and experience.
Human rights education encourages the discovery, sharing and understanding of participants’ experiences. Participants are supported to talk about their own experiences and knowledge, make comparisons with other information and understand why things are as they are.
The “probing” principle requires the human rights educator to use education processes, techniques and tools that encourage participants to consider human rights issues and concepts in a deep and meaningful way.
84 Adapted from the Human Rights Education Pack; Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education; 2003 (2nd edition); p. 36.
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Principle 5: Thoughtful action
Human rights education recognizes that the realization of human rights comes from considered and thoughtful action.
Human rights education involves both action and reflection. It encourages critical thinking and problem solving. It encourages reflective practitioners. Learning takes place when participants are able to reflect critically on what they are doing. True reflection leads to action and that action will be most effective if there is critical reflection on its consequences.
Reflection without action is mere verbalism.Action without reflection becomes pure activism.85
Figure 4.3: Thoughtful action
The “thoughtful action” principle requires the human rights educator to develop for themselves, and for the participants, ways of thinking about what they do and how it impacts on their actions. It is a way of monitoring the impact of actions and deciding whether they are the right actions or whether they may need modifying.
Principle 6: Empowering
Human rights education is empowering, encouraging non-discrimination, equality and inclusion.
Human rights education is guided by human rights principles of non-discrimination, equality and inclusion. Participants are encouraged to analyse their situations through a human rights lens and to develop strategies to act on them. In this way human rights education is transformative, empowering people to take control of their own lives.
The remaining chapters in the Manual offer practical suggestions about how these principles may be put into practice.
Key points: Chapter 4
In order for human rights education to contribute to the realization of human rights, it must:
be relevant to the participants
involve partnerships and collaboration with appropriate individuals and groups
recognize that the participants are important contributors to the education activity and that the human rights educator is also a “learner”
deepen and strengthen the knowledge and experience of participants
combine action with reflection by building in processes of review and evaluation
85 Pedagogy of the Oppressed; Paulo Freire; 1968 (translated into English in 1970).
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focus on individual and societal empowerment and transformation.
Useful resources
Building Human Rights Communities: The experience of three indigenous peoples in the Philippines. Commissions on human rights of New Zealand and the Philippines (2011). Available online at https://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/Themes/IndigenousPeoples/DocumentsPage/HRC_Building_Human_Rights_Communities-%20PHIL-NZ%20joint%20project.pdf
Facilitation Manual: A guide to using participatory methods for Human Rights Education (2014). Available online at www.amnesty.org/en/documents/act35/020/2011/en/ and online at https://issuu.com/aihumanrightseducation/docs/facilitation-manual
Maranga Mai! Human Rights Community Development. Dr Jill Chrisp in the Australian New Community Quarterly (Vol. 9, No. 1); Autumn 2011
SPC Regional Rights Resources Team (2019), Sustaining campaign coalitions. Available online at https://rrrt.spc.int/resources/videos/sustaining-campaign-coalitions
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Chapter 5:A human rights education approach
Key questions What is the responsibility of NHRIs when deciding the most appropriate human rights
education approach?
How can human rights education planning, implementation and evaluation respond to diverse participants, contexts and purposes?
What are some of the frameworks that can strengthen a human rights education approach?
Tell me, I forget.Show me, I might remember.Let me do it, and it is mine forever86
This chapter introduces an approach to human rights education that has been developed to meet multiple situations, needs, strengths and outcomes. It is built on the concepts and principles of the previous chapter and uses three frameworks – the human rights-based approach, the “4-A” framework and the Learning Pyramid – as guides for strengthening the approach.
5.1. The multi-method approach to human rights education87
The Multi-Method approach encourages NHRIs to use the full range of methods available to them and to develop effective practice in each. It combines human rights standards with education theories and principles to produce a framework to guide the planning, design and implementation of a human rights education activity. The Multi-Method approach complements the various other functions of NHRIs and, at times, merges with them.
This approach is designed to touch heart, head and hands, which is core to full engagement, learning and behaviour change. It takes into account the levels of human rights education, beginning from what matters to participants’ beliefs, values and contexts (heart), building knowledge (head) and encouraging action (hands).
The approach also recognizes the role of, and obligation on, NHRIs to:
strengthen the ability of rights holders to claim their rights
sensitize duty bearers to human rights issues and their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil human rights.
The Multi-Method approach uses the human rights education concepts and principles in Chapter 4 and is based on the key human rights considerations of non-discrimination, participation, accountability and empowerment.
86 Anon.87 This approach has been adapted from the work of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission.
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The Multi-Method approach identifies six ways of conducting human rights education activities. NHRIs and human rights educators may identify other approaches that they also use.
5.1.1. Information sharing: Passing on human rights information
Information sharing includes giving out information about human rights to individuals, groups and communities of focus, as well as informing the NHRI about human rights matters affecting individuals, groups and communities of focus. The human rights educator has a “communication” role, distilling human rights information and distributing it in a way that it is most effectively received by the intended audience.
5.1.2. Training: Imparting human rights skills and knowledge
Training focuses on ensuring that people are able to reiterate human rights information and demonstrate how to act in a human rights “manner”. It is based on a prescribed set of learning outcomes. The human rights educator has a “teacher” role, developing appropriate methods and experiences that most effectively teach people human rights content and skills.
The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) worked with 30 to 50 immigration officers to train them on how to assist smuggled persons and victims of trafficking. They were equipped with skills in interviewing, communicating and counselling. It was hoped that these skills would enable them to differentiate between victims of trafficking and those who entered the country illegally, said SUHAKAM Chairperson Tan Sri Hasmy Agam. He said training was necessary if the Government intended to incorporate the smuggling of migrants in amendments to the Anti-Trafficking Act 2007.
SUHAKAM also launched a pamphlet on anti-trafficking in persons, available in English and Bahasa Malaysia, which aimed to build awareness of trafficking in persons to the public, potential victims and victims.
Hasmy said the pamphlet would be translated into various Asian languages and distributed to NGOs in Malaysia and ASEAN countries, foreign embassies, government departments, airports and courthouses.
More information is available at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/malaysia-suhakam-to-train-officials-on-human-trafficking/.
5.1.3. Human Rights Facilitation: Strengthening and supporting others to take action to improve human rights conditions
Facilitation is process-based and content-based. In the Multi-Method approach, “facilitation” aims at encouraging learners to evaluate their own experiences and, through personal and group empowerment, contribute to the realization of human rights in their worlds. The human rights educator has a “facilitator” role, developing processes that enable people to identify human rights issues that impact on them and on others, and to find ways of addressing those issues.
There are similarities between human rights education principles and facilitation, in that facilitation, like human rights education, is participatory, is relevant to participants and is probing as facilitators encourage dialogue to explore issues in more depth and also empowering, as participants are encouraged (and supported) to contribute their ideas.
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5.1.4. Relationship management: Working with others toward shared human rights outcomes
Relationship management involves creating authentic and results-focused partnerships with those people, groups or sectors most able to impact on human rights situations. The relationship can involve one or multiple parties and has mutual benefit to all. The human rights educator has a “networker” role, identifying key players, whether they are duty bearers or rights holders, to promote action to address an identified human rights situation.
5.1.5. Advocacy for human rights: Promoting the role and value of human rights and encouraging people to act
While there are several forms of advocacy, most are aligned with social justice advocacy, working for structural and lasting changes that increase the power of those who are most disadvantaged. The human rights educator has a “promoter” role, supporting those most disadvantaged to use human rights and human rights tools to take action to realize these rights and educating those in power to respect, protect and fulfil these rights.
In June 2012, the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a national campaign to encourage young people to support their friends targeted by cyberbullying.
Commission spokesperson Dr Helen Szoke said the “BackMeUp” campaign aimed to encourage people to take positive action when they saw somebody being cyberbullied.
“Bystanders are crucial to dealing with cyberbullying. Taking positive action to support those who are being bullied leads to less social and mental health problems, as well as an increased sense of safety at schools,” said Dr Szoke.
The BackMeUp campaign was based on research by some of Australia’s foremost experts on bullying, including Professor Donna Cross and Dr Laura Thomas from Edith Cowan University Child Health Promotion Research Centre.
Research on bullying has found that the vast majority of bullying incidents occur in front of bystanders, the majority of whom either feel powerless to act or actually encourage the bullying.
The central focus of BackMeUp was a video competition where teenagers were encouraged to make a video about how they could help someone who is being cyberbullied.
The campaign was supported by a wide range of partners.
5.1.6. Community development: Strengthening communities to address the human rights issues which affect their lives88
Human rights community development involves building self-reliant and respectful communities where individuals and groups are able to identify, examine, address and monitor human rights issues and to advocate for the realization of the community’s human rights priorities. It involves principles of empowerment, participation, inclusion, self-determination and partnership. The human rights educator has a “multi-function” role that
88 “Community” in this context could refer to a sectoral or geographic community – such as a workplace, a school, a group of people with disabilities, a street, a village or a region – and involve rights holders, duty bearers and influencers.
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involves project management, leadership development, mentoring, facilitation, teaching, networking, advocacy and communication.
While each of the above methods has its own methodology and practice principles, it is recognized that some of these methods encompass all or part of the others. Human rights community development, for example, could involve all of the other methods; education and advocacy could involve training, information dissemination and relationship management; and training could involve information dissemination.
Chapter 7 discusses the roles that the educator would play using each of these methods.
The methods used in the Multi-Method approach are not exclusive to human rights education. Some are used for other mandated functions of NHRIs. Communications and media work, for example, can include “information sharing” and “advocacy”, while policy analysis and legal intervention can use “advocacy”, “facilitation” and “information sharing”. Similarly, “relationship management” is used across all functions of the organization.
Figure 5.1: Multi-Method approach to human rights education
The Multi-Method approach to human rights education encourages the practitioner to identify the best method to reach the desired outcome, and one that is appropriate for the participants, the context and the purpose of the human rights education activity.
Part III explains how the Multi-Method approach can be used in practice.
5.2. Frameworks to strengthen the multi-method approach
The Manual identifies three frameworks that contribute to strengthening the Multi-Method approach to human rights education:
the “4-A” framework
the human rights-based approach
the Learning Pyramid.
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5.2.1. The “4-A” framework
The late Katarina Tomaševski, former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education (1998–2004), developed a set of four broad standards as a framework from which the realization of the right to education could be assessed. While the “4-A” standards were written as a “right to education” framework, they are usefully transferable to human rights education.
Availability: That human rights education is State-provided in the formal sector and provided by others in the non-formal sector; that there are skilled educators able to support education delivery.
Accessibility: That human rights education is non-discriminatory and accessible to all; that positive steps are taken to include the most marginalized.
Acceptability: That the content is relevant, non-discriminatory, culturally appropriate and of quality; that the education environment itself is safe and educators are professional.
Adaptability: That human rights education should evolve with the changing needs of society and contribute to challenging inequalities and that it can be adapted locally to suit specific contexts.89
Further work was undertaken through a national assessment of human rights in New Zealand, to identify indicators for each standard (see Figure 5.2).
Figure 5.2: The “4-A” framework for human rights education
89 For the purpose of this Manual, the meanings included in this chapter have been slightly adapted from the original. The original descriptors are available online at www.right-to-education.org/node/226.
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In the formal sector, the “4-A” framework recognizes that the Government is the primary duty bearer. However, it also places duties on others in the education process; “the child as the privileged subject of the right to education and the bearer of the duty to comply with compulsory-education requirements; the child’s parents who are the ‘first educators’; and professional educators, namely teachers”.90 NHRIs also have a role to support the State and others in the provision of quality and effective human rights education.
The approach emphasizes human rights in education, which recognizes the right to access quality human rights education. It also emphasizes human rights through education, which identifies the role of human rights education as a means of achieving broader human rights.
The first level of the “4-A” framework provides clear, simple but effective standards that have a high level of transferability and application. They may be used by the human rights educator to develop a programme just as easily as they may be used to develop a human rights education method, tool or resource.
The second level indicators are aimed more at the total human rights education programme. However individual indicators – such as the elimination of barriers, meeting quality standards, reflecting human rights content and taking diversity into account – have utility for the design of activities.
90 See the Right to Education Project. Available online at www.right-to-education.org.
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5.2.2. The human rights-based approach
The human rights-based approach was adopted by the international development community in the early 2000s. It is made up of an agreed set of standards developed from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments.91 These standards include:
universality and inalienability
indivisibility
interdependence and interrelatedness
equality and non-discrimination
participation and inclusion
empowerment
accountability and the rule of law.
While the origins of the human rights-based approach are in international development work, the approach is now used more broadly.
The following figure links six elements of a human rights-based approach with human rights education.92
91 The “Statement of Common Understanding” of the human rights-based approach was developed in 2003 by a meeting of agencies and organizations. The UN Practitioners’ Portal on Human Rights-Based Approaches to Programming is available online at http://hrbaportal.org.
92 This figure has been informed by A Human Rights-Based Approach to Education for All; United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; 2007.
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Figure 5.3: Six principles of a human rights-based approach
Decision-making and human rights standardsAre decisions that are made through the human rights education activity process in-line with international human rights standards?
ParticipationAre those involved in the human rights education activity able to actively and meaningfully participate in, and contribute to, its planning, implementation and evaluation?
Non-discrimination and equalityDoes the human rights education activity ensure that:
everyone involved is treated equally and is entitled to their rights without discrimination?
priority is given to the most marginalized?
power imbalances are addressed?
Does the content of the human rights education activity address issues of discrimination and equality?
EmpowermentDoes the human rights education activity strengthen the capability of individuals and communities to:
demand and use their human rights?
hold those responsible to account?
change their own lives, improve their own communities and influence their own destinies?
AccountabilityDoes the human rights education activity build the capacities of duty bearers to meet their obligations and of rights holders to claim their rights?
Balance of rightsDoes the human rights education activity:
balance individual and collective rights?
try to balance conflicting rights so that everyone’s rights are respected?
give priority to the rights of the most vulnerable?
The SPC Regional Rights Resource Team has produced a very useful video on the human rights-based approach. This is available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYCdV-iAo18&list=PLCq-WnF3HdrgdkRt3VENLqFl0RwFDQf7U&index=2.93
5.2.3. The Learning Pyramid
The Learning Pyramid model demonstrates that learning is accomplished through facilitated group dialogue, advocating open-minded appreciation and inclusion of differences. It also shows that learning by experience, rather than by absorbing information, such as listening to a lecture or reading resource material, is the most ideal approach for changing behaviours.94
93 SPC RRRT (2019). A Human Rights Based Approach PANEL. A second version adding ‘T’ (Transforming social norms) to the approach (acronym PLANET) has also been produced and is available online at https://rrrt.spc.int/resources/videos/a-human-rights-based-approach .
94 A video that explains How Adults Learn (2017) is available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LdEwYDDJBg&t=3s (3.29).
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Linked to the model is a continuum of outcomes that are the result of three models of education and training.95
Transmission (or ‘banking ‘approach) – information is passed on.
Generation – new ideas have been developed.
Transformation – situations have been changed.
The model encourages the human rights facilitator to ensure approaches that are experiential and participatory in order to achieve transformative and sustainable outcomes.
Figure 5.4: The Learning Pyramid
95 Joan Wink (theory), Dayna Watland (artist). Further information is available online at www.joanwink.com/critical-pedagogy-3rd-edition/critical-pedagogy-3rd-edition-practicing-pedagogy-patiently/ .
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10%: Lecture or reading
20%: Mentoring and coaching
70%: Experiential and participatory learning
Transmission
Generation
Transformation
Participatory
Passive
The National Centre for Human Rights of Kazakhstan (NCHR)96 used a multi-method approach to focus on combating ethnic and racial discrimination in Kazakhstan by creating a dialogue platform at the National Centre for Human Rights (NHRI) to support national minorities.97
Rationale
An analysis of racial discrimination in Kazakhstan identified that there was a low level of awareness of citizens about their rights, existing legal protection instruments and access to mechanism to remedy discrimination.
Activity
The activity was delivered in two stages.
1. a familiarization session with key NHRI staff, using a variety of tools make the session practical and relevant (analysis of case studies and the Equality Card game98).
2. a dialogue platform for representatives of the NCHR and representatives of various public organizations, using facilitation principles outlined in the Jakarta Guidelines for Human Rights Facilitators.99
Outcomes
The NCHR learned a lot of new things about the activities of ethnocultural associations, their projects and challenges.
Participants were able to identify the key rights of national minorities and the problems they face in the process of implementation their rights.
New relationships formed between the NCHR and ethno-cultural associations, who expressed an interest in joining the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism coordinated by the NCHR.
The NCHR engaged more NGOs and research centers, which allows the Ombudsman to better study the issue and develop a meeting agenda and establish constructive dialogues.
Contacts were established with the Assembly of the people of Kazakhstan opening new opportunities for future work.
Follow-up from the activity
A key learning from the activity was the importance of preliminary discussion with representatives of NGOs and research centers. These stakeholders provided valuable knowledge for the preparation of the dialogue.
96 Azhara Suleimenova from the National Centre for Human Rights of Kazakhstan and a member of the Asia Pacific Forum Facilitators’ Network facilitated this activity.
97 A video of this activity is available online at www.facebook.com/ombudsman.kz/videos/253235008572651/UzpfSTEwMDAxNjU4NDYxNjIzNzoyNTMyMzY2NzE5MDU4MTg/.
98 Tool 20 of this Manual.99 Appendix 4 of this Manual and available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/jakarta-guidelines-human-rights-
facilitators/ .
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On the back of the dialogue, the NCHR launched a research project in March 2019 to analyze racial discrimination, legal frameworks and awareness of rights relating to discrimination on ethnic grounds in seven regions in Kazakhstan. The research project will also have an advocacy element to it, aiming to raise awareness on available assistance, including the role of the NCHR, for communities and potential victims of discrimination.
The research conducted in the project will give the NCHR an understanding of the prevalence of racial discrimination in Kazakhstan.
Key points: Chapter 5 NHRIs have the responsibility to identify the most appropriate human rights education
approach to meet diverse participants, contexts and purposes.
A Multi-Method approach to education involves six broad methods: information sharing, training, facilitation, relationship management, advocacy for human rights and community development.
Three frameworks strengthen the Multi-Method approach: the “4-A” framework, the human rights-based approach and the Learning Pyramid.
Useful resources
Human Rights-Based Approach to Education for All; United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; 2007
OHCHR. Training and Education. Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/PublicationsResources/Pages/TrainingEducation.aspx
SPC Regional Rights Resources Team (2019). The rights-based approach. Available online at https://rrrt.spc.int/resources/videos/a-human-rights-based-approach
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Part III:Human rights education in practice
Chapter 6:Planning and designing human rights education100
Key questions What are the main elements for planning and designing a human rights education
activity?
How can a Logic Model be used for planning and designing a human rights education activity?
If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there. The point is to know, better than before, which path you are taking and why.101
6.1. Introduction
Every human rights education activity, no matter how small or large, will involve three key stages: planning and design, implementation and evaluation. This chapter talks about the first stage: planning and design.
The figure below shows these three stages in a cycle because one human rights education activity will often lead to another. When this happens, it is hoped that the evaluation of the previous activity will help improve the planning and implementation of the following activity, resulting in continuous improvement, relevance and outcomes.
Human rights education does not take place in isolation. All human rights education occurs in a context that is affected by many, and sometimes conflicting, factors. It is important that the human rights educator considers these factors in the planning and design process and the influence they may have on the programme or activity.
Where possible, participants will be included in the planning and design process. This can happen in a minor way; for example, by asking participants to take part in an initial needs assessment or more completely, by having participants plan and design their own learning experience. Most human rights education happens somewhere in between.
With some activities, such as delivering a presentation, facilitating a workshop and being interviewed by the media, the process of planning and design may be short. In others, such as organizing a campaign or implementing a community development project, it may be longer.
100 APF Video (2015) Planning human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDQD7tpzMOw (5.37).
101 Situation Analysis: An Approach and Method for Analyzing the Context of Projects and Programmes; Global M&E Initiative; available online at http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/approach_and_method.pdf.
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Figure 6.1: Planning and design stage in a human rights education activity
6.2. A Logic Model102
The Logic Model is useful as a human rights education planning, implementation and evaluation tool. It focuses on what the educator is trying to achieve and then how it will do that.
In its simplest form, a Logic Model is a framework; a systematic way to link the elements of an education activity. It develops the story about what outcomes are wanted from the education activity, how to achieve them and how to determine that they have been achieved.
It involves four elements: situation analysis, inputs, outputs and outcomes.
102 Similar concepts are “Intervention Logic”/“Theory of Change” and “Results-Based Accountability”.
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Figure 6.2: A Logic Model103
The Logic Model guides each of the three stages of a human rights education activity:
During the design and planning stage, the human rights educator/NHRI reviews the current situation, agrees the desired outcomes, identifies the resources required (inputs) and develops the human rights education plan ( outputs).
During the implementation stage, the human rights educator/NHRI carries out the human rights education plan and at specific times pauses to monitor whether the activity is progressing toward its outcomes. If it is not, necessary adjustments are made to the plan.
During the evaluation stage, the human rights educator/NHRI measures and reports on the achievement of the outcomes.
A Logic Model can apply to many levels of human rights education activity; a national, community or organizational activity, a project plan, an hour-long workshop or an individual work plan.
As long as it includes the key elements, a Logic Model can be constructed in any shape that works best for those involved and the resources available. For example, a Logic Model could be drawn on big sheets of paper, with sticky notes on a wall, on a computer screen or in some other form. However it is created, the Logic Model provides a framework for the life of the activity.103 Resource videos available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXKkFGPSxE – Planning (2015).
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Outcomes-based planning is different from other planning in that it focuses on results and impacts and how to measure those results. The focus is not on what the human rights educator is going to do (activity) but what they are aiming to achieve (impact/outcome).
6.3. Using the Logic Model to plan and design an education activity104
During the design and planning stage, the Logic Model helps identify what the human rights activity is trying to achieve and how it should be done. It identifies the resources, the participants and the potential collaborators. It also identifies the methods and tools that will best achieve the outcomes and the processes for monitoring and evaluation.
In its simplest form a logic model is like a road map. It helps you understand:
where are you now
And then helps you plan:
where you are going
how you will get there
what will show that you have arrived.
The situation analysis105 element of a Logic Model assesses the context of a particular human rights issue or activity. It gathers background information that enables the NHRI to fully understand the current state – to identify needs, strengths, barriers and supports. It builds knowledge of the context in which the activity will be implemented.
A situation analysis may ask questions, such as those below.
What is the human rights issue or focus that is to be addressed by the activity?
What are the external factors that impact on the human rights issue or focus?
What are the human rights priorities in this situation?
Who are the rights holders, duty bearers and influencers in relation to the human rights issue or focus?
104 A Logic Model checklist is available at Appendix 3. It provides a list of points to consider when using the Logic Model to plan and design a human rights education activity.
105 This can also be called “scoping” or “needs assessment”.
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Who should be involved in the human rights education activity – the participants?
What are characteristics of the participant group – their roles, experiences, prior knowledge, potential barriers, constraints and contributions?
What are the expectations, needs and strengths of the stakeholder group?
What are the expectations, needs and strengths of the participant group?
Who has an interest in the human rights issue or focus – the stakeholders?
Who are the other actors? Who else is involved in addressing this human rights issue?
Who would be useful to engage as partners? What type of human rights activity would be most relevant to the issue and the participants?
The answers to these questions will provide the educator with baseline data about the situation prior to the education activity taking place. It will give information that can be used to plan what is to be achieved (the outcomes) and how to achieve that (the type of activity to be designed and the audience/participant group that will be involved). The information from the situation analysis will provide a benchmark against which the effectiveness of the activity can be monitored and evaluated.
There are various ways that the situation analysis can occur. Ideally, participants and other stakeholders will be involved in the assessment. This ensures that it is participant-centred; that it is about the participants, not the educator. Effective human rights education is carried out with others, not to others. The greater the shared understanding of the human rights issues, and the greater the desire and ability to address them, the greater the likelihood of bringing about positive change.
It is not always possible or practical to fully involve participants and other stakeholders in the situation analysis, particularly if the activity is short and non-intensive. The amount of resources and the time involved in this step will also vary according to the size and complexity of the activity.
The challenge for the human rights educator is to create ways and processes that involve participants and other stakeholders as much as possible. It may mean an email or phone exchange with someone who can provide the information, or it may mean more intensive engagement and research through focus groups, community meetings, reading reports and so on.
Advisory Council
To assist with the promoting and protecting of human rights in Samoa, the Office of the Ombudsman/NHRI Samoa has an Advisory Council established pursuant to section 39 of the Ombudsman (Komesina o Sulufaiga) Act 2013, is composed of a body of knowledgeable individuals, which is reflective of diverse constituent groups in Samoan society, to ensure individuals are fairly heard and represented.
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In addition to geographical and affiliation considerations, the NHRI Samoa ensures that there is gender balance. Some of the key functions of the Council include assisting the Office in enlarging its knowledge and awareness of human rights issues in Samoa (which informs the Office of areas where gender issues lie); and in the promotion of awareness, appreciation and protection of human rights in Samoa (where there is emphasis on advocating for gender equality and discussion issues on gender participation and others.)
Figure 6.2 indicates the sequence of the Logic Model. However, in practice, once the situation analysis is completed and before the activity can be planned (inputs and outputs), the human rights educator needs to know the outcomes that are anticipated as a result of the education activity.
The outcomes element of the Logic Model is about identifying the impacts that are expected from the activity. In the planning stage, the human rights educator will develop what the activity will achieve and what measurable steps (indicators) need to be put in place to show what progress has been made.
The definitions and language of goals, objectives and outcomes vary and can sometimes be conflicting and confusing. This Manual defines outcomes as the desired change or impact as a result of a human rights education activity.
Outcomes-based planning is different from other planning in that it focuses on results and measuring those results. The focus is not on what the NHRI aims to do (objective) but what the NHRI is aiming to achieve (impact/outcome). Outcomes define what the impact will be if the human rights education strategy is successful. They also provide a benchmark against which that success will be measured.
Outcomes are often developed with a long-term aim or vision in mind. This is the goal. Goals are broad, brief statements that create the vision that inspires the activity. While goals are not generally achieved, they provide the framework for setting the outcomes and around which strategies or activities can be organized.
If the overriding human rights goal is “the achievement of human rights for all”, then the overall human rights education goal could be “the development of essential knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that enable and motivate individuals, groups, communities, and nations to contribute to making human rights a reality for all”.
As discussed in Chapter 2, human rights education has three clusters of goals. It aims to provide experiences where participants learn about human rights, learn through human rights and learn for human rights.106 Based on these goals, it is the task of the human rights educator to develop clear outcomes for each activity or programme of activities. Ideally, this happens in collaboration with the participant and stakeholder groups.
Examples of goals from human rights education activities undertaken by NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region include:
106 United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training; article 2.2.
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The capacity of human rights defenders primarily working at district levels is increased; National Human Rights Commission of Nepal 107
A human rights culture in general, and the rights of the child in particular, is promoted in Qatari schools; National Human Rights Committee of Qatar 108
The ability of Disabled Persons Organizations and government representatives in the Pacific to progress disability issues is increased; Australian Human Rights Commission.109
The goal guides the development of the outcomes. These will describe what the human rights situation will be like when the education programme or activity has been successfully completed.
Now, I observe that the soldiers are disciplined and no longer abusive. Members of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit no longer bear arms in public.
(Higaonon, Philippines)
If the human rights activity is implemented over a long period of time, outcomes can be organized into short-term, medium-term and long-term timeframes. It is difficult, and not advisable, to generalize about periods of time for achievement of outcomes. However, as a guide:
short-term outcomes tend to result in new knowledge and increased awareness and commitment to behavioural change
medium-term outcomes tend to result in increased skills and changes in attitudes, behaviour, decisions or policies
long-term outcomes tend to result in changes in a situation.
Not all education activities will include medium-term and long-term outcomes. A comprehensive and complex activity, such as raising national awareness about the rights of migrant workers, will include all outcomes levels. A less complex activity, such as a presentation to a group of local officials on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women may include short-term outcomes only.
The examples below show the difference between short-term, medium-term and long-term outcomes i) for a national human rights institution’s gender mainstreaming strategy
Short-term outcome: At the end of a three-month organisation-wide gender awareness raising programme all senior managers report they are committed and able to apply a gender lens to the NHRI’s culture and operations.
Medium-term outcome: By [date within six months], specific actions toward gender mainstreaming have been undertaken at all levels of the NHRI with positive results as reported by # focus groups of staff and commissioners.
Long-term outcome: By [date after 2 years], the culture and operations of the NHRI has improved against the baseline gender audit, as shown by the indicators
107 Course of instruction for human rights defenders; National Human Rights Commission of Nepal; January 2012.108 Human rights education programme in schools; Qatar National Human Rights Committee; 2012.109 Building capacity and knowledge of Disabled Persons Organizations and government representatives in the Pacific to
progress disability issues: Activity report; Australian Human Rights Commission; 2012.
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and tools used in the baseline audit.
and ii) for the human rights education activities and outcomes related to teacher-to-student and student-to-student bullying in a school environment.
Activity: The NHRI provides human rights information about bullying to a school.
Short-term outcome: By [date] the school knows about students’ human rights and its responsibility to address the bullying.
Activity: The NHRI works with school leaders and students to develop skills, attitudes and behaviours to prevent bullying in the school.
Medium-term outcome: By [date] the school reports it has the ability to develop bullying prevention strategies and intends to do so.
Activity: By [date] the NHRI works with the school to plan, implement and evaluate an anti-bullying strategy.
Long-term outcome: The school takes action and against baseline data, bullying is reduced.
Writing effective outcomes can take time, particularly if they are being written collaboratively with participants and stakeholders. A commonly used tool for developing quality outcomes is “SMARTA” which identifies six key elements to consider.
6.3.1. Developing indicators110
Once the outcomes have been finalized, it is important to develop a way to measure whether the outcomes have been achieved. In the models above, for example, how can it be shown that the NHRI has achieved its gender mainstreaming outcomes or that the NHRI’s activities with the school has resulted in bullying being addressed and reduced.
110 Video (2017) Understanding Indicators in 7 Quick Chapters. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=pswhgh4u-Gg.
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SPECIFIC Is the particular impact or result you are trying to achieve, clear?
MEASURABLE Is it possible to assess whether you are making progress toward the outcome and whether
you have reached the outcome?
ACHIEVABLE Is the outcome realistic with the available resources, expertise and time?
RELEVANT Is the outcome appropriate and acceptable to, and shared by, priority stakeholder
groups? Will it achieve the result/impact sought?
TIMEBOUND Does the outcome include a realistic and achievable timeframe?
ACCOUNTABLE Have those responsible for achieving this outcome been identified?
A useful way to do this is by using indicators. Indicators are measures or markers that give information about how well the activity is progressing toward its outcomes. Indicators should not be complex. They are simple and tangible measures.
There are two main types of indicators: qualitative and quantitative.
Qualitative indicators will measure people’s experiences, opinions, judgements or viewpoints. In relation to human rights education activities, examples of qualitative indicators could be:
participant group feedback about a human rights education workshop
the feasibility of human rights action plans developed as part of a community development programme
the content of public comments on a youth rights website
the type of organizations involved in a disability rights network.
Quantitative indicators measure those things that can be counted; that is, numbers or facts. In relation to human rights education activities, quantitative indicators could be the number of:
participants involved in a human rights education workshop
organizations that developed a human rights action plan as part of a community development programme
comments on a youth rights website
organizations involved in a disability rights network.
Both qualitative and quantitative indicators have their strengths and weaknesses. Qualitative indicators provide more in-depth information, but this information is more difficult to measure and compare. Quantitative indicators produce data that is easy to measure but do not give in-depth information. It is ideal to use a combination of both.
A simple rule for developing indicators is QQTL.
While not all indicators require all four elements, strong indicators will be a combination of all four.
Below are examples of the indicators developed for Sustainable Development Goal 5, Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. As you will see, some include all four elements, others are just quantitative.
Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former partner in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age (Indicator 5.2.1)
Quality: reports of violence
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Quality Quantity Time LocationStrong
Indicator
Quantity: proportion of population/age and gender/type of violence (while it is not stated it is implied that other data such as national violence statistics etc would contribute to this data)
Time: 12-month period
Location: within each country/across the world
Proportion of women aged 20-24 who were married or in a union before age 15 and before aged 18 (Indicator 5.3.2)
Quality: nil
Quantity: proportion of population/age, gender, marital status
Time: Nil but could relate to a country’s reporting time
Location: within each country across the world
Proportion of women aged 15-49 years who make their own informed decisions regarding sexual relations, contraceptive use and reproductive health care (Indicator 5.6.1)
Quality: reports from women
Quantity: proportion of against population/age, gender/scope of decisions
Time: Nil but could relate to a country’s reporting time
Location: within each country/across the world
When developing indicators, the following three check points may be useful.
QUESTION 1: Can the evidence collected be attributed to the education programme or activity?Be careful that you are measuring only those things that are in the activity or programme.
QUESTION 2: Is reliable information available or able to be collected? Ensure that you can source information that will accurately indicate whether the outcome has been reached.
QUESTION 3: If measuring change, does baseline data exist?It is not possible to measure a change in any situation if you don’t know how it was before the education activity or programme. The situation analysis if carried out effectively will give you this data.
Once the outcomes and indicators are developed in this planning stage, they will be used for monitoring progress during implementation and evaluating what has been achieved at the end of the programme activity. Chapters 7 and 8 discuss this further.
Milestones
Human rights education activity that is implemented over an extended period of time may also include “milestones”. Milestones are markers in time. They say what will be achieved by the activity, by a certain time. An example of how to use milestones is included in the case study below.111 Here the National Human Rights Commission of Korea held an outreach tour
111 With thanks to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea for this case study. Note that the milestones were not provided by the Commission but have been developed to illustrate this point in the Manual.
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for migrant workers at the Ansan Foreign Residents Center. In this example, the milestones relate to the outcomes that were established during the planning stage of the project.
National Human Rights Commission of Korea: Outreach tour for migrant workers at the ANSAN Foreign Residents Center
Outcome sought:
To provide advice on human rights and labour laws and regulations relating to migrant workers and members of their families.
To collect information collected during the tour to be used for policy review and research in order to understand and improve the human rights situation of migrant workers in the country.
Milestone indicators:
By [short-term date]: [Number] public meetings held involving lawyers, labour attorneys and public servants from the Immigration Office and the Ministry of Employment and Labour; [number] of people attended the meetings.
By [medium-term date]: Information collected from the tour presented in a report to the Immigration Office and the Ministry of Employment and Labour.
By [long-term date]: Information from the review incorporated into government policy.
More information is available at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/south-korea-outreach-tour-targets-migrant-workers.
The inputs element of a Logic Model explores what the NHRI needs to contribute by way of personnel and other resources to carry out the human rights education activity.
The most important resource for any human rights education activity is people; human rights educators, administrators, communications people, partners, participants and other experts. The situation analysis will have identified the capacities and strengths that are available in an individual, community or organization and those with whom collaboration would be beneficial to guide, support, contribute to or partner the activity. Making time to engage with others, to listen to their views and to take their views into account significantly improves the strength and quality of these relationships, which in turn impacts positively on the development of the education activity and the achievement of outcomes.
Other resource considerations include:
financial resources
support systems, including administration, language (for example, translations, sign language and plain language) and interpreters
research and information
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materials, equipment, technologies and resources to ensure access for people with disabilities
time
environmental requirements, such as an accessible venue, childcare, refreshments and work spaces
communications.
Human rights education is carried out in many environments, particularly when, as is ideal with most models of human rights education, the educator is prepared to go to where the participants are located. It is up to the educator to be creative with the resources available. The activity may be controlled by existing resources or it may be necessary to gain additional resources through funding applications or by attracting resources from partners or stakeholders.
As NHRIs have education and promotion as a key mandate, adequate internal resources should be available for at least a basic level of human rights education programming. If there are limited resources, it may be necessary to seek donor support or to modify the activity and its expectations.
The outputs element of a Logic Model identifies what will be produced that will ensure the outcome is reached. This the human rights education programme or activity.
The planning and design stage involves deciding what type of activity will be used (the methods and tools) and identifying who will be involved. It uses information that has been gathered through the situation analysis.
6.3.2. What human rights activity will be carried out?
The range of human rights education activities that are possible is endless. Most activities are enhanced, or limited, by the creativity of the educator. Unfortunately, human rights education can become “templated”, where the same education content or process is used for everyone. It is particularly tempting for an educator who has run an excellent workshop, given a powerful speech or developed an effective resource to use the same approach again and again.
Finding adequate time to plan and design can be difficult. However, it is surprising how effective an activity can become when the educator takes time to develop ideas and trusts others, particularly participants and stakeholders, to contribute to the process.
The first step in designing the education activity is to decide the appropriate method, or group of methods, that will most effectively address the human rights issue. The Multi-Method approach, in Chapter 5, outlines six different ways of carrying out a human rights education activity: information sharing, training, facilitation, relationship management, advocacy for human rights and community development.
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The next step is to decide the type of activity that will be used; for example, writing a media release, organizing a campaign, running a blended learning course, establishing a network, working with a community to build its human rights capacity or giving a presentation. Appendix 2 provides a guide to selecting the most relevant method and activity.
Once the overall method and the type of human rights education activity have been selected, there are other matters to plan.
Content
This is what the activity will include; its subject matter. To develop this content the human rights educator will need to consider:
what the activity is seeking to achieve
who the participants and stakeholders are, such as children, women, members of a religious minority group, indigenous leaders, people with disabilities, community members involved in post-conflict reconstruction or government officials
the prior knowledge and abilities of the participants
time and resource allocation.
Objectives included in the Course of Instruction for Human Rights Defenders, National Human Rights Commission of Nepal
The National Human Rights Commission has developed a course of instruction to support human rights defenders working at the grass-roots level in Nepal. The course is divided into three parts. The first part aims to train defenders in defending human rights in general. The second part aims to support defenders to defend the rights of particular groups of people, such as women, children, minority and disadvantaged groups. The third part focuses on practical learning in the field.
Course objectives
By the end of the course human rights defenders will be able to:
outline foundation human rights issues, as well as the national and international system for promoting and protecting human rights
identify the rights of specific vulnerable groups in Nepal, including women, children and minority groups
describe human rights issues “on the ground”, through field visits to prisons, detention centres, children’s homes and other places
discuss the role and functions of human rights defenders, human rights protection mechanisms, human rights dialogue and advocacy and a human rights-based approach to development
document human rights violations more effectively.
More information is available at http://nhrcnepal.org/nhrc_new/doc/newsletter/NHRC%20Newsletter%20March%20issue16Apr_2012(1).pdf.
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Structure
This is the plan for the activity’s content and its process. It may be a session plan for a workshop, the outline of a website or written resource or an agenda for a meeting. Part IV of the Manual includes several techniques for structuring an activity.
Environmental considerations
This is about where the activity will take place, whether it has a physical presence or is online, and understanding what impacts the environment may have on the activity. What possibilities or opportunities does the environment offer? Does it create barriers to accessibility for some people?
Logistics
This includes all the arrangements that are required to ensure that the activity runs smoothly. Logistics may include developing a formal agreement with a partner group, booking a venue, organizing catering, ensuring that people know how to get to a venue, informing the media of the activity and holding a meeting with the planning group.
The educator is often juggling many things at the same time. Although there are a number of planning tools and instruments available, a basic list of what needs to happen, when it needs to happen and who will make it happen will usually be enough.
Communications and reporting
This sets out who needs to know about the activity, how and when to inform them and who should be the communicator. Communication should be relevant and accessible. It is also about ensuring the educator receives information that may be relevant to the activity during all its stages.112
Monitoring and evaluation plan
This is about knowing whether the activity has made progress toward its outcomes. Developing a monitoring and evaluation plan is an important part of the design stage of an activity. It will be guided by the outcomes and the indicators of the activity. It will involve methods and tools appropriate to the content and process.113
The APF is supporting national human rights institutions in the region to use digital storytelling as a tool to engage the community on pressing human rights issues and to advocate for changes that can make a meaningful difference in people's lives.114
In 2019, the APF and the NHRIs of Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal and Samoa undertook a digital storytelling project covering themes such as:
112 Communication can be with internal and external stakeholders and be outwards and inwards, sent and received. The level of formality and structure will depend on the nature of the activity. For example, a session with a class of students may only require email as needed, while a major activity may require a structured communications plan. One of the most important aspects of communication for a human rights educator is to report important human rights information gathered from individuals, organizations and communities back to her or his managers in the NHRI.
113 Further information on monitoring and evaluation is provided in Chapter 8.114 APF (2019). Using Digital stories to advocate for human rights. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/using-
digital-stories-advocate-human-rights/ .
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Helping children understand their rights (Samoa)
The right to practice their religion for people with disabilities (Malaysia)
Promoting and protecting the rights of older people (Nepal)
The rights of people with and children with disabilities in care (Kazakhstan)
Access to safe drinking water for herder families and their stock (Mongolia)
6.3.3. Who will the activity work with?
There are three groups who could be involved in a human rights education activity:
rights holders; those most vulnerable to human rights violations
duty bearers; those most able to defend or violate others’ rights
influencers; those most able to influence other’s opinions and actions.115
Participants are those who take part in an activity. They may be active participants contributing to the thinking, knowledge and decision making (as members of a project team, those in a community meeting or a workshop or participants in an online discussion) or they may be non-active participants taking in information without asserting any influence over it (such as readers of a newsletter, attendees at a presentation or watchers of a demonstration). Participants are also stakeholders.
Stakeholders are those who have an investment in an activity. They may impact on it or be impacted by it, such as the local authority in an area where an education activity is taking place or factory workers whose conditions may change as a result of employer education. Stakeholders may or may not be participants in the education activity.
However the participant group is identified, this Manual cannot emphasize enough the importance of their involvement in the planning, implementation and evaluation of the activity. It is: “Nothing about us, without us”.
Key points: Chapter 6 Planning and designing a human rights education activity involves identifying and
assessing a human rights situation and deciding what human rights education activity may have an impact on the situation.
A Logic Model is a useful tool for this purpose. It involves four elements:
- situation analysis; an assessment of a human rights situation
- inputs; the resources required to carry out and evaluate an activity
- outputs; the type of activity and the participants and stakeholders involved
- outcomes; the results sought from the activity.
A Logic Model can apply to many levels of human rights education; national, community or organizational activities, a project plan, an hour-long workshop or an individual work plan.
115 These three groups are discussed in Chapter 2.
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Useful resources
APF Video (2015) Planning human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDQD7tpzMOw (5.37).
Qualitative and Quantitative Indicators for the Monitoring and Evaluation of the ILO Gender Mainstreaming Strategy; Tanja Bastia; 2000. Available online at www.academia.edu/694038/Qualitative_and_Quantitative_Indicators_for_the_Monitoring_and_Evaluation_of_the_ILO_Gender_Mainstreaming_Strategy
Videos available online at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXKkFGPSxE – Planning (2015)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhYwa62SMAw&t=3s – The Logic Model (2017)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR8FalapJf0&t=103s – Input, Activity, Output, Outcome, Impact (2015)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pswhgh4u-Gg – Understanding Indicators in 7 Quick Chapters (2017)
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Chapter 7:Implementing human rights education116
Key questions What are the key considerations of a human rights educator when implementing a human
rights activity?
What are the functions and roles of a human rights educator?
How should a human rights educator manage diverse learning styles?
What is the importance of pacing an activity?
How can language impact on the implementation of an activity?
How does the human rights educator know that an activity is progressing toward its outcomes?
Transformation is only valid if it is carried out with people, not for them...
Liberation is like childbirth, and a painful one. The person who emerges is a new person, no longer oppressor or oppressed, but a person in the process of achieving freedom.117
By the implementation stage, the educator will have planned and designed a programme or activity that is grounded on human rights education principles and approaches. The activity will be relevant to the needs, issues and focus of the participant group, stakeholders and others who are invested in its outcomes. Others will have been involved in the design of the activity, through informal or formal partnerships.
Figure 7.1: Implementation stage in a human rights education activity
116 APF (2015) Delivering human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=356rLNkBgIs (6.41).117 Pedagogy of the Oppressed; Paulo Freire; 1968 (translated in English in 1970); pp. 43 and 25.
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This chapter focuses on implementation. It does not provide a template for human rights education activity but rather concentrates on the features of successful implementation. (For those looking for ideas to build into an education programme, Part IV includes a range of activities for various contexts.) At this point, it may also be useful to revisit the principles of human rights education discussed in Chapter 5.
As with previous stages, participants should be involved in contributing to the implementation of the education activity. The extent to which this is possible, or appropriate, will vary according to the education context.
For example, in a presentation to a gathering of new teachers at a college graduation, having participants indicate with a show of hands their familiarity with human rights, or taking one minute to discuss a human rights topic with the person they are sitting next to, may be as much participation as is possible. On the other hand, a workshop with a group of women in a community experiencing gender discrimination will be mostly, if not completely, interactive and participatory.
It is generally agreed that using effective participatory processes is critical for the empowerment of individuals or groups at risk of human rights violations, to identify and claim their rights and for strengthening the knowledge and ability of duty bearers to act on their responsibilities.
This chapter focuses on the elements necessary to ensure that human rights education implementation is effective and that the participation of all is maximized.
The elements include:
identifying and carrying out the appropriate human rights educator role and function
recognizing diverse learning styles creating effective learning environments for an activity
pacing/timing a programme or activity
the language and messaging used in written and oral communications
monitoring the progress of a programme or activity
the human rights educator’s reflective practice, supervision and self-care.
These elements are applicable across all human rights education activities, but it will take creativity to apply them to some circumstances.
How would you ensure, for example, that an educational pamphlet meets diverse learning styles or creates an effective learning environment? How will you clearly define the human rights education role with an online course that has a large social media component?
7.1. The roles and functions of the human rights educator
Human rights education requires the educator to have a number of roles and functions: communicator, trainer, facilitator, networker, advocate for human rights and community developer. Each of these requires a different set of skills and each will result in a different outcome. The planning and design stage outlined in Chapter 6 will have analysed the human rights situation (situation analysis), identified the resources required (inputs), decided on the human rights education method and who the participants are (outputs) and what the activity seeks to achieve (outcomes).
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In order to effectively implement the activity, the educator will need to identify the most appropriate role to take in order to reach the desired and outcome.
The overall role of the human rights educator is to encourage human rights knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviours and actions. In order to do this effectively, the human rights educator must be flexible and change the specific role that they will play according to the human rights education method.
The roles listed below are linked to the six methods of the Multi-Method Approach outlined in Chapter 5 and Appendix 2: Choosing an appropriate human rights education method.
7.1.1. Communicator
The communicator distils human rights information and distributes it in a way that it is most effectively received by the intended audience. This role involves having interpersonal communication skills that allow for the effective exchange of information with other people. Basic communication skills include being able to pass on information and to listen to information that is given. Communication can be verbal or non-verbal, between individuals or with infinite numbers of people.
Human rights educators should also understand and use different communication techniques and activities. This involves:
keeping up with rapid changes in mass media and ways of exchanging ideas, while at the same time finding creative ways to communicate with those who may not have access to mass media outlets
tailoring the message to suit participants/audiences by researching their backgrounds and languages to frame issues in ways they are familiar with and can easily understand, for example when talking to police, framing issues around law and order.
Communication techniques can include the media, as discussed in Chapter 9, audio-visual materials and traditional activities, such as folk theatre, dances, puppet shows and popular poetry.118
7.1.2. Trainer
The trainer develops appropriate methods and experiences that most effectively teach people human rights content and skills. The role involves planning experiences that are focused on individuals gaining human rights knowledge and learning specific human skills and behaviours. The trainer is a content expert and, while continually developing new methods, techniques and tools to support participants achieve the learning outcomes, is not necessarily an expert in group processes. The trainer mostly focuses on actual, discrete job performance or tasks and may be involved in implementing and analysing pre- and post-activity assessments.
7.1.3. Facilitator
The facilitator develops processes that enable participants to identify the human rights issues that impact on them and on others and then find ways to address them. The facilitator draws out the wisdom of the participants, building their capacity to intervene, to compare, to judge, to decide, to choose and to act in the interests of human rights. The facilitator is a process
118 Adapted from “Communication: A Key to Human Development”; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; available online at www.fao.org/docrep/t1815e/t1815e01.htm.
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expert; creating methods and techniques that are empowering and that foster positive relationships, ensuring that group members work with each other in a way that is fair, respectful and accountable. The facilitator is not necessarily a content specialist but is an expert in many forms of group processes.119
7.1.4. Networker
The networker connects specific individuals or organizations by creating and maintaining networks of information and contacts. Networking can occur through face-to-face interactions or through media, such as print, telecommunications and the internet. The networker role may involve facilitating the exchange of information, developing concepts or ideas or social organizing through generating mass action.
7.1.5. Advocate
We learned how to exercise the principle of participation by being involved in the monitoring of infrastructure projects in the barangay e.g. construction of pathways and bridges.
(Kankana-ey, Philippines)
The advocate uses education to support individuals or groups to exercise their human rights and to encourage them to take action. When human rights educators undertake advocacy, they are mostly involved with assisting others to improve their situation by knowing more about human rights and knowing how to seek support for their human rights issues.
7.1.6. Community developer
The community developer uses empowerment models to work alongside communities, supporting their efforts to identify and address the issues that affect them. The community developer uses human rights principles and approaches to encourage self-reliant and respectful communities, where individuals and groups are able to identify, examine, address and monitor local human rights abuses and to advocate for the realization of their community’s human rights priorities. The role frequently involves addressing inequality and programmes often focus on communities experiencing to cultural, economic, geographic, environmental and other disadvantage. Community developers facilitate constructive connections between communities, local government and other statutory bodies, private sector agencies etc.
7.2. Recognizing diverse learning preferences
Research shows that people learn in a variety of different ways and that people will learn most successfully if they are able to do so using their preferred learning style. The human rights educator should be aware of participants’ diverse learning styles and work to ensure that activities are implemented in ways that they are inclusive and accessible. This also includes the ways that people prefer to receive information.120
Many models have been developed that demonstrate these learning styles. Two models are included in the Appendices. Lawson’s four learning styles (Appendix 6) and Gregorc’s four
119 Refer to Appendix 5: AFN Human Rights Facilitator Competency Framework.120 Video: How Adults Learn (2017). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LdEwYDDJBg&t=3s (3.29).
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thinking styles121 (Appendix 7). Other frameworks used by educationalists focus on “personality type”, such as Carl Jung’s Myers Briggs Type Indicator122 and Rudolf Steiner’s Four Temperaments.123 In addition, Kolb and Fry have developed a Learning Style Inventory124 and Neil Fleming125 and Howard Gardner126 have created models of multiple intelligences.
It is easier to adapt education techniques and tools to meet participants’ diversity of learning styles when using face-to-face methods of education, such as workshops, presentations and projects. It is more difficult when using indirect education methods, such as preparing written resources and using the media. However, it is possible to ensure that the way in which different resources are developed helps meet diverse learning styles.127
7.3. Creating effective environments
The human rights educator should be aware of the learning environment when implementing the activity. Research shows how environments impact on the education process and the shape of the learning community.128
Educators use multiple “environments”, involving both physical and virtual spaces. The task of human rights educators is to assess the impact that an environment may have on participants’ engagement and to reduce any negative impacts there may be.
Factors that can help create a positive learning environment – real or virtual – include:
the participants’ relationships with each other and the educator
Do the participants feel welcomed, valued, accepted and respected?Does this include their diversities?
the accessibility of the environment
Are there factors that may exclude participation for some?
the acceptability of the environment; the quality, look and feel of the space
Is it the best available in the circumstances?Is it comfortable and inviting?Does it encourage belonging?Is it safe or as safe can be, given the context?If food is part of the activity, is this acceptable to diverse tastes and beliefs?
the adaptability of the environment
121 More information is available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Gregorc. 122 More information is available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-Briggs_Type_Indicator. 123 More information is available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_temperaments. 124 “Toward an applied theory of experiential learning” in Theories of Group Process; Cary Cooper, ed.; 1975. See also “David
A. Kolb on experiential learning” by M.K. Smith; 2001; available online at http://infed.org/mobi/david-a-kolb-on-experiential-learning/.
125 More information is available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_D._Fleming.126 The different types of intelligence include linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, visual-spatial
intelligence, musical intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, interpersonal or “social” intelligence and intrapersonal or “intuitive” intelligence. More information is available online at www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm.
127 Video: What is Learning and How Does it Occur (2014). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nSe1VfAtww (7.50).
128 For example, see Maria Montessori (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori#Prepared_environment ) and Reggio Emilia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggio_Emilia_approach#The_Environment_as_a_third_Teacher ).
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Does the environment fit with the context and purpose of the activity?Is it focused on the participants and adaptable to them?
7.4. Pacing the activity
Education activities are undertaken over a time-bound period, whether all participants are engaged at a specific time or whether it is asynchronistic, with participants going at their own pace.
The educator needs to monitor the timing of the activity to ensure that both content and process are balanced, as appropriate to the method and diverse learning styles of the participants.
A participant-centred approach would enable this to happen in a face-to-face environment with participants setting the pace, and the educator checking in with participants to monitor and adjust the pace accordingly. Internet-based technologies are increasingly able to create opportunities for virtual learning communities that allow people to learn at their own pace.
7.5. Language and messaging used in written and oral communications
Language expresses messages about thoughts, beliefs and culture. It can carry open and hidden messages to the participant about what is valued and privileged. It communicates to the listener what is acceptable and can enhance their sense of inclusion or exclusion.
The term ‘human rights’ for example is not easily translated into some languages. It is important therefore to seek the guidance of participants by translating the ethos of the term and what is means if a literal translation does not work.
English, French and Spanish, for example, include many words that highlight gender and, it is argued, privileges male terminology over female. In English, for example, “man” is often used as a generic term. The terms “chairman”, “policeman” and “congressman” can imply that these roles are for men, not women. The same can apply to language that indicates racial colour. In English, “whitewash” means to gloss over or cover up something bad, while a “black mark” is given to someone who has done something wrong and will be remembered for it.
One of the serious mis-messages that was recorded in history books and taught in New Zealand schools for many decades was that “Captain Cook discovered New Zealand”. This ignored the indigenous peoples who were living in the country before that time. The language and messages of the human rights educator, including in any materials used, must be carefully constructed and reviewed so that no unintended exclusionary or prejudicial messages are given.
Human rights language is full of uncommon terms and concepts. The challenge for the educator is to ensure that the language that is used is accessible and appropriate to the context. Some examples of translating articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into plain language are listed below.129
129 “United Nations Declaration of Human Rights: Plain Language Version”; United Nations Cyber School Bus; available online at www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/.
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United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights Plain language translation
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination. (Article 7)
The law is the same for everyone; it should be applied in the same way to all.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks. (Article 12)
You have the right to ask to be protected if someone tries to harm your good name, enter your house, open your letters or bother you or your family without a good reason.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.(Article 18)
You have the right to profess your religion freely, to change it and to practise it, either on your own or with other people.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay. (Article 24)
Each workday should not be too long, since everyone has the right to rest and should be able to take regular paid holidays.
7.6. Monitoring progress
Chapter 8 focuses on evaluation techniques; however, it is important to note that monitoring is also an essential part of the implementation process.
Using a Logic Model in planning and design of an education programme or activity, generates a framework of outcomes and indicators.
Time should be set aside during implementation to monitor whether progress is being made and to identify whether there are any risks to achieving the outcomes. If this process is undertaken effectively, it is most likely that it will result in some adjustment of the activity’s process and content.
Documenting the monitoring conclusions is as important as documenting the final evaluation conclusions. It helps gather critical information that demonstrates the progress that has been made and contributes to the data for the final evaluation.
The monitoring process will let the NHRI know:
what is working well, for whom and why
what is not working so well, for whom and why
what is being learned about how to improve progress
any changes that are needed.
Information gained from the monitoring process enables the NHRI/educator to
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report on the progress of an activity’s implementation and whether it is likely to reach the planned outcomes
identify changes that may be required to the activity design and implementation and the practice of the educator, in order to improve progress.
Bringing them home130
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the landmark Bringing them home report, in 2017 the Australian Human Rights Commission launched a new website and suite of education resources.
Bringing them home was the name given to the final report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families. This inquiry was conducted by the AHRC, at the request of the Attorney-General, from 1995-1997. It was tasked with tracing the historical laws, policies and practices that resulted in the forced removal of Australia’s Indigenous peoples – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – from their families and communities. These people are referred to as the Stolen Generations.
Over two years, the National Inquiry took oral and written testimony from over five hundred Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia, as well as from many other individuals and groups who were in some way connected to or affected by Australia’s history of forced removal.
The final report included 54 recommendations to support healing and reconciliation for the Stolen Generations, their families and the Australian public more broadly. One of these recommendations was to ensure that Australian school students learned about the history of the Stolen Generations. The AHRC developed a suite of education resources in the years following the release of the Bringing them home report.
In 2017, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the report, the AHRC launched a new website and updated suite of education resources. The project’s primary aim was to increase the knowledge and awareness of both teachers and students in regard to the historical policies and practices of forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Throughout the development process, AHRC sought to ensure that the voices of the Stolen Generations themselves, through testimonies given to the National Inquiry and stories told since, were at the centre of the resources. The project’s reference group, made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Stolen Generations peak groups as well experts in reconciliation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and education, was key to ensuring that the voices of the Stolen Generations remained at the heart of all of the resources.
The final product is an interactive website with a broad range of content, including free Australian curriculum mapped classroom resources for primary and secondary school teachers. These teaching resources were developed in collaboration with an Aboriginal Studies and history teacher, who is herself a proud Aboriginal woman.
One key feature is an interactive map131 that allows students to learn more about the impacts of forced removal in their local area. By clicking on markers on the map, visitors can read the stories of individuals who were taken from their families and learn about the places where
130 Australian Human Rights Commission. Bringing them home: Stories of stolen generations. Available online at https://bth.humanrights.gov.au/.
131 Ibid. Interactive map. Available online at https://bth.humanrights.gov.au/our-stories/map.
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they were forced to live and the local laws and policies that allowed children to be taken from their families.
Since the site launched in November 2017, there have been over 191,000 page views. It remains one of the Commission’s most popular education resources, with new and returning visitors continuing to visit the site and download the teaching resources every day.
The primary aim was to increase the knowledge and awareness of both teachers and students in regard to the historical policies and practices of forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
The teaching resources were developed in collaboration with an Aboriginal Studies and history teacher, who is herself a proud Aboriginal woman.
The reference group was made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Stolen Generations peak groups as well experts in reconciliation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and education
Since the site launched in November 2017, there have been over 191,000 page views.
Sexual Orientation Gender Identity and Expression and Sex Characteristics
In 2016, NHRI Samoa with the assistance of APF and UNDP carried out a workshop which focused on ways to advance the rights of SOGIESC groups in Samoa i.e. fa’afafine and fa’atama community.
The outcome of the planning workshop was the development of 5 separate activities that would be carried out by NHRI Samoa in collaboration with the Samoa Fa’afafine Association (SOGIESC umbrella group in Samoa) to advance the rights of the SFA community in areas of health, participation as well as law and justice and building capacity in relation to UN reporting and follow-up.
After the successful completion of the project in 2018, the Office is looking at implementing phase 2 in 2019 which will focus on the rights in relation to law and justice. Consideration of this, is part of the Office effort to mainstream issues on gender as well as SOGIESC issues and human rights within its work.
7.7. Reflective practice, supervision and self-care
Human rights education work can be challenging, demanding and exhausting. It is important for the educator to evaluate their own performance, develop self-awareness, monitor the potential for “burn out” and ensure adequate self-care. This is part of reflective practice.
There are a number of ways of doing this and educators will decide what approach best suits their circumstances. Strategies may include seeking feedback, undertaking individual or group supervision, reflective journaling, using stress management techniques and arranging times for fun and relaxation.
Key points: Chapter 7
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The key considerations for a human rights educator when implementing a human rights activity are:
identifying the specific role of the educator
recognizing and responding to the diverse learning styles of participants
creating effective learning environments
matching the pacing of an activity with the participants and the context
using language that is inclusive and easily understood
monitoring the progress of an activity
being aware of personal workload and other stress and seeking appropriate support when needed.
Useful resources
All Different All Equal: Education Pack; Council of Europe. Available online at www.eycb.coe.int/edupack/
APF (2015) Delivering human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=356rLNkBgIs (6.41)
Community Organisers’ Toolbox; Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development. Available online at www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/building/webtraining.html
Enhancing Learning for Effectiveness; Train4Dev; 2011
Facilitation Skills for Interpersonal Transformation; Ron Kraybill, Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management; 2004
Facilitator’s Toolkit; Action for the Rights of Children/Reach Out; 2005.Available online at www.unhcr.org/4371d7c92.pdf
How Adults Learn (2017). Video available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LdEwYDDJBg&t=3s (3.29)
Methodology for Human Rights Education for the Police; National Human Rights Commission of Korea; 2008
Reclaiming Voices: A Study on Participatory Methodologies in the Asia Pacific; Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education; 2004
Training for Transformation: A Handbook for Community Workers; Anne Hope and Sally Timmel; Books 1, 2 and 3 (1984) and Book 4 (1999)
We can teach the way we were taught, or we can teach the way people learn; Sierra Training Associates; 2007. Available online at www.sierra-training.com
What is Learning and How Does it Occur (2014). Video available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nSe1VfAtww (7.50)
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Chapter 8:Evaluating human rights education132
Key questions What is evaluation and why is it important for human rights education?
What are evaluation criteria?
How can evaluation be carried out?
How can evaluation results be reported and to whom?
As practitioners of human rights education, it is imperative that we take a fresh look at the role of educational evaluation. How can educational evaluation benefit our work? Is it enough to distribute questionnaires at the end of a human rights training session to see if participants learned something or can evaluation play a greater role than this? Exploring the concept of educational evaluation can expand our idea of what evaluation is and how it can enhance our human rights education work.133
The third process in the practice of human rights education is evaluation. Evaluation involves gathering information, usually following an activity or programme, that explains how well the outcomes have been met. This chapter describes the purpose and types of evaluation and offers a range of methods and techniques for different human rights education activities.
Figure 8.1: Evaluation stage in a human rights education activity
132 APF (2015) Evaluating human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqInXa0P6Po&t=332s (7.22).
133 Evaluating Human Rights Training Activities: A Handbook for Human Rights Educators; OHCHR and Equitas; 2011; p. 17.
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8.1. What is evaluation?
Evaluation of human rights education is the deliberate and planned assessment of an activity.134
The main difference between monitoring and evaluation is timing and focus.
Monitoring is ongoing during the implementation of the activity and focuses on progress toward meeting the outcomes.
Evaluation occurs usually at the end of an activity and focuses on how well the related outcomes have been achieved.
The evaluation will let the NHRI know:
what worked well, for whom and why
what didn’t work so well, for whom and why
what was learned that could be useful for future HRE work.
Information gained from the evaluation:
enables the NHRI to report on what it has achieved, to tell the story of its effectiveness and impact
provides information about how to improve future activities
ensures accountability to funders, partners and other key stakeholders
provides information that may be useful for other NHRIs gender mainstreaming their organisations.
It is important that evaluation is designed for each human rights education activity and is carried out during and at the end of the activity.
Evaluation focuses on the effectiveness of the activity, as well as the performance of the educator or the NHRI involved in planning and implementing the activity. It is as relevant to a short presentation as it is to a longer project. There is no single format for effective evaluation. The art of evaluation is choosing a process that both gives the educator the information that is needed and, at the same time, is feasible for the educator, group or organization to carry out.135
8.2. Carrying out evaluation
Although there are many ways to evaluate human rights education, there is a process that many methods will follow. In their manual on evaluating human rights training activities, OHCHR and Equitas suggest five basic steps: understanding the change that is needed
describing the desired change
increasing the effectiveness of the activity; formative evaluation
assessing the change that has occurred; summative evaluation
134 UN Women (2016) Evaluation. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW08qXAZn-E (4.20).135 Evaluating Human Rights Training Activities: A Handbook for Human Rights Educators; OHCHR; 2011; p. 33.
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communicating the results of the evaluation.136
The evaluation process is closely tied to the planning and design process. The Logic Model, outlined in Chapter 6, guides the planning of the evaluation process. The situation analysis provides information about the human rights situation and how it influences the design of the human rights education activity. The outcomes identify the expected results of the activity. The inputs (the resources) and the outputs (the type of human rights activity and participant group) describe how the outcomes will be achieved.
When designing and implementing the evaluation, the human rights educator will need to decide the criteria and methods.
8.2.1. Criteria for evaluation
Common criteria used to evaluate human rights education activities are listed below. While not all of these criteria will be applicable to every activity, they provide a guide.
Relevance Does the activity align with the priorities of the participant group and other applicable stakeholder groups?
Appropriateness Does the activity align with the characteristics of the participants and the context in which it is implemented?
Effectiveness How well have the objectives and outcomes of the activity been achieved?
Efficiency Is the effort and resourcing that has gone in to planning, designing and implementing the activity appropriate to the level of impact it may have?
Impact How well has the activity contributed to the overall human rights objective?
Sustainability Will the outcomes of the activity be lasting once the activity has come to an end?137
8.2.2. Methods of evaluation
There are three broad types of evaluation: self-evaluation, peer evaluation and external evaluation. Any or all of these types of evaluation may be used on their own or in combination with the others. In deciding whether to use a self-evaluation, peer or external process, or a combination, it is important to consider:
the purpose of the evaluation
the scope, length and complexity of the activity
the experience and knowledge of the educators
whether there are external stakeholders or funders requiring accountability
whether the activity would benefit from an independent or fresh perspective
136 As above; pp. 34-35.137 This criterion is more appropriate to longer in-depth activities.
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whether there is a need to “triangulate” information (i.e. to validate the evaluation findings by using more than one source or using more than one method).
As a rule, more attention is given to evaluating more complex and externally accountable activities. In a multifaceted activity, self-evaluation can be effectively complemented by, and contribute to, peer evaluation and external evaluation. Appendix 8 includes a breakdown of self-evaluation, peer evaluation and external evaluation and their advantages and disadvantages.
There are many evaluation methods available and deciding which one to use can be daunting. The task of the educator is to develop an evaluation method that is appropriate to the activity type, objective/outcome, context and resource availability. Some of these are listed below.
Case study An account of an event or experience that is analysed to understand a real-life situation.
Diarying A written record of significant activities, events or processes that occur during the life of the activity. It gives information about the activity and the participants’ experience of it.
Flow diagram A visual diagram that tells the story of an activity, showing proposed and completed activities/interventions and outcomes.
Focus groups Small discussion groups guided through a facilitated discussion on a clearly defined topic and used to collect in-depth insights. They can provide rich data as a result of the group dynamics and interactions that occur during the discussions. Data are primarily qualitative.
Interviews Structured or semi-structured discussions with key stakeholders. Interviews may be conducted in person or over the phone, with one person or several people simultaneously. Information can be quantitative and/or qualitative.
Literature/file review Gathering and analysing information from published or unpublished material on a specific context or situation.
Mapping Using pictures or graphics to show the focus and types of changes to be evaluated.
Observation Documenting behaviour through watching and listening. Through observation it is possible to see what people are doing, when they do it, where they do it and how they do it.
Oral histories Stories that capture progress by focusing on an individual, group or community account of change.
Participatory techniques
There are many ways to engage people in giving feedback. Some of these are included in the Manual Tool Kit.
Photography/filming Photos that capture changes in a specific context or situation that have occurred over time.
Statistical analysis Gathering and analysing statistical information on a specific context or situation.
Storytelling A story told about an activity. This aims to give meaningful information
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that highlights the strong points and weaknesses of an activity.
Survey/questionnaire A structured series of questions designed to gather information relevant to an activity’s objectives and outcomes. Data from surveys can be quantitative and/or qualitative and can capture knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and reactions. Surveys are usually written but can be conducted by phone, online, face-to-face or on paper.
Voting Participants provide their assessment of an activity, or component of an activity, by giving it a quantitative value.
Workshopping Using a variety of techniques to facilitate a group’s agreement about how effectively an education programme met its outcomes. This data can be both qualitative and quantitative depending on methods used.
Part IV of this Manual includes further and more specific evaluation tools and techniques.
Appendix 9 provides a tool that will assess how well an activity has been designed, implemented and evaluated using the human rights education principles in Chapter 4.
8.3. Reporting the evaluation outcomes
Each evaluation is unique in that it tells the story of a specific activity, undertaken with specific people, in a specific context.
(OHCHR/Equitas Handbook)
The final step of an evaluation process is to communicate the results. Who the results are to be communicated to and how they are communicated will vary according to the nature and purpose of the human rights education activity. In any event, evaluation results should be reported to those who have participated in the evaluation.
Evaluation outcomes may be documented in a number of ways, such as data collection, tables, graphs, videos, newsletters, press releases, portfolios, photos and graphics. Creative methods, such as photography, art, music and drama, can also be very powerful. The most common means for communicating the results of an evaluation is through a written report.
It may also be appropriate to have a mixed method, where an evaluation reported to a community may be in a creative form and involve members of that community, while the evaluation to a funder may be in the form of a written report.
Report writing enables you to tell the story of a training session to different audiences and stakeholders. By organizing and interpreting the data that are collected, you make the results of your work accessible to others, enabling different people to learn from your experiences, both negative and positive. Writing an evaluation report is an opportunity to highlight the results achieved by your human rights training and to articulate any contributions you are making to broader social change.138
When recording the success of an activity, the focus should be on documenting the outcomes rather than the outputs of the activity. It is, of course, useful to acknowledge the outputs; that is, the activity itself, how many participants were involved, how many meetings
138 Evaluating Human Rights Training Activities: A Handbook for Human Rights Educators; 2011; p. 116.
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were held, how many organizations were involved in a network or how many website “hits” were received.
Implementing an activity is not the same as achieving results from the activity. It is important to know whether the activity has achieved the outcomes that were set and whether it has had a successful impact on the human rights situation.
Reporting on the effectiveness of an activity should focus on documenting the results rather than the amount of activity. The Logic Model will have developed the results indicators. It is against these that the outcomes of the activity are reported.
Activity Outputs Outcomes
Designing and distributing information pamphlets about how to contribute to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process
[No.] pamphlets distributed
[No.] people/organizations who contributed to the UPR process as a result of reading the pamphlet
Running awareness training workshops on the UPR process
[No.] workshops
[No.] participants in workshops
[No.] people reporting an increased awareness of the UPR process as a result of taking part in the workshop
Running education events on the UPR process
[No.] events
[No.] participants in events
[No.] people/communities/groups who have scoped their human rights issues and contributed these to the UPR process as a result of the education events
Using networks to gain support for engaging in the UPR process
[No.] people/organizations communicated with
[No.] people/organizations who contribute to the UPR process as a result of being contacted through the network
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Key points: Chapter 8 Evaluation of human rights education tells how well the related outcomes have been
achieved and why and what could be learned as a result.
A common set of criteria for evaluating human rights education includes:
– relevance
– appropriateness
– effectiveness
– efficiency
– impact
– sustainability.
Not all of these criteria will be used all the time.
There are many methods for carrying out an evaluation. It is important that the evaluation method is appropriate to the context of the activity and the participants involved.
Evaluation results should always be reported to those who have participated in the evaluation. It may also be important to communicate them to a funder or other stakeholders.
Useful resources
APF (2015) Evaluating human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqInXa0P6Po&t=332s (7.22)
Evaluating Human Rights Training Activities: A Handbook for Human Rights Educators; OHCHR and Equitas; 2011
Handbook on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results; United Nations Development Programme. Available online at http://web.undp.org/evaluation/guidance.shtml#handbook
Integrity Watch Afghanistan (2012) Lack of monitoring. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaXAxZWwBnE (0.38)
Monitoring and Evaluation; CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation; available at www.civicus.org/view/media/Monitoring%20and%20Evaluation.pdf
Monitoring and Evaluation; World Bank. Available online at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTBELARUS/Resources/M&E.pdf
Reflect and Improve Tool Kit: Section 5, Development and Implementing an Evaluation Plan; Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development; 2005
STAND (2015). Introduction to monitoring and evaluation. Available online in English & Arabic at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_z9H0alSqQ (2.06)
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The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Part 1; United Nations Development Programme. Available online at http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/HandBook/part_1.pdf
Useful Tools for Engaging Young People In Participatory Evaluation; UNICEF (2005) Available online at http://betterevaluation.org/en/resources/overview/tools_engaging_young_people_particip_eval
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Chapter 9:Human rights education and gender
Key questions What is gender mainstreaming and gender specialisation and why are these approaches
important for human rights education?
How can a gender lens be applied to the three stages of planning, implementing and evaluating a human rights education activity?
It can no longer come as a surprise to anyone … that gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.139
I raise up my voice – not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard … we cannot succeed when half of us are held back”.140
9.1. Introduction
Gender equality is about equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities for people of diverse gender identities.141 Gender inequalities and gender-based based violence and discrimination occur as the result of unequal power distribution among genders, exacerbated by discrimination reflected by societal frameworks – laws, policies and institutions – and dominant social and cultural gender norms.
Considering that women and girls have historically been discriminated against owing to patriarchal norms and power structures, gender mainstreaming practices have a strong focus on advancing gender equality between women and girls/men and boys, including cis and trans gender.
Gender mainstreaming also includes working toward equality for gender diverse people, those who identify as neither female nor male but a third or alternative gender, or a combination of genders or no gender.
Human rights education is a significant tool for NHRIs in their efforts to promote and advocate for gender equality. Human rights education:
disseminates essential knowledge and awareness of human rights as it relates to gender
builds the capability of people to apply this knowledge to their own values, attitudes, behaviours and contexts and to develop strategies to prevent and address gender-based violations
motivates people to take action toward gender equality.
139 Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General SG/SM/6544.140 Malala Yousafzai.141 Efforts to achieve gender equality have, in the main, been focused on the human rights of women and girls in comparison
to men and boys. However, those who identify as gender diverse also experience human rights violations as a result of their gender. Their experiences and situations are integral to gender equality work.
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9.2. Human rights education and gender
NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region have made a commitment to making gender equality a primary goal in their countries. To reach this goal, two approaches are generally taken. The first is a gender mainstreaming approach and the second involves the use of specialised mechanisms.142
These two approaches are complementary and aim to ensure that gender issues are integrated into the daily thinking and culture of an organisation and its external work, and that specific gender inequalities are addressed.
The APF recognises that “gender” refers to socially constructed roles of and power relations among people of diverse gender identities, all of whom may be affected differently by an NHRI’s activities. The APF also recognises that gender identity relates to both cis and trans people and that multiple dimensions of discrimination and disadvantage exist across intersectional gender groupings and contexts.
Applying a gender-neutral approach that does not make explicit the distinct and differential situations, or the specific inequalities arising across genders, prevents the visibility of issues for specific gender identities. If women, girls and people of diverse gender identities are not actively included, they may be unintentionally excluded.
This means that to achieve substantive gender equality the incorporation of gender when facilitating a human rights activity goes beyond the number of male and female participants involved. Rather it involves applying a gender lens to all stages of the human rights activity.143
Working toward gender equality does not necessarily mean treating people of diverse genders the same. Rather, it is about treating all genders in such a way that the outcome can be the same.
The same treatment of people in unequal situations tends to perpetuate discrimination and inequality. This cartoon, for example, shows that mean expecting all participants to achieve the same task, creates a situation of inequality for some.
9.2.1. Gender mainstreaming approach to human rights education
Gender mainstreaming human rights education activities involves identifying the gender implications across all stages of a human rights education activity, taking action to achieve gender equality and ensuring gender inequality is not perpetuated. The outcome sought is gender equality.
Gender mainstreaming human rights education involves identifying how gender-based discrimination and unconscious bias affects participants across diverse gender identities, particularly those most vulnerable – women and girls and gender ‘non-conforming’ participants. It also involves engaging men and boys in understanding and taking action toward gender equality.
142 As noted in the APF Performance Report (Nov 2017), s11.5. pp 51 – 58; and APF Gender Strategy 2015–2020, www.asiapacificforum.net/media/resource_file/APF_22_AGM_Papers_v2.pdf.
143 For more information, please see APF Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines for Trainers and Developers of APF Training Material. Available at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/apf-gender-mainstreaming-guidelines-trainers/ .
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Gender mainstreaming was established as a major global strategy for achieving gender equality in the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995.144 Since then considerable effort has been made to integrate a gender perspective and the human rights of women throughout the United Nations system. Sustainable Development Goal 5, “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” for example, calls for a gender mainstreaming strategy in all policies and programmes.
Gender mainstreaming also recognises the additional disadvantages people of diverse gender identities experience as a result of other identities such as race, disability, age, socio economic status/class, caste, indigeneity, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, rurality, migrant and refugee status.
Not all people who identify as a particular gender experience the same levels of inequalities.
Examples are highlighted in the following audio visual resources:
women who experience additional human rights violations based on their diverse identities145 146
the multiple discriminations experienced by people of diverse genders due to homophobia and transphobia.147
the challenges that people who are deaf, with vision impairments and with mobility impairments can face when practicing their religion and beliefs.148
Gender mainstreaming human rights education involves developing a variety of methods and tools to ensure that the activity is appropriate for, and reflects, the identities of people in addition to their gender.
9.2.2. Gender specialisation approach to human rights education
Gender mainstreaming efforts complement but do not replace the need for targeted, specialised policies and programmes. Experience at both the international and national levels has confirmed that even with the best-intentioned mainstreaming strategy in place, issues of concern to specific groups may be minimised or ignored without specialist, focused attention.
In some situations, different treatment is necessary to enable a specific group to achieve equality with others. A human rights activity, for example, may be specifically developed for/with women with disabilities in order that they can openly discuss and address their shared experiences. A grant may be sought to ensure that a targeted group is able to engage in a human rights activity. These actions are called ‘special measures’ or ‘affirmative action’.
While it is important to gender mainstream human rights education activities, it is also important to recognise that achieving gender equality is reliant on interventions that are
144 Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing September 1995. Available online at www.un.org/en/events/pastevents/pdfs/Beijing_Declaration_and_Platform_for_Action.pdf.
145 UN Women (2019). Amplify the voices of the unheard. Available online at http://interactive.unwomen.org/multimedia/campaign/unheardwomen/index.html.
146 UN Women (2018), Empower indigenous women, strengthen communities (1.22). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh1OuJEd8cU.
147 UNFE (2015) Pacific Free & Equal. Available online at http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2015/08/un-launches-campaign-supporting-gay-rights-in-the-pacific/.
148 APF and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) I want to pray. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/using-digital-stories-advocate-human-rights/.
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specifically focused on those who experience the most serious gender-based human rights violations and on those who perpetuate these violations.
In one of the most challenging environments for women and girls, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission has convened a ground-breaking workshop on reproductive rights.
Possibly the first workshop of its kind in the country, the meeting brought together 20 female teachers from girls' schools and ten civil society activists for a series of discussions and practical activities.
Seed funding was provided by the APF after Commission representatives developed a proposal for the workshop following their participation in the APF's training program on the rights of women and girls.
Held in Bamyan province, one of the most disadvantaged regions of Afghanistan, participants discussed:
The concept of reproductive rights
Legal instruments and legal guarantees in national laws
International human rights instruments and standards
Reproductive rights from the viewpoint of Islam
Standards of reproductive health and the medical consequences of underage productivity
Role of reproductive rights in strengthening the family.
A number of concrete proposals resulted from the discussions, including the need to amend national laws and policies to better promote and protect reproductive rights, especially for girls forced to enter early marriages and have children at a young age.
Participants also highlighted the value of conducting similar workshops in all other provinces across Afghanistan, running educational and outreach programs to build greater awareness of reproductive rights, and establishing a fund to support a broad range of initiatives on reproductive rights.
In addition, participants said they wanted to be advocates for change and share what they learned at the workshop with at least ten family members, friends or neighbours.
The APF has also provided seed funding and training to support the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal run a public inquiry on gender-based violence in one province of the country.
9.3. Applying a gender lens to human rights education
9.3.1. Planning and Design149
The Logic Model, described in earlier chapters of the manual, is a useful tool when applying a gender lens across human rights education activities.
149 Chapter 6 of this Manual discusses planning and designing an education activity in more detail.
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Possible questions may include:
1. What is known about the current gender situation – Gender analysis?
2. What impact does the human rights education activity seek to have on the gender situation – Outcome/s?
3. What resources are required to reach the outcomes – Inputs?
4. What are the appropriate activities / strategies to use – Outputs?
What is known about the current gender situation – Gender analysis?
Before an NHRI is able to develop a programme or activity that contributes to gender equality, it needs to know about the current situation and its implications to women, girls and people of diverse gender identities. That is:
What are the specific circumstances for women and girls and those who identify as gender diverse?
How are they affected by the situation?
What human rights considerations related to gender equality should be taken into account?
Who is working in the area of human rights and gender and could be useful collaborators or partners?
As well as addressing disadvantage between and among genders when developing human rights education programmes, NHRIs will also needs to analyse the additional disadvantage within genders as a result of other intersectional identities – race, disability, age, socio economic status/class, caste, indigeneity, sexual orientation, rurality, migrant and refugee status.
Disaggregated gender-based data will identify gaps/differences and inform planning. The gender analysis can provide good baseline information against which progress can be measured.
What impact does the human rights education activity seek to have on the gender situation – Outcome/s?
Outcomes indicate the desired change that would occur as a result of a human rights education activity. They define what the impact will be if the activity is successful and how that success will be measured.
Outcomes are often developed with a long-term aim or vision in mind. This is the goal. In gender work, the overall goal is to achieve substantive gender equality. Substantive equality is multi-dimensional and includes redressing disadvantage, addressing stigma and stereotypes, acknowledging the structures of society that entrench disadvantage and enhancing agency and voice of those most disadvantaged due to their gender identity.150
The gender analysis will inform the specific outcomes anticipated as a result of the human rights education activity. This includes focused gender outcomes in a gender specialist
150 Sandra Fredman and Beth Goldblatt (July 2015) Gender Equality and Human Rights, Discussion paper UN Women. No. 4.
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activity or applying a gender mainstreaming approach to the outcomes of a non-gender specialist activity.
Once the outcomes have been agreed, it is important to know whether and how well they are being achieved. One way to do this is by using indicators. Indicators are specific, observable and measurable pointers that will enable the NHRI to measure progress toward the outcome.
Chapter 6, section 6.3.1 discusses in more depth how to develop good indicators, but it is important that:
gender specific components are included in the design of the monitoring and evaluation indicators and processes.
the gender specific components include the different identities within gender groupings
What resources are required to reach the outcomes – Inputs?151
The most important resource for any human rights education activity is people; human rights educators, administrators, communications people, partners, participants and other experts.
NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region have made a commitment to gender equality152 and it is anticipated that human rights educators and other personnel will have the knowledge and expertise to facilitate gender specific programmes and to gender mainstream all other education activities.
If this is not the case, then external expertise should be sought and the NHRI should invest in ensuring its staff who understand gender mainstreaming and specialisation as approaches to achieve gender equality and can apply a gender perspective to human rights education. In any event, thought should be given to the gender balance amongst all those involved.
When planning resources for a human rights education activity, consider the following:
Is there a gender balance among facilitators and others involved in the activity?
Do staff understand gender mainstreaming as a process to achieve gender equality and can apply a gender perspective to human rights education.
Has research and other information used for the human rights education activity been reviewed to prevent gender bias and stereotypes and positive portrayal of all genders?
Have promotional materials, case studies, and participant/staff actions been checked for gendered stereotypes? Is gender specific content required / included?
Has a gender assessment of the funding proposal/program budget and resource allocations been undertaken?
Have barriers to participation on basis of gender been considered and procedures put in place to enable all to participate?
Are environmental conditions, whether physical or virtual, accessible and safe? How is the environment structured to address any gender inequalities?
151 Adapted from the APF Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines for Trainers and Developers of APF Training Material (July 2017). Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/apf-gender-mainstreaming-guidelines-trainers/.
152 APF Promoting gender equality. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/about/gender-equality/.
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What are the appropriate activities/strategies to use – Outputs?
Once the gender analysis has been completed, the outcomes developed and the personnel and other resources identified, then it is time in the planning and design process to decide what type of activity/strategy is most appropriate to reach the outcomes.
Chapter 6 discusses this more generally, but as it relates to applying a gender lens to this developing human rights education activities and strategies, consider the following:
Do methods, activities and content developed address issues identified during the gender analysis process?
Are there mechanisms in place to monitor gender balance and opportunities available to address issues if they arise?
Have women and people of diverse genders identities been involved in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the activity?
Does there need to be specific gender design features built in to maximise participation?
Will the human rights education activity perpetuate or reinforce any gender discrimination, inequality or negative gender stereotypes, through its content, methodology and processes?
How are safety issues regarding sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the education environment been addressed? Are these outlined in the beginning of the activity?
What strategies are used to ensure a gender balance among participants? Are there additional areas of inequalities among the participants?
Are ‘gender equity’ and ‘prevention of violence against women’ messages included in the programme where appropriate?
Police recruit human rights training
Since 2015, The Office of the Ombudsman/NHRI Samoa has worked closely with the Ministry of Police to carry out human rights education for new recruits. Topics covered include what human rights are, international human rights standards and relevant national laws and the application of these to police work, as well as police accountability.
Another important component of the education involves a session on gender role stereotyping and gender equality and the importance for police to be aware of these to assist with their daily work especially when they deal with women and girls including those with a disability, children (as well as the SOGIESC population). This part of the education is carried out in collaboration with UN Women and it has been very beneficial both in raising awareness about gender issues bit also to further strengthen partnerships.
To further raise awareness of gender issues especially those of women, there is a great discussion of conventions relating to the rights of women and how human rights principles should be upheld in situations where women come in conflict with the law. NHRI Samoa, also sheds light on the issue of gender equality and balance in the police force and discuss some of the barriers and how to overcome these barriers.
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9.3.2. Implementation
Chapter 7 of the Manual discusses the roles and functions of the human rights educator; diverse learning preferences; creating education environments; pacing activities; written, oral and visual communication; and monitoring processes. Gender considerations are a component of all of these elements.
The educator’s role is to ensure that the implementation processes actively promote gender equality and counter any obvious or subliminal factors that may perpetuate gender discrimination.
When applying a gender lens to the facilitation of a human rights activity consider the following:
Are facilitation practices gender inclusive? Are varying viewpoints about gender equality managed effectively?
Are the environments gender safe, respectful, non discriminating and inclusive?
Have gender implications across intersecting and diverse identities been recognised?
Are all genders encouraged to participate through the use of relevant and targetted methods and approaches?
Recognising that gender equality does not mean treating people the same, have special measures been considered to promote gender equality?
Are monitoring tools and processes gender inclusive and data gathered gender disaggregated?
9.3.3. Evaluation and Reporting
In addition to the more general considerations when undertaking evaluation covered in Chapter 8 the following considerations may be helpful when including a gender lens in the evaluation and reporting process.
Gender expertise: Does additional expertise and experience need to be sought to undertake a gender review of the education program?
Data collection: Is evaluation data collected in a way that enables it to be separated by sex (female/male/diverse) and broken down further by such factors as race, caste, ethnicity, indigeneity, age and ability?
Analysis: Is data analysed as a total, as well as by sex, to highlight any differences that might be linked to gender? Where there are differences, is analysis undertaken to explore potential causes – cultural norms, physical barriers, unconscious expectations etc – so these can be addressed?
Reporting: Are participation rates always separated by sex? Does the report demonstrate a commitment to achieving gender balance and equality, highlighting key findings from the gendered analysis?
Recommendations: Are suggestions included to ensure future projects/programs improve the way they achieve gender balance, equity and diversity153
153 CORE, Gender Lens Checklist (2018). Available at https://whg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/CoRE-Gender-Lens-Checklist.pdf.
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The Asia Pacific Forum Secretariat offers learning courses specifically designed for member NHRIs to promote and protect the human rights of women and girls. It combines a specialist and mainstreaming approach that reflects the APF’s gender strategy.
The objectives of the course are to:
Put into practice the APF publication ‘Promoting and Protecting the Human Rights of Women and Girls: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions’
Provide skills and knowledge to support NHRIs to promote and protect women’s and girls’ human rights and address sex discrimination and gender inequality through their functions
Expand skills and competencies of NHRI staff to integrate gender analysis within their work and to undertake specialised projects for promoting and protecting women’s and girls’ human rights
Support the NHRI to consider the development of an internal gender mainstreaming policy and strategy.
The APF developed a training package in 2014 which including developing a resource Manual on Women and Girls’ Human Rights154 and a blended learning course based on the manual. The blended learning approach involved an online training course and face-to-face training workshop.
The first training course was held in 2015 for staff members of APF members in South Asia, with members from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka participated. As a result of the training course, participants developed project plans to be implemented nationally, of which APF was able to fund two of the projects, Afghanistan and Nepal.
Subsequently, APF has delivered this training nationally for the staff of the Philippines Commission on Human Rights in 2017 and for the senior and middle management staff of National Human Rights Commission of India in 2018.
In 2019, the APF conducted a national training workshop for the staff of the Provedor for Human Rights and justice (PDHJ) of Timor Leste. The workshop included activities and discussions designed to provide participants with skills and knowledge to promote and protect women’s and girls’ human rights and address sex discrimination and gender inequality through the organisation’s functions and mandate. And it also used practical exercises that helped participants develop their skills and competencies to apply and integrate gender analysis within their work and to undertake specialised projects for promoting gender equality. One of the main expected outcomes of the training workshop was the development of an internal gender mainstreaming policy and strategy by the PDHJ.
Key points: Chapter 9 Human rights education is a significant tool for NHRIs in their efforts to promote and
advocate for gender equality. Human rights education:
– disseminates essential knowledge and awareness of human rights as it relates to gender
154 APF (2014) Manual on Women and Girls’ Human Rights. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/manual-on-women-and-girls/.
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– builds the capability of people to apply this knowledge to their own values, attitudes, behaviours and contexts and to develop strategies to prevent and address gender-based violations
– motivates people to take action toward gender equality.
Gender mainstreaming human rights education involves developing a variety of methods and tools to ensure that the activity is appropriate for, and reflects, the identities of people in addition to their gender.
The Logic Model is a useful tool when applying a gender lens across human rights education activities. It provides:
– information about the current gender situation – Gender analysis.
– the impact sought on the gender situation – Outcome/s leading toward gender equality.
– the resources required to reach the outcomes – Inputs.
– the appropriate activities / strategies to use – Outputs.
The NHRI should ensure its staff understand gender mainstreaming and gender specialisation as approaches to achieve gender equality and can apply a gender perspective to human rights education.
Useful resources
APF (2016) Promoting the rights of women and girls (6.42). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU9HGto5lXI&feature=youtu.be
APF (Jul 2017) Gender mainstreaming guidelines for trainers and developers of APF training material. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/apf-gender-mainstreaming-guidelines-trainers/
APF (2017) Part of Our Everyday Work: NHRI Guidelines for Mainstreaming SOGISC Work. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/media/resource_file/APF_Part_of_our_Everyday_Work_NHRI_SOGISC_Guidelines.pdf
APF (2019) Guidelines for mainstreaming the human rights of women and girls. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/nhri-guidelines-mainstreaming-rights-women/
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) I want to pray. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/using-digital-stories-advocate-human-rights/
UNFE (2015) Pacific Free & Equal. Available online at http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2015/08/un-launches-campaign-supporting-gay-rights-in-the-pacific/
UN Women (2018), Empower indigenous women, strengthen communities (1.22). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh1OuJEd8cU
UN Women (2019). Amplify the voices of the unheard. Available online at http://interactive.unwomen.org/multimedia/campaign/unheardwomen/index.html
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Chapter 10:Working with the media155
Key questions Why should NHRIs engage with the news media?
What human rights education outcomes can they achieve?
How can NHRIs work effectively with the media to build community awareness and promote action on human rights issues?
How can NHRIs use social media to exchange information with stakeholders and promote action?
10.1. Introduction
Strong and inclusive communities are built on the foundations of human rights: dignity, fairness and respect for people, no matter their age, gender or background. However, for this to happen, it is essential that the community understands what “human rights” are and how they apply to daily life.
The media156 is a critical tool in shaping public opinion and setting a social, political and economic agenda. While social media provides a powerful platform that allows people and organizations to connect directly with each other and share information, the reality is that many people, especially those with limited access to the Internet, continue to seek news and opinions from traditional media sources.
The media – management, editors and journalists – decide what constitutes “news”. They filter and frame the issues and provide the context for people to understand the events that are reported. While the media might not tell us what to think, they do play a critical role in shaping what to think and talk about.
Human rights issues are often highly newsworthy. The media are “interested not only in violations of human rights, but in the institutional apparatus that has been designed to promote and protect human rights”.157
Accurate, informed and sustained media coverage of human rights – for example, on issues related to gender-based violence, child protection or the treatment of refugees – can help shape community attitudes and contribute to genuine changes in law, policy and practice.
On the other hand, some media reporting can perpetuate stereotypes that further entrench social disadvantage and discrimination in a community.
155 This chapter was written and updated by James Iliffe, author of the Media Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions; APF; 2013.
156 In this chapter, the “media” describes the broad range of organizations that collect and publish or broadcast news or news-related programmes to mass audiences. It includes newspapers, television, radio, magazines, journals and news agencies. These can operate online or at a local, provincial, national or international level.
157 Journalism, Media and the Challenge of Human Rights Reporting; International Council on Human Rights Policy; 2002; p. 16.
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NHRIs have a responsibility to “capitalize on and make use of new information and communication technologies, as well as the media”,158 to build public awareness of the human rights issues facing their communities.
To perform this role effectively, NHRIs need to understand how the media operates, the different audiences they reach, the limited knowledge some journalists may have about human rights, the multiple pressures they can face when reporting on certain issues and the constant demand to be the first with “breaking” news.
While NHRIs communicate with the public in a variety of ways, media outlets are “the most powerful gatekeepers between these organizations and the wider public”.159
The challenge for NHRIs is two-fold. The first is to present human rights issues in a way that will engage the media and result in accurate and compelling coverage. The second is to work cooperatively with media outlets and individual journalists to support informed reporting on human rights.
“It is no longer the priority of human rights organizations today to generate new information or establish its credibility. There is usually more than enough information and it is all too believable. Their real priority is to understand and improve what is done with this information.”160
The World Programme for Human Rights Education focused its third phase (2015-2019) on strengthening the implementation of the first two phases and promoting human rights training for media professionals and journalists. 161The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) submitted a 2017 report on its efforts to promote human rights training for media professionals and journalists in Afghanistan.
AIHRC held 33, three-day workshops and 44 half-day training sessions for the media professionals and journalists from January 2014 to January 2017. The total number trainees reached to 1680. Among others, topics covered included:
peace and human rights journalism, and how to report in a conflict-ridden society
ethics of journalism and how to report human rights violation cases
ways of cooperation and sharing human rights cases with the AIHRC
the role of media in promoting human rights values
vulnerable and minority groups that media can raise their voice.
The AIHRC has also engaged and supported the media and journalists by:
signing a MoU with the committed media outlets through its 14 regional and provincial offices so that to promote human rights values in the country through radio, TV and print media
supporting writers’ groups to write and publish issues on human rights
providing media partners with relevant reading stuff and needed materials
158 United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training; article 6.159 Journalism, Media and the Challenge of Human Rights Reporting; International Council on Human Rights Policy; 2002; p.
18.160 Ibid; p. 17.161 A list of resources on human rights education of media professionals and journalists are available online at
www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Education/Training/WPHRE/ThirdPhase/Pages/TrainingOfMedia.aspx.
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organizing press conferences and media talk shows on relevant and serious HRs issues and concerns
assessing the overall published articles by local media.
10.2. Promoting community understanding of human rights
Building community awareness of and support for human rights is a fundamental first step towards preventing violations and discrimination from occurring.
National and international human right laws set out clear standards that promote and protect the rights of individuals and place on States the responsibility to uphold those rights.
By educating the community about these standards, and the mechanisms in place to protect their rights, individuals:
are better able to assert their own rights
are empowered to stand up for the rights of others
can hold governments and decision-makers to account for their actions and advocate for changes to laws, policies and practices.
The Paris Principles require NHRIs to “publicize human rights and efforts to combat all forms of discrimination” by “making use of all press organs”.162
Working with the media can be a very effective way of reaching a large number of people with information about human rights, especially given the financial constraints that many NHRIs face. Not only is media coverage “free”, it is also generally seen as being more reliable than the information presented in advertising or promotional campaigns.
NHRIs can use media coverage to pursue a range of interconnected goals, including:
exposing systemic discrimination or human rights abuses and building community awareness of the issues
challenging negative stereotypes that exist within the community, particularly in relation to vulnerable or marginalized groups
advocating for changes to laws, policies and practices and explaining why this is necessary
encouraging the public to take action on a particular issue or to contribute to the work of the NHRI.
Each NHRI, no matter how long it has been established, should seek to leverage media coverage to explain its role, functions and priorities to the community. For example, it can describe the types of human rights complaints it is able to receive, how individuals can make a complaint and the process it follows to resolve those complaints.
Regular media coverage can also help to strengthen the reputation of the NHRI within the community as an independent, authoritative and trustworthy contributor to public discussions. In an era of “fake news” and misinformation, it is essential that NHRIs seek to communicate consistently and with credibility in order to build and maintain community trust.
162 Paris Principles; 3(g).
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While the media plays a central role in reflecting and shaping community values, it is important to recognize that it is only one part of a complex system of social exchange that contributes to social and attitudinal change.
In other words, while the media can raise issues, tell stories and promote public debate, media coverage can only do so much to change the “hearts and minds” of individuals. As such, NHRIs should see media engagement as one part of a comprehensive and integrated human rights education programme.
NHRIs should be aware of the risks involved in working with the media in environments where freedom of the press is under threat. If the public is sceptical of information published or broadcast by certain media outlets, then they will be just as sceptical about information on the activities of the NHRI carried by those outlets. This can also serve to undermine public confidence in the independence of the NHRI. Of course, NHRIs also have a critical role to play in working with the media and others to promote and defend freedom of expression.
10.3. Understanding news values
Journalists in many countries have a positive record in covering human rights issues. They are genuinely interested in the stories and information that NHRIs have to share. However, “[o]verriding everything is whether or not a story is news: new, unexpected, affecting current affairs both large and small”.163
For NHRIs, understanding what makes “news” – those elements that dictate whether a story is splashed across the front page or a minor item buried deep inside the newspaper – is crucial a first step in being able to engage effectively with the media.
Understanding news values helps NHRIs to better frame their work as stories that will interest editors and journalists and result in prominent coverage of their issues.
3.1. Top 10 news values
1. Impact The more people involved in or affected by an event or an issue, the greater its newsworthiness.
2. Timeliness The more recently an event happened, the more newsworthy it will be.
3. Negativity Bad news will generally receive more coverage than good news.
4. Unexpectedness The unusual, unexpected and quirky capture the news media’s attention.
5. Unambiguous Events that are easy to explain will be given greater prominence than stories with a complex background.
6. Conflict Controversy and clashes between different groups or individuals has
163 Journalism, Media and the Challenge of Human Rights Reporting; International Council on Human Rights Policy; 2002; p. 17.
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dramatic impact.
7. Personalization Human interest stories grounded in strong emotions – grief, fear, overcoming adversity – have broad appeal.
8. Relevance News stories need to resonate with the values, interests and expectations of the audience.
9. Prominence Stories that involve culturally important people or places dominate the news agenda.
10. Visualness Strong images – photos or video – that capture an event or help explain an issue increase the newsworthiness of a story.
News values guide what is selected as news and the prominence given to a particular story. Events will generally be more newsworthy than issues.
In 2018, women across the world put the #metoo movement at the top of the news agenda. Their courage in standing together against sexual harassment and sexual assault started a global conversation about power, privilege and the changes that need to happen to deliver genuine gender equality, especially in places of work and study.
Building on this, NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region have received significant media coverage of their work to address sexual harassment and gender-based violence. This includes media coverage of national inquiries by the NHRIs of Australia (sexual harassment in the workplace), Korea (sexual abuse in sport) and Samoa (family violence), as well as efforts to counter violence against women and girls (Afghanistan), to improve police responses to allegations of sexual assault (Nepal) and to advocate for employers to adopt policies on family violence (New Zealand).
In each case, the NHRIs used personal testimonies, statistics and other research to engage journalists and ensure powerful media coverage of their work.
10.4. Setting expectations
The media is a marketplace of competing ideas. Every day there are a huge number of organizations and interest groups trying to capture the media’s attention and “sell” a message or story to the public. In turn, media consumers will generally look for and select only those news stories that interest them.
In this context, building community awareness of a human rights issue and changing attitudes takes time and sustained coverage across multiple media outlets.
It is important that NHRIs set realistic expectations about what can be achieved through media coverage of the issues they are seeking to promote.
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What you can expect to achieve
Set a news agenda and frame the public discussion.
Get people thinking and talking about the issue.
Encourage individuals, or certain groups, to take specific action.
Advocate for solutions and influence decision-makers.
What you can’t expect to achieve
Communicate all your messages to all your priority groups.
Create unanimous support for your agenda.
Produce social and attitudinal change without supporting laws, programmes, policies and partners.
10.5. Planning for media engagement
As with any human rights programme, it is important for the NHRI to set out the short-term goals and the long-term goals it wants to achieve through media coverage of specific human rights issues.
Firstly, the NHRI needs to identify the overall goal for its media engagement, such as:
advocating for changes to government laws and policies
advocating for changes to the practices of government or private sector organizations
building community understanding about a particular human rights issue
encouraging individual or community action on a particular issue.
Having identified the overall goal, the NHRI is better placed to identify the decision-makers and other priority audiences that it needs to reach.
Some useful questions to ask are:
What is the specific problem we are highlighting?
What solution are we proposing?
Who can make the solution possible? Whose support do we need?
How do we need to frame the issue/solution to get the attention of decision-makers and our priority audience?
10.5.1. Identifying the right media outlets
A common misconception about the media is that it operates as a single entity and follows a single agenda. In reality, the news media is made up of a plethora of media outlets and commentators, from “traditional media”, such as television, newspaper, radio, news agencies and magazines, through to online journals, Twitter feeds and bloggers. The range of media outlets operating today is enormous, as are the type of issues they cover, the way they cover stories and the audiences they reach.
It is important that NHRIs are familiar with the various media outlets and the individual journalists who report on its activities. NHRIs should know the type of audience that each
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outlet reaches and the way that these outlets have covered human rights issues in the past. This knowledge helps the NHRI to determine what stories would appeal to which outlets and increases the chances of securing positive coverage of the issues.
It is important to recognise that many individuals read or watch news stories on their preferred social media platform, through feeds drawn from multiple news services. In fact, a 2018 report from the Pew Research Centre164 found that social media has now overtaken print newspapers as a news source among adult Americans.
This new way of consuming news adds another layer of complexity to the process of engaging different audiences and means it is essential that NHRIs engage with a wide range of media outlets.
10.5.2. Getting the right message
Effective communication is based on getting the right message to the right group of people. The starting point is the audience, not the message.165
Before developing the message, the NHRI first needs to:
understand what their priority audience knows about the issue
appreciate what their audience thinks and feels about the issue
engage with the issue from their audience’s perspective, based on shared values, aspirations and languages.
If the goal is to encourage people to change how they think or act, then the message will need to include a positive motivation to change. It should resonate with the values held by that audience and generate a “head nod” response, where people recognize that the NHRI’s position is reasonable and credible.
NHRIs should expect that they will face some criticism of, or resistance to, what they say or propose; after all, no social or policy change will ever meet with unanimous support. It is important then to anticipate which groups might be critical and what they might say.
Conflict draws the media’s attention and NHRIs can use this as an opportunity to refute any inaccurate or unfair criticisms that have been made and then draw community attention back to the human rights issue under discussion. NHRIs should use facts and stories to restate their key messages and should never attack an “opponent” through the media.
10.5.3. Knowing when to engage – and when not to
There will be times when it is not appropriate for the NHRI to speak publicly on an issue. There may be legal reasons (for example, court proceedings may be underway, or a report may be before the parliament) or it may be more effective to work towards an outcome or reform through confidential negotiations or specific human rights training programmes.
The decision about whether or not to engage with the media on a particular issue must be strategic. Weighing up the advantages against the potential risks – either to the reputation of
164 News use across social media platforms; Pew Research Centre; 10 September 2018. Available online at www.journalism.org/2018/09/10/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2018/.
165 A way of identifying priority audiences can be scoping those ranging from supporters to detractors, and focusing on the middle groups (supportive but sceptic) who could be potential champions.
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the NHRI or the misrepresentation of a human rights issue – will help the NHRI to make that choice and determine how it will respond to requests for comment from the media.
Most NHRIs have developed media policies that set out an internal process for receiving and responding to requests from journalists for information or interviews. The media policy may also identify which Commission members and staff have authority to speak on behalf of the NHRI on certain topics.
10.6. Elements of effective communication
Human rights issues can be dense and complex to explain. This can pose challenges in gaining media coverage as journalists generally prefer to report on issues or events that are “black and white”. The language of human rights – legal, technical and full of acronyms – can also be a barrier to clear communication.
NHRIs have a responsibility to translate and present their work and issues in ways that journalists and the public can understand and relate to on a human level.
Communicate through values: The values that people hold are central to how they see the world and act in the world. These values are shaped are shaped over a long time through interactions with family, friends, faith communities and other important people in their lives. NHRIs need to communicate in terms that recognise and affirm to these deeply held values.
Use plain language: Avoid jargon and speak simply. Use words and ideas that resonate with the priority audience and accord with their values. For example, “human rights” can be expressed as “respect”; “equality as “fairness”; and “humane treatment” as “dignity”.
Tell stories: Give a human dimension to the issues. Share the experiences of individuals, families and communities. Help people connect to the issue on an emotional level and put themselves in the shoes of another person.
Use images: Have photographs and videos that can bring the issues to life and help people to see things differently. A striking image can stay with people for a long time.
Offer solutions: It is essential that NHRIs expose human rights violations and systemic discrimination. It is equally important that they present and advocate for sensible, credible solutions to those problems.
Encourage people to act: If there is something people can do to promote or protect human rights, ask them to do it. Find simple ways to connect people to the NHRI, to partner groups or to events taking place within their local communities.
Keep it short: Providing briefs or summaries that then link out to wider dense reports for those interested.
In a crowded media space, repetition is the key to ensuring that a message is heard and, ultimately, acted upon. Media engagement to promote human rights awareness cannot be a one-off event. It requires consistent promotion, across multiple media outlets, over a sustained period of time.
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10.7. Monitoring your coverage
It is crucial that NHRIs monitor how different media outlets cover the human rights issues that they raise. It is equally important that NHRIs monitor the coverage that other groups receive when they talk on the same issues.
Monitoring the media helps NHRIs to:
see how the media covered the story – was it favourable or critical?
address any inaccuracies – were there errors that should be corrected?
chart what “allies” and “opponents” have said – how were their views covered?
listen to community feedback on the issue – are they supportive? If not, why not?
refine the message – was your message confused or at odds with community views?
advance the issue to the next step – what needs to happen next to achieve the overall goal?
Monitoring the media can be time-consuming but it is a vital part of the media engagement cycle. It helps NHRIs to review how effectively they have engaged the media, as well as to plan how they can continue to promote the issues and build community awareness.
10.8. Creating human rights content for the media
A challenge all NHRIs face is to ensure that the human rights issues they seek to raise are reported accurately. Another challenge is to ensure that the issues receive consistent media coverage.
In response, a number of NHRIs have established cooperative relationships with media outlets – television and radio outlets, in particular – to prepare, record and broadcast human rights “spots” and programmes and promote community awareness about the role of the NHRI.
This approach ensures that NHRIs have a regular place in the media to talk about human rights issues, to invite community feedback and to describe what people can do to take practical action to uphold their own rights and protect the rights of others.
Many NHRIs report that these initiatives can be very effective in reaching out to different groups in the community, such as older people and people living in areas where, because of staff and financial resources, the NHRI might not be able to visit regularly.
Delivering information by radio and television is also an effective and accessible way to overcome barriers around literacy.
The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission prepares short information “spots” and longer programmes on human rights issues for broadcast on radio and television. The programmes address a range of issues – for example on the rights of women, children or people with disabilities – and may include interviews with Commission members or staff, representatives of civil society groups and victims or relatives. They also include case studies that depict the reality of human rights violations in the country.
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The Commission has established partnerships with many television and radio stations across Afghanistan, which broadcast the Commission’s programmes free of charge. The Commission says that television and radio is a valuable way of communicating human rights information to men, women and children in a country where there are high rates of illiteracy.
NHRIs should also be aware of the changing media environment in their respective countries and the opportunities this provides to develop “media-ready” content for news outlets, which are increasingly operating on smaller editorial budgets.
Affordable, accessible and easy-to-use technologies – such as digital cameras, smart phones, video cameras, audio recorders and editing software – allow NHRIs to prepare broadcast-quality material for journalists to include in their reports.
It also provides NHRIs with a degree of editorial input that can further promote and protect human rights; for example, by ensuring that images taken of people who have experienced human rights violations do not expose them to retaliation or further discrimination.
While some journalists and editors will accept and use this material, others may be justifiably wary of accepting pre-packaged resources from NHRIs or other human rights groups, concerned that the material they are providing is “biased” towards their advocacy or interests.
To address these concerns, the NHRI should be “transparent about its aims, about the provenance of the material it is distributing and about the standards it uses in its own information-gathering”.166
10.9. Connecting to communities through social media
Social media platforms – such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn – must be an essential part of every NHRI’s approach to engaging with audiences.
The Paris Principles require NHRIs to be accessible to the communities they serve, including in relation to publicising its activities, reports and services. Social media allows NHRIs to move from passively publishing material on their website to a deeper and more dynamic engagement with communities, on the platforms where people like to gather.
These popular sites allow NHRIs to share information, stories, videos and photographs, as well as engage in a real-time conversation with the public. They can also be powerful tools to mobilize people in collective action to promote and protect human rights.
Effective use of social media allows NHRIs to bypass the traditional media and connect directly with communities. However, NHRIs also need to understand that social media is not just another platform for broadcasting. Instead, our engagement must be focused on “being social”, which includes:
starting and sustaining relevant conversations
demonstrating and affirming shared values that strengthen communities
encouraging and applauding the change you want to see.
Using social media effectively involves more than simply posting a new comment or item every few days. It requires a clear rationale and a comprehensive strategy to guide its use.
166 Whose News? The Changing Media Landscape and NGOs; Carroll Bogert, Human Rights Watch; January 2011; p. 7.
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NHRIs also need to develop a social media policy so that those responsible for updating the sites and responding to comments do so in a way that upholds the independence and integrity of the organization. It is important to remember that everything posted online is “public comment” and may be treated as such.
As with all education and outreach activities, social media has its limitations. In general, messages or stories will only be viewed by people who choose to “follow” or “like” the NHRI. In other words, the NHRI can end up talking only to its supporters.
There remains a broad range of people in the community – for example, those who don’t know about or are interested in the NHRI, those without access to the Internet and those who don’t use social media – with whom the NHRI still needs to communicate.
Their power to reach diverse audiences, and having responsibilities as duty bearers, means that NHRIs should continue to engage with the mass media, as well as embrace the many benefits that social media has to offer.
Translating and communicating human rights – extending the outreach of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM)167
The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) undertook a project to translate and communicate complex human rights issues on social media, with a focus on learning the basics of graphic design to produce engaging visual content.
Rationale
A core feature of the mandate of an NHRI is to promote human rights, by conducting awareness activities and education programmes to increase rights holders’ and duty bearers’ knowledge of human rights. In Malaysia, communicating human rights can often be challenging working with different languages, contexts and experiences. SUHAKAM is currently engaging in a strategy to diversify and extend the delivery of human rights education and awareness raising programme that brings information about human rights, SUHAKAM’s work and services to the attention of the widest possible audience in Malaysia. Part of this strategy includes exploring digital spaces to communicate, such as social media and graphic design.
Activity
The aim of the activity was to support the development graphic design and multimedia of at least five Officials from the Promotion and Outreach Division (POD), Media Relations Division, Publication and Documentation Division as well as Information Technology Unit to undertake human rights education and advocacy work. In developing more creative human rights promotional material, for example through infographics, this could assist SUHAKAM increase visibility and awareness in different community groups.
The activity incorporated facilitation principles from the Jakarta Guidelines for Human Rights Facilitation168 by making the process relevant and practical for participants and focused on collaborative learning that recognizes that knowledge can be created collectively by active participation and interaction on sharing of experiences, information and expertise within the group. The activity was jointly run as a collaboration between the Commission and National
167 Siti Zaihan Zulkarnain, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) (2018). Translating and communicating human rights. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3rmo1FRa98&feature=youtu.be.
168 Appendix 4.
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Institute of Public Administration (INTAN) Bukit Kiara through the Cluster for Innovative Management Technology (i-MATEC).169
Participants divided into five groups with different themes of human rights namely – Rights of Women, Rights of Children, Rights of Persons with Disability, Rights of Elderly and Rights of Indigenous People. During this activity, each group need to discuss on priority issues concern, role of stakeholders and how best for SUHAKAM to convey message to public on the importance of protection of human rights for these group. Participants then were provided with multimedia and graphic design tools to develop an infographic on the human rights concerns of their issue.
Outcomes
An immediate outcome of the activity was that staff now have the skills and knowledge to create different, engaging promotional content using graphic design. Additionally, there were five different communication tools produced on different rights. Participants reflected that they found the activity very important and wished that a similar activity be conducted regularly for internal capacity building for the staff.
10.10. Supporting journalists in their work
The media is a key shaper of community attitudes. It also plays a vital accountability role. Often described as the “fourth estate”, the media has long been viewed as a key mechanism through which the public can hold their governments to account.
By drawing attention to human rights violations and systemic discrimination, the media can bring these issues to the centre of public debate, raise community awareness and demand a response from governments and decision-makers.
However, a report by the International Council on Human Rights Policy170 found journalists faced a number of challenges in reporting on human rights, including:
ignorance of what human rights are; many journalists and editors, as with others in the community, are not familiar with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other key international human rights standards
confusion about where human rights are; there can be a tendency to view human rights violations as something that takes place “elsewhere” and overlook domestic issues where international human rights standards apply, such as the treatment of women, indigenous people, people with disabilities, refugees or gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex people
limited awareness about the scope of human rights; while there is broad awareness of certain key civil and political rights, understanding of economic, social and cultural rights – such as the right to housing, health and education – is generally low.
Given this limited awareness of human rights, journalists can “miss” important human rights stories or fail to see the human rights dimensions of stories that they might prepare on topics such as education, transport, health or the environment.
169 Visit www.intanbk.intan.my/iportal/index.php/en/kimatec for more information about INTAN.170 Journalism, Media and the Challenge of Human Rights Reporting; International Council on Human Rights Policy; 2002;
pp. 113-117.
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NHRIs can support the media to be accurate and confident reporters of human rights. An important starting point is for NHRIs to open a dialogue with media professionals so that both can better understand their different roles and responsibilities.
The National Human Rights Commission of India has established an Advisory Group on Media and Human Rights to provide counsel on how best to work with the media to promote human rights in the country. This group includes senior editors/executives of the print and electronic media, as well as news agencies. A training workshop was also organized by the Commission to sensitize media personnel regarding the mandate and functions of the Commission, as well as to emphasize the importance of covering human rights issues in the media.
For example, NHRIs can organize meetings or seminars with media organizations and journalists’ groups to discuss:
the challenges and concerns around human rights reporting in the country
how best the NHRI can provide journalists with accurate and reliable information or resources on human rights
how both groups can cooperate to create the legal, political and social conditions required for independent journalism.
Some NHRIs in the region have also established awards programmes to recognize and promote excellence in media reporting on human rights issues.
Since 1987, the Australian Human Rights Commission has held an annual Human Rights Medal and Awards programme to recognize outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights in the community. Among other categories, the programme includes Human Rights Awards for excellence in print journalism, radio journalism and television journalism, with an independent panel of experts assessing the nominations and selecting a winner. The Awards recognize the very important role of the media in uncovering human rights violations, bringing these issues to public attention and helping drive positive change.
Key points: Chapter 10 The media plays a central role in reflecting and shaping public opinion and setting a
social, political and economic agenda.
Accurate, informed and sustained media coverage of human rights issues can help shape community attitudes and contribute to changes in law, policy and practice.
NHRIs need to understand how the media operates in order to present human rights issues in a way that will engage journalists and lead to accurate and compelling coverage.
Media engagement to promote human rights awareness cannot be a one-off event. It requires consistent promotion, across multiple media outlets, over a sustained period of time.
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NHRIs should seek opportunities to work cooperatively with media outlets and individual journalists to support informed reporting on human rights.
Useful resources
Journalism, Media and the Challenge of Human Rights Reporting, International Council on Human Rights Policy; 2002
Media Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions, APF; 2013
Advocacy Toolkit, UNICEF; 2010
Whose News? The Changing Media Landscape and NGOs, C. Bogert, Human Rights Watch; 2011
‘The Science of What Makes People Care’, in Stanford Social Innovation Review; A. Christiano & A. Neimand; Fall 2018
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Chapter 11:Human rights education in early childhood education centres and schools
Key questions What are the international obligations relating to the right to education of the child?
Why should early childhood education centres and schools engage in human rights education?
How do human rights education principles relate to early childhood education centres and schools?
What are some of the human rights education approaches and tools available for early childhood education centres and schools?
Human rights education has given the students a maturity of thought and a capacity for critical thinking. They are able to think outside of the school environment about the needs of other students and other communities.171
11.1. International obligations
Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child provides that education should be directed at:
the development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential
the development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations
the development of respect for the child’s parents; his or her own cultural identity, language and values; for the national values of the country in which the child is living; the country from which he or she may originate; and civilizations different from his or her own
the preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin
the development of respect for the natural environment.172
171 Nayland College, New Zealand; cited in Building Human Rights Communities in Education – He Whakatu Tika Tangata-a-Iwi; Amnesty International (New Zealand), Development Resource Centre, New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Peace Foundation; 2007.
172 The right to education is set out in a number of international human rights treaties, the most significant of which are the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (articles 13 and 14) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (articles 28 and 29). Others include the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (articles 5(e) and 7), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (article 10), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (article 24), and the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples also refers to the right to education (article 14).
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Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realizing other human rights. Education is essential for the development of human potential, enjoyment of the full range of human rights and respect for the rights of others. It is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and obtain the means to participate fully in their communities.
The right to education involves learning about rights and responsibilities. It is also about creating high-quality teaching and learning environments where there is freedom from violence, bullying and harassment; where individuality and diversity are respected; and where all those involved are able to participate fully. The right to education encompasses civil and political rights, as well as economic, social and cultural rights.173
All children and young people have the human right to “benefit from an education that will meet their learning needs in the best and fullest sense, an education that includes learning to know, to do, to live together and to be”.174
Rights and responsibilities are reflected through treaties, legislation and through relationships. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights maintains that the right to education is “an indispensable means of realising other human rights”.175 As such, it straddles the division between civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights.176
All stakeholders involved (government agencies, NGOs, teacher education institutions, unions and professional organizations, student and parents’ associations, NHRIs, business communities, religious leaders, the media and indigenous and minority ethnic groups) are obliged to protect and defend the human rights of children and young people in education.
In 2004, the United Nations initiated the World Programme for Human Rights Education in order to promote a common understanding of the basic principles and methodologies of human rights education and to provide a framework for action. Since then, two plans of action have been implemented.
The first phase of the World Programme (2005–2009) focused on primary and secondary schools and proposed specific strategies in four stages for the national implementation of human rights education. It promoted a holistic, rights-based approach aimed at ensuring that all components and processes of education were conducive to learning about human rights.
The World Programme established five areas of focus:
ensuring that appropriate educational policies are developed
planning for the implementation of those policies
ensuring that the learning environment is conducive to human rights learning
addressing the teaching and learning processes
providing professional development for teachers and other educational personnel.
NHRIs were identified as having a role in all five areas of focus.177
173 Human Rights in New Zealand 2010 – Nga Tika Tangata O Aotearoa 2010; New Zealand Human Rights Commission; 2010 (see Chapter 12. The Right to Education).
174 The Dakar Framework for Action – Education for All: Meeting our Collective Commitments; adopted by the World Education Forum; Dakar, Senegal; 26–28 April 2000; para. 3.
175 General comment No. 13 (1999) on the right to education; para. 1.176 E/CN.4/2001/52; para. 6.177 National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4
(Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010; pp. 55-73.
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There is debate about the extent to which these aspirations have been realized. There have been significant differences among countries and the levels of support that Governments gave to the first phase of the World Programme.
The second phase of the World Programme, (2010-2014), focused on human rights education for higher education and on human rights training programmes for teachers and educators, civil servants, law enforcement officials and military personnel and the third phase. The third phase (2015-2019) focused on strengthening the outcomes of the first two phases and concentrating on the media.
Nonetheless, the focus on early childhood education and schools is no less important and NHRIs remain responsible to ensure that education activity continues in these sectors.
Building Belonging178
Building Belonging is a suite of resources developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission that was developed to support early childhood educators and parents discuss issues related to cultural diversity and racial prejudice with young children. The toolkit includes an eBook, song with actions, educator guide, posters, lesson plans and a guide to responding to difficult questions, among others.
From the beginning of her term, Australia’s first National Children’s Commissioner heard from early childhood educators who were concerned that while issues of cultural diversity and racial prejudice were common in the early childhood space, there were few resources available to support educators to engage with these issues.
Led by the Children’s Commissioner and the Race Discrimination Commissioner, and with funding through the National Anti-Racism Partnership Strategy, AHRC sought to develop a suite of resources to address this gap. In particular, the goal of the project was to increase capacity of the early childhood sector to address cultural diversity and racial prejudice by:
Increasing understanding and awareness of relevant issues
Increasing capability to teach about cultural diversity and racial prejudice
Increasing ability to respond to issues of racism as they arise.
A needs assessment survey completed by nearly 500 early childhood educators from across Australia helped inform the development of the resources.179 AHRC was also supported by a reference group made up of academics and practitioners in early childhood education (including services specifically for children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural backgrounds) as well as representatives of peak early childhood and multicultural agencies.
The resources in the Building Belonging toolkit are mapped to Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework and the foundation year (i.e. kindergarten) of the Australian Curriculum. They are aimed at children aged 3-6. The toolkit is available at no cost from the Commission’s website.180
178 Australian Human Rights Commission (2016). Building Belonging: A toolkit for early childhood educators on cultural diversity and responding to prejudice. Available online at www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/building-belonging-toolkit-early-childhood-educators-cultural-diversity-and.
179 Ibid. Building Belonging: Resources on cultural diversity and responding to prejudice. Available online at www.humanrights.gov.au/about/news/speeches/building-belonging-resources-cultural-diversity-and-responding-prejudice .
180 Australian Human Rights Commission (2016). Building Belonging: A toolkit for early childhood educators on cultural diversity and responding to prejudice. Available online at www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/building-belonging-toolkit-early-childhood-educators-cultural-diversity-and.
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Building Belonging has been viewed over 100,000 times and downloaded over 80,000 times since being launched in October 2017. Downloads remain consistently high and AHRC continues to receive positive feedback from early childhood educators. There have also been requests from other NHRIs who are interested in adapting the toolkit to their national context.
11.2. Human rights education in schools
It is impossible to talk of respect for students, for the dignity that is in the process of coming to be, for the identities that are in the process of construction, without taking into consideration the conditions in which they are living and the importance of the knowledge derived from life experience, which they bring with them to school.
Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of Freedom
While the definition of free and compulsory education in international human rights conventions is limited to “primary education”181, this chapter broadens the scope to include early childhood education, primary and secondary schooling. There is clear evidence to show that early childhood education impacts significantly on the ability of a child to successfully engage in higher levels of education. Likewise, there is evidence to show that building human rights into school curricula, practices and environments increases participation and enables young people to leave school confident in their ability to live, learn and work in their communities and the wider world.
Human rights education in schools involves both:
human rights through education; ensuring that all the components and processes, including curricula, materials, methods and training include, and are conducive to, learning about human rights
human rights in education; ensuring that the human rights of all people in early childhood centres and schools are respected and practised.
The goal of the human rights educator is to work with schools and school communities to facilitate a whole-of-school approach to human rights.
International evidence shows that children and young people in a human rights-based school:
know their rights
understand their responsibilities and the rights of others
have greater self-esteem
are more accepting of diversity
have higher achievement rates.182
Teachers use more democratic styles of teaching, report better classroom behaviour and are able to spend more time on teaching.183 A New Zealand baseline study of ten early childhood
181 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; article 13(2a).182 Hampshire County Council, United Kingdom; as cited in Building Human Rights Communities in Education – He Whakatu
Tika Tangata-a-Iwi; Amnesty International (New Zealand), Development Resource Centre, New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Peace Foundation; 2007.
183 See, for example, ‘LIFT OFF! Ireland’ (available online at www.amnesty.org/en/documents/sec01/004/2007/en/); the RRR Initiative, United Kingdom (available online at www3.hants.gov.uk/education/hias/rights-respecting-education.htm) and
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education centres and schools184 found the characteristics of early childhood education centres and schools that demonstrated best human rights education practice included:
a whole-of-centre/school approach, where students, teachers, leaders, managers and governors model human rights
a positive and active relationship with the centre/school community
support and encouragement for the members of the centre/school parent community to understand, and model, human rights
the centrality of community to the strategic direction, priorities, planning and resourcing of the centre/school
participation of children and young people in decision-making
encouragement of children and young people to be outwardly-focused on local, national and global issues
interweaving human rights education throughout the whole curriculum
innovative approaches to student management, such as restorative justice principles, peer mediation, student engagement initiatives, consistently reinforced across the whole school community
a physical environment that reflected and encouraged diversity and learner-centeredness.
11.3. Human rights education principles and early childhood education and schools185
Human rights education principles guide the work that NHRIs undertake in early childhood education centres and school communities, as well as with departments of education. In the content of human rights education, the educator enables and motivates early childhood education centres and schools to know and practise human rights. In the delivery of human rights education, the educator applies the six principles of human rights education to her or his work.
Principle 1: Relevant to participants
Participant-centred human rights education in early childhood centres and schools recognizes that children and young people come from diverse backgrounds, cultural and spiritual values and beliefs, have different learning styles and varying learning needs and strengths. To avoid marginalization, the dominant “culture” and the environment of the human rights education activity must recognize and be inclusive and valuing of these differences.
A young boy learning to read came home from school one day with this poem and drawing.
The child lived with his mother and her female partner. His mother was the wage earner in the family.
Children’s Rights Centre, Canada (available online at www.crin.org/resources/infodetail.asp?ID=4328). 184 Building Human Rights Communities in Education – He Whakatu Tika Tangata-a-Iwi; Amnesty International (New
Zealand), Development Resource Centre, New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Peace Foundation; 2007.
185 See also the discussion of human rights education principles in Chapter 4.
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His experience was that his school and his teacher believed that “normal” was a heterosexual nuclear family where “Mum” looked after the children and “Dad” went out to work.
He was not normal.186
Principle 2: Collaborative
Human rights education in schools is not effective if it is conducted in isolation. In other words, a lesson or series of lessons on human rights will have no impact on the child or young person in a school where there is no respect for human rights. It is hard to talk about human dignity in an environment where there is bullying and harassment or where some students feel isolated and excluded. The success of human rights education in an early childhood education centre or school relies on the effective partnerships developed with the whole school community, including teachers, management, teaching staff, students, the parent community and the departments of education.
Principle 3: Participatory
Children and young people are valued as essential contributors in the decisions that affect them, and in the planning and delivery of services that support and meet their needs … so that all children have the best start in life. We must never underestimate the contribution they can make and the fresh approach they bring. All children, young people and families have a right to the skills and opportunities that enable them to make good life choices, support themselves and the needs of others, and achieve more than they thought possible.
John Coughlan, Director of Children’s Services, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Participation and respect for the student voice is a cornerstone of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which makes particular reference to the rights of children and young people to participate in decisions that affect them.187 All children have the right to an opinion and for that opinion to be heard in all contexts. Likewise, children and young people are valued as meaningful contributors to, and active participants of, their human rights learning. The educator takes a “facilitator” role, replacing rote learning with dynamic and interactive processes.
Principle 4: Probing
Whatever children see in the classroom becomes a part of their experience and a part of the growing process.188
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
The probing principle refers to the way that human rights education is facilitated in schools. It challenges the educator to find participatory and experiential processes that will encourage children and young people to learn about their human rights and responsibilities; to relate this learning to their school, homes, and communities; to connect what they have learned to
186 Case study, New Zealand. 187 Convention on the Rights of the Child; articles 4 and 12–17. 188 Human Rights Education in Schools Mandate; Shirani Rajapaksa, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. Available
online at www.hurights.or.jp/archives/pdf/education12/hreas-12-03-srilanka.pdf.
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others’ realities and experiences; and to make sense of what this learning means to their attitudes and behaviours.
Principle 5: Thoughtful action
The community of the classroom or school is a dynamic and active place where interactions can be rights-respecting or rights-violating. It offers a fertile environment where, if children and young people are encouraged to reflect critically on their actions, rich learning can occur. Case studies show that where students are encouraged to use a human rights lens to reflect on their behaviours and environments189 they take of ownership of their learning and behaviour; show a greater concern for themselves, each other and children in other parts of the world; use less adversarial approaches to resolving conflict with each other and adults; bully others less; and have more positive attitudes towards diversity in society and reduced levels of prejudice.
Principle 6: Empowering
The empowering principle requires the human rights educator to ensure that both the process and the content of the education experience educates for change, encouraging each student to be an actor in realizing human rights in their worlds. In order for this to occur, human rights education must take place in an environment that is trustworthy, child- and youth-friendly, secure, non-discriminatory and democratic.190
11.4. Approaches
There are different ways of working in early childhood education centres and schools and, as indicated in the following section, NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region have had much experience in doing so. The human rights education frameworks in Chapter 5 are also relevant for this work. They recognize the whole school – the curriculum, the policies and practices and the environment – as the locus for encouraging children and young people to become actors for change. Appendix 10 sets out UNICEF’s framework for assessing the level to which human rights are a part of a school environment.
11.5. Case studies from NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region
The Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center’s most recent annual review of human rights education in Asian schools191 shows there is much human rights activity in schools across the region.
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission192
Key focus on human rights education in the school system includes:
integration of human rights issues into the curricula of educational and academic centres in the country and the removal of references to violence and discrimination
189 Hampshire County Council, United Kingdom; as cited in Building Human Rights Communities in Education – He Whakatu Tika Tangata-a-Iwi; Amnesty International (New Zealand), Development Resource Centre, New Zealand Human Rights Commission, Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Peace Foundation; 2007.
190 Guidelines for Human Rights Education in Secondary School Systems; Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; 2012.
191 Human Rights Education in Asian Schools; Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center; (Vol. 12), 2009. Available online at www.hurights.or.jp/archives/human_rights_education_in_asian_schools.
192 More information is available online at www.hurights.or.jp/archives/pdf/education12/hreas-12-01-afghanistan.pdf.
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filtering of intermediate school textbooks for violence and discrimination and integration of human rights principles.
partnerships with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education, universities and teacher training higher education institutions.
The Australian Human Rights Commission193
Provides an extensive range of online resources for teachers, students and those involved in vocational education. These include interactive resources, videos, fact sheets, manuals etc. Refer the video, What are Children’s Rights (2019) available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHNfaPuoZHM .
Jordan National Centre for Human Rights194
Working in partnership with the Ministry of Education, through a Memorandum of Understanding, the current focus of the Centre is on instruction toward the implementation of the national action plan on human rights education including:
developing curriculum and textbooks
training staff of the Ministry of Education and instruction on human rights, especially implementing the human rights training-of-trainers programme
organizing extracurricular activities on human rights, such as competitions, camps and poster-making
establishing human rights-related clubs in schools
educational information using televised media.
Myanmar National Human Rights Commission195
Human rights has been taught in primary schools across Myanmar since the 2017–18 academic year.
Human rights was added as a minor subject in the curriculum for elementary, middle and high levels of basic schools in Myanmar. The initiative is the result of cooperation between the Commission and the Ministry of Education. The Commission notes that schools have taught knowledge of human values for some decades but that it is important that human rights be taught as a separate subject. Schools will require assistance and support in order to teach human rights in the classroom.
The new addition to the curriculum is the result of an agreement between the Ministry of Education and the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC).
Experts from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have collaborated with the Myanmar Educational Research Bureau to write the new human rights curriculum.
National Human Rights Commission, India196
193 More information is available online at www.humanrights.gov.au/education . 194 More information is available online at www.hurights.or.jp/archives/pdf/education12/hreas-12-02-jordan.pdf.195 More information is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/human-rights-be-taught-primary-schools/. 196 More information is available at http://nhrc.nic.in.
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Some of the initiatives taken by the Commission for students of schools and universities, include:
a source book on human rights published in 1996 to provide background material on human rights for teachers and students
a handbook for sensitizing teachers and teacher educators – Discrimination Based on Sex, Caste, Religion and Disability – published in 2003
a book entitled Human Rights Education for Beginners, published in 2005
a module on Human Rights Education for Teaching Professionals for those working in primary, secondary and higher secondary levels, published in 2007
model curriculum on Human Rights for universities and colleges, published in 2007
regular internship programmes for university/college students, giving exposure on human rights issues
a moot court competition on human rights issues for law students
sensitization programmes for school principals on human rights issues.
Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines197
Two decades of promoting human rights in schools through:
interagency cooperation
the development of human rights teaching exemplars and nationwide implementation
teacher training and capability building
children, parents, and educators’ empowerment programmes
one-off events such as a National Youth Forum on Peace and Human Rights; a nationwide “On-the-Spot Painting/Drawing Contest” on children’s rights for elementary, secondary and tertiary levels; and a national educators’ conference on human rights.
National Human Rights Committee of Qatar198
Launched a programme for human rights in schools in March 2012. The programme:
involved 12 schools of different educational stages
aimed to promote a human rights culture in general and the rights of the child in particular, as well as instil values of loyalty, belonging and participation in the students
included a number of educational lectures on human rights for schools students on the definition of human rights in general, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
included a Human Rights Day in all the participant schools, involving drawing and writing contests on human rights issues, theatrical performances and a “Rights of the Child in Qatar” panorama
included a school event for girls to honour the winners.
197 More information is available at www.hurights.or.jp/archives/pdf/education12/hreas-12-04-philippines.pdf.198 Information provided by the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar.
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SAMOA Office of the Ombudsman and NHRI
In 2016, the NHRI Samoa launched its Friendly Schools Programme. This initiative was a result of a widespread misconception among village and church leaders about the implications of human rights for Samoa’s children. As a result, the Office recommended that community education campaigns and programmes led by the NHRI in collaboration with its stakeholders need to be carried out to dispel the misconception about the rights of the child for both parents and children.
The main aim of FSP is to work towards building a positive understanding among children and teachers about the value of understanding and respecting human rights and also the responsibilities and the limitations that come with it through the provision of education and information.
The educational programme also focuses on promoting a friendly school-wide culture of equality, nondiscrimination, inclusion, respect, dignity and participation in schools. The programme hopes to assist the work of various organisations to tackle school violence.
As part of its FSP, Samoa's Office of the Ombudsman/NHRI holds discussions in schools about human rights and how they connect with culture and faith. To assist this work Samoa has produced a digital story aimed at beginning a community conversation about children's rights and responsibilities, the foundational role of parents and ensuring that communities place the highest priority on ensuring the well-being of children.199
Since 2016, the Office has worked with 10 primary and secondary schools around Samoa.
SUHAKAM, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia200
As part of its ongoing efforts to promote understanding of human rights among school children, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) has published a new comic entitled "ATHAM" (Malay acronym for "Human Rights Best Practices in Schools").
ATHAM is part of a joint initiative of SUHAKAM and the Ministry of Education Malaysia, first started in 2009, to inculcate human rights awareness and practices among school communities in Malaysia.
The comic features six short stories that centre on the key principles in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Given its importance as a human rights educational tool, SUHAKAM has distributed the comic to more than 150 schools in Malaysia and will translate it into other local languages.
SUHAKAM has also worked with the School of Information Technology, Monash University Malaysia, to produce an animated comic based on one of the stories entitled in the publication: "Hak Untuk Mengamalkan Kebudayaan Sendiri" (Malay definition: The Right to Practice our Own Culture).
It is one of three joint projects undertaken by both institutions to promote human rights education through interactive digital tools.
199 The Samoa Office of the Ombudsman/NHRI and the APF (2019). Helping children understand their rights. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/using-digital-stories-advocate-human-rights/ . This initiative is also part of Samoa’s ongoing work to contextualise human rights alongside Fa’asamoa – the traditional system of roles and responsibilities that spell out different relationships within the family and community. Refer article available online at https://issuu.com/theparliamentarian/docs/theparliamentarian2018issuefourfina/62 (p 310).
200 More information is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/new-comic-explains-human-rights-school-children/. Video is available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=duLBivkr0es.
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Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka201
The Commission focuses on different groups, including preschool children, school children (junior and upper secondary schools that include the age limits of 13 to 18 years) as well as the educators (school principals, teachers, and others). It has adopted different methodologies to educate students in a sustainable manner. Since 2005, this has included:
collaboration with the National Institute of Education on the integration of human rights education into the general school curriculum and on a human rights education programme for the teachers, university students and school students
introduction of human rights units in schools
concert on the “indivisibility of human rights” organized with the participation of students from multi-ethnic groups and including dramas and cultural activities
an art competition including 500 paintings that expressed the students’ perspectives on peace and equal treatment, following by an exhibition and an open dialogue to share the views of the students
using international days as occasions to promote human rights in the schools.
The Pacific Community Regional Rights Resource Centre uses the following whole school approach model for its social citizenship education work in the Pacific.
Whole-of-school approach: Four key strategies
201 More information is available online at www.hurights.or.jp/archives/pdf/education12/hreas-12-03-srilanka.pdf.
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11.6. International initiatives, curriculum materials and resources
Outside of NHRIs in the region, there are many other useful initiatives that provide materials and resources for human rights education in schools.
Amnesty International’s Human Rights in Schools Programme202 and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights203 both focus on human rights education core competencies under three headings: knowledge and understanding; attitudes and values; and skills. Amnesty International also facilitates the Human Rights Friendly Schools Project.204
The Children’s Rights Centre at the University College of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada205 has undertaken extensive pre- and post-teaching research.
Equitas – International Centre for Human Rights Education206 has, since 2004, been developing human rights education tools and programmes that develop awareness and encourage participation of children and young people. It is a non-formal programme in which primary school aged children are introduced to human rights education through after-school programmes and summer camps known as “Play it Fair!”. The programme aims “to raise human rights awareness in children and educate them against discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, thus equipping them with skills to confront them”.
LIFT OFF! A Cross Border Human Rights Education Initiative207 is an initiative involving primary schools in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.208
MelJol209operates in Mumbai and in six districts of the state of Maharashtra. The Convention on the Rights of the Child provides its conceptual framework and its mission is to create a civil society based on the spirit of coexistence and achievement. It does this by fostering healthy attitudes among children and building the spirit of entrepreneurship and developing children’s citizenship skills by focusing on children’s rights and responsibilities. It works on creating awareness of the different needs of children from different backgrounds. Initiated in 1991, MelJol works in the schools of Mumbai through a twinning programme. Focusing mainly on children aged 10 to 15 years, it currently works in primary and upper-primary schools run by the Government and with teacher training colleges.
People’s Movement for Human Rights Education,210 while not focused specifically on schools, has an extensive website dedicated to human rights resources and tools.
Right to Education Initiative211 is a global human rights organisation focusing on the right to education. Established in 2000 by the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education,
202 More information is available online at www.amnesty.org.nz/amnesteach-human-rights-education-programme. 203 Guidelines for Human Rights Education in Secondary School Systems; Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights; 2012. 204 More information is available online at www.amnesty.org/en/human-rights-education/human-rights-friendly-schools/ . 205 More information is available online at www.cbu.ca/research/.206 More information is available online at www.equitas.org/en.207 More information is available online at www.liftoffschools.com.208 The following organizations are involved in the initiative: Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, the Ulster Teachers’ Union,
Amnesty International, Education International, Curriculum Advisory Support Service, the Curriculum Council and Education and Assessment, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Department of Education, Department of Education and Science, Irish Human Rights Commission and Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
209 More information is available online at http://meljol.net/india/.210 More information is available online at www.pdhre.org.211 More information is available online at www.right-to-education.org/page/understanding-education-right.
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Katarina Tomaševski, who developed the 4A framework. RTE conducts research and legal analysis and develops tools and guides to help understand and effectively use human rights mechanisms to claim and enforce the right to education.
Rights, Respect and Responsibility; Hampshire, United Kingdom212 works to improve children and young people’s overall well-being, including their academic attainment. It places the Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s ethos and offers a framework for teaching and learning. Its website provides examples of teachers’ planning, which incorporates a rights dimension, whole-of-school approaches, material for parents and case studies of schools.
The Student Voice Project213 describes the perspectives and actions of young people. It gives students the ability to influence learning including policies, programmes, contexts and principles.
UNICEF214 has developed and championed rights, respect and responsibility programmes throughout the world (see Appendix 10). In the United Kingdom, UNICEF has initiated a holistic framework as a tool for developing and assessing the state of human rights in schools. It is based on an award system, where each school shows evidence that it has reached the required standard in four categories, all of which contain elements contributing to the development of an active global citizen:
leadership and management for embedding the values of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the life of the school
knowledge and understanding of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
rights-respecting classrooms.
students actively participate in decision-making throughout the school.
Youth for Human Rights215 aims to teach youth about human rights, specifically the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and inspire them to become advocates for tolerance and peace.
Key points: Chapter 11 Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child focuses specifically on the right to
education for the child.
Research shows that children and young people in human rights-based schools know their rights, understand their responsibilities and the rights of others, have more self-esteem, are more accepting of diversity and have higher achievement rates.
Human rights education principles should guide the work that NHRIs undertake in early childhood education centres, with school communities and with departments of education.
NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region are actively engaged in human rights education with schools, universities and departments of education.
212 More information is available online at www3.hants.gov.uk/education/hias/rights-respecting-education.htm.213 More information is available online at https://student-voice-project.uq.edu.au.214 More information about the Rights Respecting Schools initiative is available online at www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-
schools/.215 More information is available online at www.youthforhumanrights.org/educators.html.
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Useful resources
Compasito: Manual on human rights education for children; European Youth Centre in Budapest. Available online at www.eycb.coe.int/compasito/chapter_1/2_wha.html
Guidelines for Human Rights Education in Secondary School Systems; Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; 2012
Human rights education: developing a theoretical understanding of teachers’ responsibilities. Carol Robinson, Louise Phillips & Ann Quennerstedt (2018). Available online at www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00131911.2018.1495182?needAccess=true
Manual on rights-based education: Global Human Rights Requirements Made Simple; Katarina Tomasevski (2004). Available online at www.right-to-education.org/resource/manual-rights-based-education-global-human-rights-requirements-made-simple
Right to Education Handbook. UNESCO (2019). Available online at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366556
Rights Respecting Schools Initiative; UNICEF. Available online at www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/
The Right to Education Initiative (2017). What are the 4As? Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=21&v=05vtdEh_P0w (2.05)
What are Children’s Rights (2019) available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHNfaPuoZHM
What is the Right to Education? UNESCO India (2014). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsCKu7FH9wc
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Chapter 12:Human rights education in conflict and post-conflict situations216
Key questions What is the importance of education in conflict and post-conflict situations?
What is the education role of NHRIs in conflict and post-conflict situations?
What initiatives are NHRIs in the Asia-Pacific region currently undertaking in conflict and post-conflict situations?
We should not forget that we are under occupation and the people have lost trust in human rights because their rights are being violated every day, so this is really affecting the educational programmes that we do.217
12.1. The importance of education in conflict and post-conflict situations
Education is significant to lessen the impact of conflict and to restore peace in conflict and post-conflict regions.
Education is a fundamental right that should be maintained at all times, even in the most difficult circumstances. This is not simply an ideological statement. Where education is maintained in the midst of conflict, it may provide an important mechanism for the protection of children against abuse.
Education is an essential tool for human development and the eradication of poverty. Children rarely get a second chance at education. Where the opportunity of education has been lost due to conflict, it is not just a loss to the individual but a loss of social capital and the capacity of a society to recover from the conflict.
Education can be part of the problem, as well as part of the solution. Policies and practices at all levels within the education system need to be analysed in terms of their potential to aggravate or reduce conflict.218
216 Sections of this chapter are drawn from National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010; and also from the Toolkit for collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions; United Nations Development Programme and OHCHR; 2010.
217 Randa Siniora, Director General of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights; interviewed by the APF; November 2012; available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNWUyU1Wajc&feature=youtu.be.
218 The Influence of Education on Conflict and Peace Building; Alan Smith; 2010 (paper commissioned for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011).
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12.2. The education role of NHRIs in conflict and post-conflict situations
NHRIs operate in countries with very different histories, cultures and traditions but conflict and post-conflict situations present particular challenges.219 While the education functions and mandate are consistent across all NHRIs, the priorities for NHRIs in conflict and post-conflict situations may vary. They may take on “roles that are unique to their situations and to modify normal programme functions to respond to the specific situations they face”.220
What makes promotion of human rights incredibly difficult – but for the same reason absolutely critical – is that attacks on human rights are often at the very heart of these conflict situations.221
In situations of conflict, the education focus of NHRIs may be more concentrated on community-based training, especially with regard to the need to respect the rights of minorities. Women, children and people with disabilities, as those most vulnerable, may become the key participant groups, with civil and political rights the critical rights focus.
Education methods will require careful consideration. Where there has been an extended period of conflict, for example, education systems may have broken down and there may be high levels of illiteracy.
Where large numbers of people are displaced by the conflict, human rights education may also be required to ensure that the population in areas to which persons are displaced is sensitive to their situation and their rights. Similarly, NHRIs and other institutions in neighbouring countries may have to conduct public education on the rights of refugees.222
The NHRI may also wish to increase its efforts in community-based human rights training, especially with regard to the need to respect the rights of people who may not share the same political view or belong to the same cultural, ethnic or language group as the majority.223
In post-conflict situations, the education work of the NHRI can contribute to the prevention of further violence and the restoration of peace through:
promotion of human rights, tolerance and respect to help ensure that local issues are resolved without recourse to violence
creating processes to facilitate closure from previous violence and abuses
supporting reintegration through community-centred awareness programmes
supporting special initiatives for child soldiers and child abductees, including:
– comprehensive programmes to allow them to deal with the trauma they have experienced, which may have included sexual abuse
– special education and training initiatives, because their age and other factors may make returning to regular classrooms unrealistic
219 National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010; p. 38.
220 Ibid; p. 143.221 Conflict Resolution and Human Rights: Contradictory or Complementary; Baroness Helena Kennedy QC; 2001; published
in Human Rights Education Pack, Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education; 2003. 222 Toolkit for collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions; United Nations Development Programme and OHCHR;
2010; pp. 61-62.223 Ibid; p. 62.
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– the establishment of alternative care programmes for children with no family
– special efforts to promote the acceptance of these children back into the community which, for a variety of reasons, may be reluctant to have them back.224
Challenges for NHRIs and their education function
A country that has experienced long periods of violence and upheaval is unlikely to have developed a strong human rights culture or will have had that culture severely weakened. NHRIs may therefore consider general human rights awareness training to be a priority. People who have lived under such conditions may also be unaware of and/or distrustful of official mechanisms, including a newly created NHRI. In these situations, NHRIs will have to develop education programming to publicize what they do and establish their credibility.
Human rights defenders, including NGO activists, are often targeted during conflict. Many may have been killed as a consequence of their activities; many more will have gone into exile and may not return immediately, if at all. This is a serious loss for the country’s human rights culture and NHRIs may determine that there is a particular need to support the creation of NGOs in post-conflict situations and to develop their capacity.
Many conflicts are caused or exacerbated by real or perceived inequities suffered by religious, ethnic, social, cultural, political or other minorities. To the extent that this is the case, NHRIs operating in a post-conflict situation will develop specific education programmes directed towards ensuring that minority rights are understood and respected.
Armies and/or police forces are often implicated in human rights abuse, particularly during a period of conflict, when normal conditions of discipline and accountability may have been relaxed or ignored. In addition, a peace agreement, or simple political reality, may require the integration of former combatants into such forces. In all circumstances, but especially if rebel forces have become integrated, professional training for the army and police will likely be a priority for NHRIs operating in post-conflict situations.225
12.3. Voices from NHRIs in conflict and post-conflict situations
12.3.1. Palestine Independent Commission for Human Rights
IHCHR operates in a very special environment with three main dimensions that make human rights promotion extremely difficult.
First of all is the Israeli Occupation of Palestine which has abused on a daily basis the Palestinian human rights across the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967.
Secondly the ongoing Palestinian political divide, between Fatah controlling the West Bank and Hamas controlling the Gaza Strip, has provided a fertile ground for numerous grave violations of human rights.
Thirdly, the social violence against women and children and other vulnerable groups in particular.
224 National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010; pp.143-144.
225 Ibid; p. 44.
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Despite this situation, ICHR as the Palestinian NHRI, manages to provide human rights education to the Palestinian society based on a human rights approach. It does so on the following levels:
1. About human rights: Introduces Palestinian people to their basic rights and freedoms and the specific violated rights as a result of external conflict with Israel alongside t internal conflict, disturbances and tensions. This includes an introduction to human rights, nature of violations and those responsible for them.
2. Though human rights: Educates Palestinian people through methodologies and tools according to the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education. Human rights training techniques are mechanisms and tools for the oppressed and for vulnerable groups to achieve their liberation and claim their rights.
3. For human rights: Educates Palestinian people for the promotion and protection of human rights and the prevention of human rights violations. The aim is to spread the values of democracy, citizenship, rule of law and redress mechanisms.226
The following sections are taken from an interview conducted by the APF in November 2012 with Randa Siniora, previous Director General of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights.
Focus on decentralization of activities
In the Commission’s programme, the field workers, the research workers and the managers of the regional offices are the ones that implement the awareness and educational programmes. It’s not centralized. It’s decentralized. There are almost 30 staff members out of the 56 or 57 of the Commission that are focused on awareness building and educational programmes.
Two-way process
The Commission works within the regions doing hearings, workshops and open days to discuss issues of human rights, focused on the thematic issues that we choose to address. It’s like a two-way thing. We do these awareness and educational programmes and from them we get complaints. But at the same time, from the complaints, we know where are the patterns of violations that we need to address in our educational programmes.
Use of the media
The media is an important medium as it is cheaper and accessible to all the community. We use the TV and the local radio – talks shows – a lot because we think these are more useable than others, and everybody listens to them or sees them, and they are available and accessible to everyone. A Human Rights Quarterly is produced in Arabic, with the main objective being to address different human rights issues. The Commission also has a special corner in two of the main newspapers, one in the West Bank and one in the Gaza Strip.
Priority focus on vulnerable groups
Women and girls: Increased violations against women, such as arrest, torture, arbitrary arrest. Training, awareness and educational programmes are focused on
226 The above sections have been contributed by Dr Ammar Dwailk, Director General Independent Commission for Human Rights and Ola Adawi, International Relations and Programme Officer (May 2019).
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issues related to gender-based violence, access of women to justice and political participation of women.
People with disabilities: The Commission is launching its first national inquiry on the rights of persons with disabilities to work. Training will also be focused on that issue.
Children: The Commission is working to mainstream or integrate a child rights ombudsman within the organization.
Priority rights areas
Suppression of the rights of persons to freedom of expression and of the right to association.
Hoping to develop greater capacity to monitor and promote economic, social and cultural rights.
Priority collaborations
There is a vibrant NGO sector in Palestine, including women’s organizations and other organizations. They are very much involved in many of the human rights advocacy and the education programmes that we undertake. We also try to focus our efforts in training and capacity programmes for government officials to ensure respect for human rights when they undertake their work.
With regard training for government officials, you don’t perhaps sense the change at first. For example, one of the security agencies told me one time, “I use to torture people … but after your training, whenever I wanted to raise my hand on somebody to beat him or torture him, I remember that this is a personal responsibility and it doesn’t fall with the passage of time”.
The priority focus now is high ranking officials, as it is they who give the orders.
Education policy
The Commission expects that each member of staff should be an advocate for human rights and be involved in educational programmes. Everyone is expected in their field of specialisation to be involved in the Commission’s awareness building and training programmes.
12.3.2. Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission
Human rights education has great potential for uniting societies based on principal of human dignity as a common human value. Conflict – especially violent and protracted ones – leaves a devastating effect on the capacity of human society. It tears communities apart on the basis of differences such as religion, race, ethnicity, language, gender and so on,
Human rights education can play a vital role in bridging gaps, diversities and identifying strategies for the common human interests centered on the essential human rights.
AIHRC uses human rights standards and human rights education as a common human value for addressing the root causes of conflict and dealing with human rights violations in Afghanistan. It uses human rights education to:
address discrimination, hatred, violence against women, children, people with disability and minorities
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bridge ethnic, religious, gender, race and lingual gaps that has come about as result of continuous war
create a common understanding based on human rights, so that to give voice to the grassroots and to mobilize them for defending their human rights
advocate for coexistence and envisioning a just and peaceful Afghanistan for its citizen, where the dignity and human rights of all its citizens are respected, protected and fulfilled.
Importantly, believing that peace is attributed to a situation where basic human rights: civil and political, economic, social and cultural rights are secured, AIHRC uses human rights education as part of peace building process in the country. AIHRC reminds state, non-state actors, civil society organizations and anti-government forces to regard human rights aspects of peace, otherwise, a durable peace may not take place.
The AIHRC educates civil society organizations, human rights defenders, women rights activists, media, victim and vulnerable groups, academics and grassroots on their human rights, so that they stand up for their fundamental rights and freedoms in the course of on-going peace process, and using them as leverage to make conflicting parties abide by human rights and humanitarian norms during conflict as well as in the peace talks.
AIHRC aims to encourage government to undertake a human rights-based approach to peace building, planning, policy making and in all development process in the country.
Based on its strategic plan, AIHRC’s human rights education program is focused on the target groups such as: Afghan national defence and security agencies, including national armies, police and NDS personnel, state officials, university student, academia, schools’ students and teachers, law enforcement bodies, media professionals and journalists, human rights defenders and activists, women, children, people with disability, victims of terrorism, NGO workers and religious clergies.
AIHRC’s cooperation mechanism in regard to human rights education with Universities and Security Agencies are explained as an example:
Cooperation with Universities
AIHRC cooperates with Public and Private Universities of Afghanistan for including human rights education in the curriculum of Universities aimed at:
awareness raising
promoting human rights values
institutionalizing human rights in the society.
AIHRC through its 14 regional and provincial offices has signed 55 to 60 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Universities and Higher Education Institutes, and as result of it, around ten to eleven thousand students learn human rights standards annually. All Universities teach “Human Rights Textbook” developed by AIHRC, and AIHRC monitors the teaching process.
Inclusion of human rights subjects in the curriculum of Universities and Higher Education Institutes has resulted in positive attitudinal and behavioural change in students who attended in the human rights classes.
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“Before attending the human rights class I didn’t believe in it. Having studied human rights changed my mindset about human rights. Now I believe in human rights values and understand that without human rights a dignified life is not possible. Therefore, human rights education inclusion must be reinforced in the education system of the country.”
Ahmad Shafi, University student
“My mind really changed towards AIHRC and human rights after having attended human rights class throughout the semester. Before I was of the belief that human rights and the Commission itself is a western phenomenon, which goes against our Islamic beliefs. Now I believe that securing human rights is a reliable way of getting out the problems.”
Riza Sultan Zada, University student
Training Security Agencies on human rights and humanitarian law
Facing the reality that Afghanistan has experienced protracted violent conflicts and yet experience war and violence, AIHRC with the cooperation of Afghanistan Government has endorsed human rights and humanitarian trainings into the curricula of Afghan National Defence and Security Agencies.
In 2016 AIHRC and Security Agencies (Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence and the NDS) signed an MoU based upon which AIHRC provides human rights and humanitarian laws training for the personnel of the mentioned agencies.
Annually, thousands of students, lecturers, trainers and senior officials of Afghan National Defence and Security Agencies get training on human rights and humanitarian laws through various means such as workshops, seminars, courses, training sessions, media programs, posters and billboards.
According to AIHRC’s evaluations, authorities and trainees from security agencies have deemed this kind of training very vital and AIHRC has witnessed the feedback.
According to findings of the AIHRC, of 11212 civilian casualties in 2018, only 11.59% of it has been committed by the Government and its International supporting military forces, the rest 53% have been committed by Taliban, 12.5% by Daesh (IS) and 22% of perpetrators have not been recognized.227
227 The above sections were contributed Rahman Ali Jawed (May 2019) National Program Coordinator of Human Rights Education Unit, Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.
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Key points: Chapter 12 Education in conflict and post-conflict regions is important to lessen the impact of conflict
and to restore peace.
In conflict and post-conflict regions, NHRIs may be required to take on roles that are unique to their situations and to modify normal programme functions to respond to the specific situations facing different groups in the society.
Useful resources
Conflict Resolution and Human Rights: Contradictory or Complementary; Baroness Helena Kennedy QC; 2001; published in Human Rights Education Pack; Asian Regional Resource Centre for Human Rights Education; 2003
Education and Reconciliation: Exploring Conflict and Post-conflict Situations; Julia Paulson (ed.); 2011
National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010
Quality Education in Conflict Affected Countries: Facilitator’s Manual; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; 2005. Available online at http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001433/143319E.pdf
The Influence of Education on Conflict and Peace Building; Alan Smith; 2010 (paper commissioned for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011)
Toolkit for collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions; United Nations Development Programme and OHCHR; 2010
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Part IV:Tools and techniques
Introduction to Part IV
This section of the Manual includes a collection of resources, tools and techniques that can be used for planning, implementing and evaluating human rights education activities. They have been taken from many sources and are referenced where their origin is known.
Human rights educators using this Manual will have many additional resources and tools that they have found useful.
The table below lists these tools and identifies where they could best be used in the three stages of the human rights education cycle. It provides an overview of their purpose and the average amount of time involved for each.228 The table also describes the skill level required to use the tool and is based on the human rights educator competencies listed in Chapter 3.
Knowledge competencies
Human rights knowledge of:
human rights in general, their promotion and protection
international and domestic rights frameworks and legislation mechanisms, as well as mechanisms for addressing human rights grievances
human rights-based approaches
human rights as they apply to duty bearers, rights holders and influencers
how societies function with regard to the realization of human rights.
Education and training knowledge of:
theory and principles of education in general, and human rights education specifically
education methodologies, processes and tools related to formal and non-formal environments and across all ages.
Technical and professional practice competencies
Ability to:
apply a human rights-based approach
plan, implement and evaluate context-appropriate human rights education programmes in formal and non-formal environments and across all ages
228 The timeframes that are included here are a guide only. Depending on the context of the human rights education activity and the nature of the participants, they may take more or less time.
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use a broad range of human rights education methods and tools, such as information dissemination, training, facilitation, advocacy for human rights, networking and community development
work with diverse groups and communities.
Personal competencies
ability to reflect on and improve professional practice
ability to recognize personal identity and standpoint, and the impact that this may have on others
motivation to promote and defend human rights, both locally and globally.
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Name When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Force field analysis Planning and evaluation A tool to identify outcomes and plan strategies to achieve them.
Two hours – one day
Intermediate
Feedback continuum Planning and evaluation A tool for finding out the prior knowledge of participants and then assessing how they are progressing toward an activity’s outcomes.
15 minutes –one hour
Beginning
Street survey Planning and evaluation A tool for learning about or analysing a situation (“situation analysis”), gaining feedback or evaluating a service.
Minimumone day
Experienced
Reef analysis Planning and implementation
A tool for understanding varying power relations and diverse experiences of a specific situation. It also helps identify how others may be experiencing or influencing a situation.
One – two hours Experienced
Community mapping Planning and evaluation A tool that enables participants to tell the story about what is happening in their “place”, be it a workplace, school, community, region or country.
Various Beginning
Photovoice Planning, implementation and evaluation
A tool that uses photography for education, creating community action and evaluating the outcomes of an activity.
Various Experienced
Sequencing Planning and implementation
For a human rights educator (and participants, if appropriate) to use when deciding the order of activities in group work.
N.A. Beginning
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Name When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Organising cycle Planning and implementation
For a human rights educator (and participants, if appropriate) to use when deciding the order of activities in group work.
N.A. Intermediate
Learning curve Implementation and evaluation
For a human rights educator (and participants, if appropriate) to use when facilitating a participatory activity. It aims to identify and apply the learning that is gained by the activity.
Various Beginning
Facilitation techniques Planning, implementation and evaluation
A list of techniques that can be used for facilitating groups of people. They apply to a number of human rights methods and purposes.
Various All levels
Mind mapping Planning, implementation and evaluation
A tool that can be used to develop thinking about a central idea, concept or issue.
30 minutes –one hour
Beginning
Tree diagram Planning, implementation and evaluation
A multi-purpose visual tool that can be used for understanding issues and priorities and developing outcomes and strategies.
Two hoursor more
Intermediate
Theatre Implementation Uses drama, acting, role play, simulation and film to raise awareness of and explore human rights issues or situations.
Various Intermediate – experienced
Visual arts Implementation and evaluation
Uses painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, crafts and other visual media to raise awareness of and explore human rights issues or situations.
Various All levels
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Name When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Sample workshop on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Implementation A sample workshop using interactive processes to facilitate learning about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Two hours Beginning
Workshop overview: Introduction to human rights
Implementation An overview of a workshop that uses interactive processes to provide an introduction to domestic and international human rights.
Two hours Beginning
Workshop overview: Introduction to disability rights
Implementation An overview of a workshop that provides an introduction to disability rights.
Two hours Beginning
Workshop overview: Sexual and racial harassment
Implementation An overview of a workshop that provides an introduction to sexual and racial harassment.
Two hours Beginning
Workshop overview: Bullying and harassment
Implementation An overview of a workshop that provides an introduction to bullying and harassment.
Two hours Beginning
Equality card game Implementation An experiential activity that simulates the inequalities that exist in society.
One – four hours Experienced
World café Implementation and evaluation
A participatory activity that facilitates dialogue and the sharing of knowledge and ideas.
One – two hours Intermediate
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Name When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Fireball game Implementation An interactive activity to recap a topic previously discussed.
10 – 20 minutes Beginning
Activity diary Implementation and evaluation
A tool for recording the significant activities and events that occur during an extended human rights education activity or project.
Ongoing Beginning
Evaluation dartboard Evaluation A participatory way of evaluating an activity. 20 – 30 minutes Beginning
Feedback wheel Evaluation A participatory way of encouraging group feedback at any point in the life of an activity.
20 – 30 minutes Beginning
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Tool 1:Force field analysis
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning and evaluation
A tool to identify outcomes and plan strategies to achieve them.
Two hours –one day
Intermediate
The force field analysis assists the educator to assess the context for the education activity and to plan and design an education activity. It identifies the present situation (baseline data), the goal and the forces working against, or supporting, the achievement of the goal.
The tool can be used as an individual or group exercise. It may involve sheets of paper and markers, lines in the sand, stick-it notes on your desk or computer graphics. It can be used for planning and designing all methods of human rights education activity, from the simple to the more complex.
Process
1. Outline, and discuss if appropriate, the present situation/context (see “situation analysis” in Chapter 6). Define briefly and write in the place indicated above the vertical line.
2. Identify the “major” goal or outcome sought. Write this above the vertical line.
3. Think about the factors in the context that support movement toward the goal. Draw these as longer or shorter arrows indicating the force or impact they have.
4. Think about the factors in the context that hinder movement toward the goal. Draw these as longer or shorter arrows indicating the force or impact they have.
5. The human rights education activity is designed to increase the supporting factors and reduce the hindering factors. Choose either one of the supporting factors to strengthen or one of the hindering factors to reduce or weaken.
Example A goal to reduce the human rights abuse of prisoners may involve a human rights
workshop for an NGO working in prisons (increase supporting factor) AND/OR a workshop with prison officers to recognize the impact of their actions on prisoners (decrease hindering factor).
A goal to write a resource on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities may involve using the expertise of people with disabilities (increase supporting factor) AND/OR ensuring that the resource is accessible (decrease hindering factor).
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The force field analysis may also be used as an evaluation tool to assess the movement of the “current situation” in relation to the goal and to identify the impact of the supporting and hindering factors on this movement. The overall questions addressed by this type of analysis are:
What is the current situation?
Has there been a change in the current situation? Is it closer to, or further away from, the overall goal?
How has the activity impacted on reducing the hindering factors?
How has the activity impacted on strengthening the supporting factors?
What actions need to be taken as a result of the evaluation outcomes?
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Tool 2:Feedback continuum
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning and evaluation
A tool for finding out the prior knowledge of participants and then assessing how they are progressing toward the activity’s outcomes.
15 minutes –one hour
Beginning
The feedback continuum has multiple uses. It can gather information that contributes to a situational analysis by scoping people’s views about a certain issue or topic. It can assess prior learning before a workshop, and it can be used for review or evaluation. It can be used as a “one off” or over a period of time.
In the photograph below, the continuum was drawn on paper with two questions:
Participants used stick-it notes with their own identifier (a symbol or a word) to position themselves in relation to each question. They did so on the first day of a seven-day workshop, revisited it during the workshop and then again at the end.
Continuums can be set up anywhere, using whatever resources are at hand (for example, a line in the sand, the position between two trees, a floor or a window). Educators can use the tool to explore any question that is relevant to the group or to the activity.
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Tool 3:Street survey229
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning and evaluation
A tool for learning about or analysing a situation (“situation analysis”), gaining feedback or evaluating a service.
Minimumone day
Experienced
Street surveys (or community gathering surveys, bus-stop surveys, market surveys) use a variety of techniques and resources. The context of an activity, the availability of resources and the creativity of the human rights educator, will all play a part in deciding the most appropriate survey process to use.
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission undertook street surveys using a combination of community mapping, continuum and comment to identify the key human rights issues. Language was chosen carefully to make the tool accessible: “What is fair? What is not fair?” Tools used included paper, stick-it notes, pens, human rights information and resources and several educators and support workers.
229 This tool was used by the New Zealand Human Rights Commission in 2004 for the development of its national human rights action plan.
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Tool 4:Reef analysis230
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning and implementation
A tool for understanding varying power relations and diverse experiences of a specific situation. It also helps identify how others may be experiencing or influencing a situation.
One – two hours
Experienced
The reef analysis is a popular education tool that can be used in community development and adult education. It is a useful prompt for group discussion and can be applied to all education methods. It works best when participants are trying to understand the same situation and have a common experience.
The common experience might be:
a community experiencing a particular human rights issue
a workshop with a group of duty bearers, a group of marginalized people or both.
Questions that may be asked:
1. Who is in the boat? (Think of groups of people rather than individuals.)
2. What are the waves (or issues) that are rocking the boat?
3. What is the reef that creates the waves that toss the boat on the sea? (Think of the factors that influence or control the human rights issue.)
4. In which picture do you see yourself? Why? In which picture do you see others? Why?
5. How did people get into the boat? (Consider colonization, treaties, assimilation policies, immigration policies, policies on multiculturalism, economic policies, or discrimination based on class, place of origin, gender, ability, sexual orientation and age.)
6. How did people survive, or not survive, in the boat?
7. While it is easy to see the pictures in the reef analysis, is there another analogy that you can apply to you/your organization/your community? Describe it.
230 Responding to Diversity; Maureen Collins; 2006. Available online at www.muttart.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Responding-to-Diversity-Maureen-Collins-2006.pdf.
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The reef analysis
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Tool 5:Community mapping231
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning and evaluation
A tool that enables participants to tell the story about what is happening in their “place”, be it a workplace, school, community, region or country.
Various Beginning
Based on a visual stimulus (such as a drawing, map or photo), community mapping is a powerful tool because:
it encourages diverse groups of people to describe what is happening in their community, region or country
it communicates this story to a broad audience, immediately and graphically.
Mapping encourages a high level of participation (exercises are often led and run entirely by local people) and the recorded, visual output can be used immediately to bridge any verbal communication gap that might exist.
The mapping exercise can be used to generate discussions about local priorities and aspirations. During the implementation of a project, changes can be recorded on maps made during the project planning. When evaluating a project, comparative maps show whether or what change has been made.
Mapping can happen during a workshop, as part of a community meeting or over a period of time, such as during a street or bus stop survey (as in the photo below) where people gather.
231 This tool was used by the New Zealand Human Rights Commission in 2004 for the development of its national human rights action plan.
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Tool 6:Photovoice232
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning, implementation and evaluation
A tool that uses photography for education, creating community action, evaluating the outcomes of an activity.
Various Experienced
Photovoice is a method that works well with human rights community development. Participants are asked to represent their community or point of view by taking photographs of their surroundings or a particular theme, discussing them together and developing stories and an understanding of what the photos are showing. Photovoice was popularized in 1992 by Caroline Wang with a project involving rural village women in Yunnan Province in China. There are many examples of the power of this technique.
A well-known example of the use of Photovoice can be seen in the film Born into Brothels, which won an Academy Award for best documentary in 2005. Photographer Zana Briski, in the course of documenting the lives of sex workers and their children in the red light district of Calcutta, decided to give several of the children cameras and ask them to document their world. Their sensitive and often striking photos, and the film that resulted from them, gave rise to Kids With Cameras and Kids With Destiny which continues Briski’s work and has opened doors to a new life for many of the children involved.
Hutong to Highrise (http://english.cri.cn/3100/2006/08/31/[email protected]) is a Photovoice project that documents the resistance of hutong dwellers in Beijing to the destruction of their neighbourhoods. Some families of hutong dwellers have lived in their houses for many generations. Being relocated to high-rise apartment buildings, where they know no other tenants, leaves them without the social networks and supports that have enriched their lives. They have documented their way of life and their surroundings, as well as the demolition of the neighbourhoods they cherished.
Films or touring exhibitions can be a very effective way to introduce the human rights issue and participants to a broader audience. However, they also require resources that are beyond the reach of most organizations.
A more feasible option may be to post photos to Flickr (www.flickr.com) or videos to YouTube (www.youtube.com) and create an online exhibition.
232 A comprehensive explanation of Photovoice and how to use it is available from the Community ToolBox. Available online at http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/chapter3_section20_main.aspx.
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Tool 7:Sequencing
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning and implementation
For a human rights educator (and participants, if appropriate) to use when deciding the order of activities in group work.
N.A. Beginning
Depending on the nature of the activity, a few or all of the following activity types may be used.
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Tool 8:Organising cycle233
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning and implementation
For a human rights educator (and participants, if appropriate) to use when deciding the order of activities in group work.
N.A. Intermediate
This tool outlines the steps that may be used to facilitate human rights education activities. It is suitable for training, education, advocacy and community development.
233 Adapted from Get Organized! Stories and Reflections on Community Organizing; Jo Hann Tan and Roem Tomatimasang (as included in Reclaiming Voices; Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education; p. 29).
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Tool 9:Learning curve
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation and evaluation
For a human rights educator (and participants, if appropriate) to use when facilitating a participatory activity. It aims to identify and apply the learning that is gained by the activity.
Various Beginning
This tool has been designed to encourage the educator to recognize both content and process elements in an activity and to allow opportunity for reflection on a learning event or stimulus and application to participants’ lives. It is relevant to most education methods and, while the five stages of the learning curve may not be completed, the educator could set up the potential for them to be completed outside of the activity.
1. Brief: Give information required to engage in the activity.
2. Act: Facilitate the activity.
3. Debrief: Encourage participants to express their initial reactions to the activity.
4. Reflect: Encourage participants to think about the learning they may have gained from the activity.
5. Apply: Encourage participants to link the learning they have gained to their own life/practice/behaviours.
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Learning curve in action
Stages APF Training-of-trainersblended learning course234
Advocacy project Workshop activity“Wind of UDHR”235
Brief Explanation of how the programme will operate and what is required from participants.
A group meets to discuss a human rights issue they may have. A decision is made to undertake some research about the issue.
The activity is explained, including what is required from participants.
Act Information and activities provided (using an online platform and a face-to-face regional workshop).
Research is undertaken. “Wind of UDHR” game is played.
Debrief Feedback sought from participants about their experience of the learning (evaluation/online chat space).
Group meets to check how progress is being made.
Opportunity is given for participants to give feedback on the activity using a card they held.
Reflect Participants provided with a framework and tools to think further about their learning.
Group assesses whether there is enough information.
Using coloured cards participants discuss the learning from the game in groups.
Apply Participants encouraged to apply their learning to their own work, through the presentation of face-to-face workshop materials and the opportunity to become an “APF Master Trainer”.
The group decides to use the information they have found to inform the strategies they need to take in response to the issue.
Participants discuss the relevance of the learning to their own countries and/or work.
234 More information is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/support/training/training-trainers/.235 Contributed by Eka Christiningsih Tanlain from the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights.
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Tool 10:Facilitation techniques236
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation and evaluation
A list of techniques that can be used for facilitating groups of people. They apply to a number of human rights methods and purposes.
Various All levels
Mirroring
Mirroring is repeating, in a condensed version, what a person said. It speeds up the tempo of a slow-moving discussion and is often used during brainstorming.
Gathering ideas
If the pace is slow, with many gaps between contributions, or if the group is slowed down by too much discussion, try quickly building a list of ideas. This is a time to gather the ideas, not to discuss them. If it is the group’s first time listing ideas, spend a little time discussing freely.
For example: “For the next activity, I would like everyone to feel free to express their opinion, even the most creative or unpopular ones. So please let it be a time of idea generation, not a time of judgment. The discussions can come after we have finished making the list.”
Making space
This technique sends a message to the quiet participants that there is always a space for them to speak, should they choose. As a facilitator, watch the quiet members of the group and be aware of their body language and facial expressions which indicate their desire to speak. Invite them to speak: “You look like you might want to say something …”. If they decline, be gracious and move on. If necessary, hold others off. For example: “Let’s have one person speak at a time. Abdul, why don’t you go first.” If participation is very weak, try a structured “go around” to give each person a chance to speak.
Drawing people out
This is a way to encourage people to take the step to clarify and refine their ideas. The most basic technique of drawing people out is to paraphrase the speaker’s statement and then ask open-ended, non-directive questions, such as: “Can you say more about that?”
236 Participatory Techniques and Tools; World Food Programme; 2001. Available online at http://toolkit.ineesite.org/toolkit/INEEcms/uploads/1033/Participatory_Techniques_EN.pdf.
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Paraphrasing
This is a fundamental listening skill which has both a calming effect and reassures speakers that their ideas are worthy. It also gives speakers a chance to hear how their words are being heard by others.
Preface your paraphrase with: “It sounds like what you are saying is ...” or “This is what I’m hearing you say ...” or “Let me see if I understand what you are saying …” Ask for clarification from the speaker until you understand what was meant.
Stacking
This technique helps everybody take turns when there are several people who want to speak at once. It also signals to everybody that they are going to have their turn to speak. So instead of competing for speaking time, people are free to listen to the discussion without distraction.
Stacking has four steps:
The facilitator first asks those who want to speak to raise their hand.
A speaking order is created by assigning a number to each person with a hand raised.
People are called upon to speak by number.
When the last person has spoken, the facilitator asks if anybody else wants to speak. If so, another round of stacking is done.
Tracking
In many discussions, there are a number of ideas being discussed at once. This is because there are many aspects to each issue. However, people often focus only on the particular issue that interests them.
Tracking lets the whole group see the different aspects of the topic being discussed and treats each with equal validity. This relieves the anxiety often felt by people who wonder why the group is not responding to their ideas.
Tracking has three steps:
The facilitator indicates that they are going to step back from the conversation and summarize it.
The facilitator summarizes the different conversations. For example: “It seems one conversation is about food distribution points, another about the committee and another about the food packages.”
The facilitator asks for clarification. For example: “Are these the three items being discussed?”
Encouraging
Creating an opening in a discussion without putting any one individual on the spot is part of the technique of encouraging.
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Often during a meeting, one or more people may not appear to be engaged by the discussion. With a little encouragement, they often discover an aspect of the topic that holds meaning for them. This is especially relevant when facilitating mixed groups of men and women. Encouraging is especially important at the early stages of a discussion. As people become more engaged, they don’t need as much encouragement.
Listening for common ground
When group members become polarized on disagreements, the situation becomes difficult. However, most disputes contain elements of agreement. This technique validates the group’s areas of disagreement and focuses on their areas of common ground.
Listening for common ground has four steps:
Indicate that you are going to summarize the group’s differences and similarities. For example: “Let me summarize what I am hearing from each of you. I am hearing a lot of differences but also a lot of similarities.”
Summarize the differences. For example: “It sounds like one group wants to put the food delivery at the edge of the village, while the other group wants to locate it in the centre of the village.”
Note the areas of common ground. For example: “You both seem to agree that you want the marginalized families to have easy access to the food delivery.”
Check for accuracy. For example: “Have I got it right?”
Balancing
The direction of a discussion often follows the lead set by the first few people who speak. Using the technique of balancing, a facilitator helps the group to round out its discussion by asking for other viewpoints that may be present but unexpressed.
Balancing not only assists individual members who need a little support for their ideas, it also has a strong positive effect on the norms of the group as a whole by sending the message: “It is acceptable here for people to speak their mind, no matter what opinions they hold.”
Try using phrases such as:
“Now we know where two people stand. Does anyone else have a different position?”
“Are there other ways of looking at this?”
“Does everyone agree with this?”
Intentional silence
Intentional silence consists of a pause, usually lasting no more than a few seconds, to give speakers that brief extra quiet time to discover what they want to say.
Stay focused on the speaker. Say nothing and do not nod or shake your head. Just stay relaxed and pay attention. If necessary, hold up your hand to keep others from breaking the silence.
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Sometimes everyone in the group is confused, agitated or having trouble focusing. At such time, silence may be very helpful. For example: “Let’s take a minute of silence to think what this means to each of us.”
Brainstorming237
Brainstorming involves a period of free thinking, which is used to articulate ideas, followed by more rigorous discussion of these ideas.
Brainstorming brings new ideas about how to tackle a problem, as the free-thinking atmosphere encourages creativity. Sometimes it can reduce conflict, as it helps participants to see other points of view and possibly change their own perspective on problems. It can also bring humour and help break the ice. Brainstorming is useful to gather a lot of ideas, prior to scenario analyses, problem-solving, decision-making or planning.
237 Participatory Methods Toolkit: A Practitioner’s Manual; Nikki Slocum; 2003. Available online at http://archive.unu.edu/hq/library/Collection/PDF_files/CRIS/PMT.pdf.
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Tool 11:Mind mapping
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning, implementation and evaluation
A tool that can be used to develop thinking about a central idea, concept or issue.
30 minutes to one hour
Beginning
A mind map is a diagram used to visually outline connected thoughts. It usually begins with a few words – an idea, concept or issue – placed in the centre and then associated ideas and concepts are added. The ideas are connected to each other in a way that tells a story. Mind maps can be drawn by hand, as “rough notes” during a meeting or on a large sheet of paper on a wall, or as higher quality pictures when more time is available.
The following guidelines are suggested for creating mind maps:238
1. Start in the centre with an image of the topic, using at least three colours.
2. Use images, symbols, codes and dimensions throughout your mind map.
3. Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters.
4. Each word/image is best presented alone and sitting on its own line.
5. The lines should be connected, starting from the central image. The central lines are thicker; organic and thinner as they radiate out from the centre.
6. Make the lines the same length as the word/image they support.
7. Use multiple colours throughout the mind map, for visual stimulation and also to encode or group.
8. Develop your own personal style of mind mapping.
9. Use emphasis and show associations in your mind map.
10. Keep the mind map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace your branches.
238 More information is available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map.
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Tool 12:Tree diagram
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Planning, implementation and evaluation
A multi-purpose visual tool that can be used for understanding issues and priorities and developing outcomes and strategies.
Two hours or more
Intermediate
Information is organized into a tree-like diagram. The main issue is represented by the tree’s trunk and the relevant factors, influences and outcomes will show up as systems of roots and branches. In a project context, tree diagrams can be used to guide design and evaluation systems. It can be used by an individual or a group.
As a community participation exercise, tree diagrams can help people to uncover and analyse the underlying causes of a particular problem or to rank and measure objectives in relation to one another.
In the agency context, less elaborate “trees” are often made in the form of diagrams to illustrate a network of factors. Tree diagrams are often part of participatory planning methods, for example in stakeholder workshops.239
239 Participatory Methods Toolkit: A Practitioner’s Manual; Nikki Slocum; 2003. Available online at http://archive.unu.edu/hq/library/Collection/PDF_files/CRIS/PMT.pdf.
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Tool 13:Theatre
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation Uses drama, acting, role play, simulation, and film to raise awareness of and explore human rights issues or situations.
Various Intermediate – experienced
Theatre is a powerful tool for human rights education. Drama, acting, role play, simulation and film is particularly useful way to:
cross language barriers
broaden participants’ access to the concepts
deepen participants’ awareness of human rights issues and situations and create strategies to address them.
They are many methods and techniques for using theatre in human rights education. Several examples are listed below.
Role play/simulation240
This is a learning method that involves changing a participant’s behaviour to act out an adopted role. Participants take on the role profiles of specific characters or organizations in a contrived setting. Role play is designed primarily to build “first person” experience in a safe and supportive environment. It is widely acknowledged as a powerful teaching technique in face-to-face teaching. Role play can also be used online.
Playback theatre241
Playback practitioners use the method to address social issues, such as bullying (students tell stories about their experiences in relation to bullying and explore ways to create a respectful and safe school environment), or to provide a forum for the exchange of diverse experiences. A project in Afghanistan (2010) trained victims of violence to enact each other’s stories in the context of transitional justice. A project in Melbourne, Australia (2011) trained young people to enact stories of refugee youths’ experiences in the context of interactions with police and to enact stories of police experiences in the context of interactions with refugee youth – the purpose being to bridge understanding between these two groups.
240 More information is available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roleplay_simulation.
241 More information is available online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playback_Theatre.
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Image theatre242
Image theatre uses “still images” (where individuals or groups invent body-shapes or postures) to explore abstract concepts such as relationships and emotions, as well as realistic situations. Participants rapidly sculpt their own or each other’s bodies to express attitudes and emotions.
These images are then placed together and brought to life. The method is often used to explore internal or external oppression, unconscious thoughts and feelings. Image theatre is a flexible tool for exploring issues, attitudes and emotions, both with groups who are confident with drama and those with little or no experience. No one has lines to learn or has to “act” in front of others. Ideas, feelings and experiences can be explored in a less confronting way.
Film festivals
A growing number of film festivals dedicated to the promotion of human rights and dignity are being held around the world. Some NHRIs also organize or support human rights film festivals as an education tool. The Human Rights Film Network243 supports the activities of individual festivals and creates new platforms and joint projects. It promotes the distribution of films with human rights themes at festivals worldwide. It also assists the establishment of new festivals. As such, the network creates an international supportive environment of human rights films and filmmakers.
Founded in 1967 by Cecile-Guidote Alvarez, the Philippine Educational Theater Association is an organization of creative and critical artist-teacher-cultural workers committed to artistic excellence and a people’s culture that fosters both personal fulfilment and social transformation.
It roots its foundation in the use of theatre that is distinctly Filipino as a tool for social change and development. The company has lived by this principle as it continues to evolve with the changes that have occurred within and around it. It continues to push for first-rate quality theatre while never taking for granted that the art it produces and teaches always serves a greater purpose.
Its vision is to develop “excellent theatre aesthetics and pedagogy towards the empowerment of people and society”.
More information is available online at https://petatheater.com.
242 More information is available online at http://dramaresource.com/strategies/image-theatre.243 More information is available online at www.humanrightsfilmnetwork.org.
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Tool 14:Visual arts
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation and evaluation
Uses painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, crafts and other visual media to explore issues or situations.
Various All levels
There are many ways that visual arts/media can be used as powerful human rights education tools. Some examples can be found at:
Daria Sazanovich (Sheeborshee) (2018). Role of visual art in human rights advocacy. Available online at https://womenplatform.net/inspiration-and-development/role-of-visual-art-in-human-rights-advocacy/
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2017). Exploring the connections between arts and human rights. Available online at https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2017_arts-and-human-rights-report_may-2017_vienna.pdf
UNESCO (2018). Art Lab: Dialogue with World Artists for Human Rights (including video). Available online at https://en.unesco.org/news/art-lab-dialogue-world-artists-human-rights
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Tool 15:Sample workshop on theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights244
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation A sample workshop using interactive processes to facilitate learning about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Two hours Beginning
This is a sample workshop using interactive processes to facilitate learning about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Step 1: Definition and principles of human rights
1. The facilitator introduces herself or himself to the participants and explains the aims and objectives for the activity.
2. The facilitator asks participants to introduce themselves, including their name, job, their expectations for the activity and what they think human rights are. They write down the points on the flipchart.
3. The facilitator reads the participants understanding of human rights.
4. Using a PowerPoint presentation, the facilitator provides an overview of human rights, the UDHR and the principles of human rights.
5. The facilitator asks one of participants to read the preamble to the UDHR to show its purpose.
Step 2: Human rights as defined by the UDHR
1. A circle of chairs is set up. There are enough chairs for each participant, minus one.
2. The facilitator distributes human rights cards to all participants. Each card includes one human right.
3. The facilitator explains the rules of the game, “Wind of UDHR”.
Participants are asked to stand around the circle of chairs.
Music is played and when the music stops, the participants must race to sit in a chair. The participant who did not get a seat will be the instructor for the game. After participants sit, they must ask and memorize the human rights included on the cards held by the person on their right and on their left.
244 Contributed by Eka Christiningsih Tanlain from the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights.
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The instructor addresses the participants with one of three directions.
“Wind of UDHR” blowing to the right!”: Each participant must state the human right on the card held by the person on their right.
“Wind of UDHR” blowing to the left!”: Each participant must state the human right on the card held by the person on their left.
“Tornado!” All the participants (including the instructor) stand up and race to find a new chair. They cannot remain in the same chair.
The person who did not manage to find a chair is the new instructor. The game is repeated until around three instructors have had their turn.
4. When the game is finished and participants return to their regular seats, the facilitator asks each participant to name the human rights on their card.
5. Using a PowerPoint presentation, the facilitator explains all the human rights in the UDHR.
Step 3: Two major group of human rights: economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights
1. The facilitator describes the two major group of human rights: economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights.
2. Participants form into random groups. The articles of the UDHR are divided among the groups. Each group is given two cards, each with a different colour (such as blue and green). Groups go through the articles of the UDHR and decide which are economic, social and cultural rights and which are civil and political rights.
3. Each group presents their results.
Step 4: Wrap-up
1. The facilitator recaps the workshop and guides any discussion that may occur.
2. A workshop evaluation activity is facilitated, with participants asked whether the session met their expectations.
3. The facilitator closes the activity.
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Tool 16:Workshop overview:Introduction to human rights
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation An overview of a workshop that uses interactive processes to provide an introduction to domestic and international human rights.
Two hours Beginning
Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will have:
been introduced to human rights and the international human rights framework
been introduced to domestic human rights law
had the opportunity to apply human rights to their own work/issues
been introduced to the NHRI, its roles, responsibilities and services
been introduced to the NHRI’s complaint handling process.
Timeframe
This is a two-hour workshop that can be adapted to fit shorter or longer timeframes.
Audience
This workshop has been designed for an audience with limited understanding of human rights, domestic human rights legislation and the NHRI.
Time Activity
00.00 Introductions
00.10 Tool Box exercise: Each person writes one thing they can contribute and one thing they would like to get out of the workshop. Share these with the group.
00.15 Introduce workshop
00.20 Brainstorming exercise on human rights.
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00.30 Mapping exercise: Participants draw their home community, region or workplace. Using green and blue stick-it notes, they identify three things that are great and three things that are not fair. Present these to the group.
01.00 PowerPoint presentation on the human rights framework.
01.20 Using the issues raised in the mapping exercise, make links to the human rights framework.
01.30 Hand out case studies relating to specific domestic and international human rights issues. Newspaper clippings, participant experiences, scenario cards could be used. In groups, discuss the relevant human rights issues. Report back to the whole group.
01.50 Evaluation
02.00 Finish
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Tool 17:Workshop overview:Introduction to disability rights
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation An overview of a workshop that provides an introduction to disability rights.
Two hours Beginning
Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will have:
been introduced to disability rights
identified discrimination and barriers to participation for people with disabilities
been introduced to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
considered practical ways to reduce discrimination experienced by people with disabilities
been introduced to the NHRI’s complaint handling process.
Timeframe
The workshop should be tailored to each audience. Some audiences may require more time for welcomes and to making sure that the environment is comfortable and/or culturally appropriate. Some audiences may benefit from more time at the end to discuss their particular issues and courses of action they may wish to take. It is important that the facilitator ensures that the structure and timing of the workshop provides a safe place for people to participate fully.
As a rough guide, the workshop can be between two to four hours.
Audience
The workshop provides an introduction to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The topic of this workshop is human rights for people with disabilities. It is suitable for people with disabilities and people who do not have disabilities. For example, service providers and workplace staff can benefit from understanding the Convention and its relevance to the work of their organizations.
Approach
This workshop aims to empower participants by making information on the rights of people with disabilities accessible and easy to understand. By providing clear and simple messages about these rights, it is hoped that this information will stay with participants and be
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translated into action. Action may be as simple as having a conversation with someone about the rights of people with disabilities after the workshop, or an organization may change their policies to become more disability friendly. All action, big or small, is effective.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities covers all areas of life. The pace of the workshop should reflect the interests and concerns of the audience. Some individuals or groups will naturally want to focus on those rights that are most important to them. Time should be allowed for these discussions, as it makes the issue relevant to their daily lives.
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Tool 18:Workshop overview:Sexual and racial harassment
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation An overview of a workshop that provides an introduction to sexual and racial harassment.
Two hours Beginning
Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will have:
reflected on their own attitudes to sexual and racial language, images and relationships in the workplace
considered the conditions that exist when an organization’s collective ethos differs from the expectations of the community
described sexual and racial harassment
been introduced to the legal issues and processes around sexual and racial harassment, discussed perspectives of power imbalance and analysed the issues
discussed sexual and racial harassment case studies and identified the issues and resolutions
identified good practice approaches to preventing and addressing sexual and racial harassment.
Timeframe
The workshop is designed to be completed within two hours. However, the facilitator should expect to be available well beyond that time in order to talk privately with participants who have immediate concerns.
Audience
This workshop has been developed for workplaces and other organizations, such as adult education providers. Care has to be taken that confidentiality is maintained. It should be noted that
an evaluation of the safety of the workplace is filled in prior to the workshop and that some participants may wish to do that completely privately
participants are asked not to discuss personal experiences at all in the workshop
the facilitator has to be prepared for participant distress and another room should be available for separation and privacy.
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Approach
The workshop is fast and interactive. It requires some specific reflection on personal attitudes to sexual and racial attitudes, images and relationships in the workplace. The initial brainstorm/”two-person” work on behaviours, images and language that can be considered sexual and/or racial harassment must be well controlled and respectful. The workshop concludes with a personal and collective understanding of, and commitment to, transparent and appropriate structures and processes for safe workplaces.
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Tool 19:Workshop overview:Bullying and harassment
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation An overview of a workshop that provides an introduction to bullying and harassment.
Two hours Beginning
Objectives
By the end of the workshop, participants will have:
described bullying and harassment
identified the effects of bullying and harassment, from the perspective of the bully and the person being bullied
been introduced to the legal issues and processes around bullying and harassment
identified the signs of bullying in the workplace
considered how to prevent and deal with bullying and harassment in the workplace.
Timeframe
The workshop is designed to be completed within two hours. However, the facilitator should expect to be available well beyond that time in order to talk privately with participants who have immediate concerns.
Audience
This workshop has been developed for workplaces. Care has to be taken that confidentiality is maintained. It should be noted that:
an evaluation of the safety of the workplace is filled in prior to the workshop starting and that some participants may wish to do that completely privately
participants are asked not to discuss personal experiences at all in the workshop.
Approach
The workshop is fast and interactive, with the emphasis on participants identifying and describing issues around bullying and harassment in the workplace. It asks the participants to evaluate the safety of their own workplace and identify collective and personal solutions to the problem of the bullying.
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Tool 20:Equality card game245
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation An experiential activity that simulates the inequalities that exist in society.
One – four hours
Experienced
This tool can be used for training, education and the education components of community development. It requires ten or more participants.
Time required
The time required for this activity will vary, according to the programme, the participants and the objective. It could take 20 minutes or continue for hours.
Equipment
You will need a pack of playing cards. If there are more than 50 participants, you will need another pack.
Objective
The game is designed to create a simulated experience of the inequalities that exist in society. It is set up in such a way that participants will be given an identity and status that reflects societal inequality and be required to interact with others. It is useful when working with issues of discrimination and inequality.
Brief
Each participant is given a playing card that they use to form groups of four participants. The suit determines what group they are able to join. That is, each group must be either all Hearts, or Diamonds, or Clubs or Spades. The cards also carry a point value:
Joker = can be any suit, worth 50 points Ace = 25 points King = 13 points Queen = 12 points Jack = 11 points All other cards in the pack indicate their own number value. That is, 10 = 10 points, 9
= 9 points, etc.
245 © Jill Chrisp. “Game” in this context involves a simulation of “real life”. It requires skilled facilitation in order that a challenging but safe environment is created within which participants can experience the reality experienced by others or be reminded of their own.
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1. Count the number of participants in the group.
2. Choose the same number of playing cards. Ensure that the cards you choose carry a variety of suits and points value. Choose cards that will enable some groups to form and others not. For example, you may give out three cards that are Hearts. Participants with Hearts cards will not be able to form a group of four participants. Make sure a Joker is one that you choose. This card has the highest points and can be any suit.
3. Hand a card to each participant. Ask them not to reveal their cards.
For participants who already experience inequalities in their world, you will need to manipulate the cards so they don’t play “themselves” (i.e. do not give a low-value card to someone who experiences, or is vulnerable to, discrimination).
4. Once each participant has a card you explain the rules. Do/promise whatever you like to build the desire to win.
They have [designated time – ten minutes, one hour …] to form groups of four.
Each group must be of the same suit and have the highest value to win.
Participants can choose whether to reveal their card or not.
The groups must be evident when time is up, such as by linking arms or standing separate from another group.
Act
5. Announce “game begins”. Be accurate with your timing. Announce two minutes to go, one minute to go and then count down the last ten seconds. Note: Sometimes groups form very quickly and then there is a pause – if this happens – don’t be tempted to end the game. The energy will pick up again as participants try to sabotage a group or try to form another. Anything can happen!
6. You are observing what is happening. Take notes if you wish but it is crucial that you maintain the energy and the tension of the game while ensuring that no one is having unacceptable difficulty. You may choose to have an observer.
7. When time is up, no participant must be still.
8. Count up the group scores.
Debrief
Give the group time to talk about what happened, laugh, be indignant … whatever comes up. It is important that participants engage with their feelings. Ask participants to return their cards to a central pile and say out loud, or to themselves, “I am not [card] anymore”.
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Reflect
Facilitate a discussion about what participants had gained from the activity; what was the learning or the analysis. Make sure they don’t drop back into discussion about what happened in the game.
For example, the discussion could explore:
what was going on
what they thought about their own role and what they did with it
what roles were being played out
how these roles are reflected in the “real world”
who in the “real world” could be Joker/two Spades/the group of cards with high suit ...
Apply
This is the “so what?”. What does this mean to the lives of participants at work/school/play?
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Tool 21:World café246
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation and evaluation
A participatory activity that facilitates dialogue and the sharing of knowledge and ideas.
One – two hours
Intermediate
The world café is a creative process for facilitating collaborative dialogue and sharing knowledge and ideas to create a living network of conversation and action.
In this process, a café ambiance is created with participants discussing a question or issue in small groups around café tables. Participants move to a new table at regular intervals. One table host remains and summarizes the previous conversation to the new table guests.
In this way, the proceeding conversations are cross-fertilized with the ideas generated in former conversations with other participants. At the end of the process, the main ideas are summarized in a plenary session and follow-up possibilities are discussed.
Purpose
The world café process is particularly useful:
to engage large groups (more than 12 people) in an authentic dialogue process when you want to generate input, share knowledge, stimulate innovative thinking and
explore action to identify and discuss possibilities around real life issues and questions to engage people in authentic conversation, whether they are meeting for the first
time or have established relationships with each other to conduct in-depth exploration of key strategic challenges or opportunities to deepen relationships and mutual ownership of outcomes in an existing group to create meaningful interaction between a speaker and the audience.
Approach
Participants explore an issue by discussing and drawing in small groups or “tables” for multiple consecutive sessions of 20 – 30 minutes. Participants change tables after each session in order to “cross-fertilize” their discussions with the ideas generated at other tables. The event is concluded with a facilitated plenary session, where the key ideas are gathered and conclusions are established.
246 Most of the information here is taken from The World Café: A Resource Guide for Hosting Conversations That Matter; Juanita Brown; 2002; cited in Participatory Methods Toolkit: A Practitioner’s Manual; Nikki Slocum; 2003. Available online at http://archive.unu.edu/hq/library/Collection/PDF_files/CRIS/PMT.pdf.
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Tool 22:Fireball game247
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation An interactive activity to recap a topic previously discussed.
10 – 20 minutes
Beginning
This tool is used to review a topic.
The facilitator asks participants to stand in a circle and explains the rules of the game. The facilitator will give the “hot ball” to one participant. This ball is made from sheets of paper. Each sheet has a question written on it.
The ball is passed around the participants while music plays. The participant who is holding the ball when the music stops unwraps a sheet of paper and answers the question on it. The game continues until all questions are answered.
247 Contributed by Eka Christiningsih Tanlain from the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights.
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Tool 23:Activity diary248
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Implementation and evaluation
A tool for recording the significant activities and events that occur during an extended human rights education activity or project.
Ongoing Beginning
A project diary is a written record of significant activities, events or processes that occur during the life of a project.
It is highly recommended that project staff keep some sort of diary to record their insights and experiences during a project’s planning and implementation, as these insights are important to collect and reflect upon in order to improve the way future projects are run.
Diaries can provide a meaningful reflection of the time that may be needed to implement a project. For example, diaries can provide a more accurate guide to the time commitment (and budgeting) required in future project designs. They are also invaluable for identifying the little things that can make, hold back or break a project. These small factors – such as not engaging particular stakeholders early enough – may have not been considered in the project plan but can end up being very important.
Project diaries therefore collect the information that helps make a meaningful evaluation of a project’s implementation, rather than having to depend on sketchy memories or anecdotal evidence.
An option is to combine diary-keeping with regular meetings, where project teams and other relevant stakeholders can reflect on what is working well, what needs improvement and what should be done to improve the project.
A diary could be kept in a traditional “written” format or through an electronic file that is updated as required.
You can also consider having a selection of participants keep diaries to record their observations of a project, as well as the changes they undertake. You may want to consider selecting the participants using specific criteria – such as demographics or prior knowledge or values – in order to see if different sub-groups have different experiences.
248 Sourced from the Community Sustainability Engagement Evaluation Tool Box. Available online at http://evaluationtoolbox.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34&Itemid=141.
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Tool 24:Evaluation dartboard249
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Evaluation A participatory way of evaluating an activity.
20 – 30 minutes
Beginning
The evaluation dartboard is a quick and simple method for participants to rate the delivery of a workshop, training session or similar activity.
Using sticky dots or a marking pen, participants make a mark on the dartboard based on a rating scale; for example, from “highly satisfied” to “highly dissatisfied” or “exceeded expectations” to “missed the mark”.
The dartboard provides a visual snapshot of participants’ views without the need for further analysis or work (for example, compared to questionnaires).
An evaluation dartboard consists of drawing a large circle on a flip chart, a whiteboard or similar. Draw another ring in the centre of the circle to represent the bull’s eye.
Participants are asked to place a separate mark within each sector that represents a question. The nearer the bull’s eye, the higher the level of satisfaction; the further away from the centre, the lower the level of satisfaction. This is presented in the diagram below.
249 Sourced from the Evaluation Toolbox. Available online at http://evaluationtoolbox.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=38&Itemid=145.
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Tool 25:Feedback wheel
When to use Purpose Time Educatorskill level
Evaluation A participatory way of encouraging group feedback at any point in the life of an activity.
20 – 30 minutes
Beginning
This tool can be used for a range of purposes (for example, to undertake a situation analysis, review a service or get feedback on a project or a workshop) and in a range of places (for example, on a street to seek the view of passers-by on an issue or, in a community hall after a workshop.)
The feedback wheel requires a sheet of paper and pens.
A wheel is drawn with segments inside it. Each segment represents a question to be answered, such as reaching objectives, facilitators’ performance, comfort of the room or whether their own learning has increased.
The centre of the wheel is valued at ‘0’ (lowest) and the outside diameter of the wheel is valued ‘10’ (highest). Each participant draws one line per segment from the middle of the wheel to the outside diameter that indicates their rating in relation to the question being asked.
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Useful resources
All Different – All Equal: Education Pack; Council of Europe; 1995
Circle of Rights: Economic, Cultural and Social Rights Activism – A Training Resource; Human Rights Resource Center, University of Minnesota. Available online at www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/IHRIP/circle/toc.htm
Citizens as Partners: Information, Consultation and Public Participation in Policy-Making; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; 2001
Community Sustainability Engagement Evaluation Tool Box. Available online at http://evaluationtoolbox.net.au
Community ToolBox. Available online at http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/chapter_1001.aspx
Crowd Wise (for participatory decision-making). Available online at www.crowd-wise.org
New Tactics in Human Rights; available at www.newtactics.org
Training and Advocacy: Community Paralegal Training Programme; Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team. Available online at www.rrrt.org/paged095.html
Participatory Methods Toolkit: A Practitioner’s Manual; Nikki Slocum, joint publication of the King Baudouin Foundation and the Flemish Institute for Science and Technology Assessment, in collaboration with the United Nations University – Comparative Regional Integration Studies; 2003
Participatory Techniques and Tools; World Food Programme; 2001
Picturing a Life Free of Violence: Media and Communications Strategies to End Violence Against Women; UNIFEM; 2001
Reclaiming Voices: A Study on Participatory Human Rights Education Methodologies in the Asia Pacific; Asia-Pacific Regional Resource Centre for Human Rights Education; 2004
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Summary
Chapter 1: Human rights: An overview
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled. They determine how individual human beings live in society and with each other, as well as their relationship with the State and the obligations that the State has towards them.
While the formalization of common standards and processes for the protection of human rights began in the middle of the 1900s, human rights have existed for as long as humankind has existed. Most of the world’s major philosophies, religions and cultures recognize and promote human rights concepts.
The first international human rights instrument to be adopted was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. This was followed by international treaties on civil and political rights and on economic, social and cultural rights. A number of other treaties that address the human rights of particular groups have also been developed.
States have an obligation to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of their citizens.
Chapter 2: Human rights education: An overview
Human rights education is an essential tool for the realization of human rights. It is a lifelong process that involves all ages and levels and includes all forms of education, training and learning. Human rights education occurs in many settings, including public, private, formal, informal and non-formal situations.
Human rights education is included in a number of international human rights treaties and declarations. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training reaffirms the principles and standards of these treaties.
The purpose of human rights education is to disseminate knowledge about human rights, build the capability of people to apply human rights to their lives and to strengthen individuals and communities to take action toward human rights outcomes.
Human rights education is for everyone. Participants can be divided into three broad groups: rights holders, duty bearers and influencers.
Chapter 3: National human rights institutions and human rights education
Undertaking human rights education is a core requirement of NHRIs, as set out in the Paris Principles and the World Action Plan for Human Rights Education.
NHRIs need three things in order to offer a quality human rights education programme: a planned, strategic and resourced human rights education programme, skilled human rights educators and adequate human rights education resources.
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There are a number of effective human rights education programmes being delivered by NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region.250
Chapter 4: Human rights education theory and principles
In order for human rights education to contribute to the realization of human rights, it must:
be relevant to the participants
involve partnerships and collaboration with appropriate individuals and groups
recognize that the participants are important contributors to the education activity and that the human rights educator is also a “learner”
deepen and strengthen the knowledge and experience of participants
combine action with reflection by building in processes of review and evaluation
focus on individual and societal empowerment and transformation.
Chapter 5: A human rights education approach
NHRIs have the responsibility to identify the most appropriate human rights education approach to meet diverse participants, contexts and purposes.
A Multi-Method approach to education involves six broad methods: information sharing, training, facilitation, relationship management, advocacy for human rights and community development.
Three frameworks strengthen the Multi-Method approach: the “4-A” framework, the human rights-based approach and the Learning Pyramid.
Chapter 6: Planning and designing human rights education
Planning and designing a human rights education activity involves identifying and assessing a human rights situation and deciding what human rights education activity may have an impact on the situation.
A Logic Model is a useful tool for this purpose. It involves four elements:
– situation analysis; an assessment of a human rights situation
– inputs; the resources required to carry out and evaluate an activity
– outputs; the type of activity and the participants and stakeholders involved
– outcomes; the results sought from the activity.
A Logic Model can apply to many levels of human rights education; national, community or organizational activities, a project plan, an hour-long workshop or an individual work plan.
250 APF, Transforming communities across our region. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0DSCnPZ7FQ.
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Chapter 7: Implementing human rights education
The key considerations for a human rights educator when implementing a human rights activity are:
identifying the specific role of the educator
recognizing and responding to the diverse learning styles of participants
creating effective learning environments
matching the pacing of an activity with the participants and the context
using language that is inclusive and easily understood
monitoring the progress of an activity
being aware of personal workload and other stress and seeking appropriate support when needed.
Chapter 8: Evaluating human rights education
Evaluation of human rights education tells how well the related outcomes have been achieved and why and what could be learned as a result.
A common set of criteria for evaluating human rights education includes:
– relevance
– appropriateness
– effectiveness
– efficiency
– impact
– sustainability.
Not all of these criteria will be used all the time.
There are many methods for carrying out an evaluation. It is important that the evaluation method is appropriate to the context of the activity and the participants involved.
Evaluation results should always be reported to those who have participated in the evaluation. It may also be important to communicate them to a funder or other stakeholders.
Chapter 9: Human rights education and gender
Human rights education is a significant tool for NHRIs in their efforts to promote and advocate for gender equality. Human rights education:
– disseminates essential knowledge and awareness of human rights as it relates to gender
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– builds the capability of people to apply this knowledge to their own values, attitudes, behaviours and contexts and to develop strategies to prevent and address gender-based violations
– motivates people to take action toward gender equality.
Gender mainstreaming human rights education involves developing a variety of methods and tools to ensure that the activity is appropriate for, and reflects, the identities of people in addition to their gender.
The Logic Model is a useful tool when applying a gender lens across human rights education activities. It provides:
– information about the current gender situation – Gender analysis.
– the impact sought on the gender situation – Outcome/s leading toward gender equality.
– the resources required to reach the outcomes – Inputs.
– the appropriate activities / strategies to use – Outputs.
The NHRI should ensure its staff understand gender mainstreaming and gender specialisation as approaches to achieve gender equality and can apply a gender perspective to human rights education.
Chapter 10: Working with the media
The media plays a central role in reflecting and shaping public opinion and setting a social, political and economic agenda.
Accurate, informed and sustained media coverage of human rights issues can help shape community attitudes and contribute to changes in law, policy and practice.
NHRIs need to understand how the media operates in order to present human rights issues in a way that will engage journalists and lead to accurate and compelling coverage.
Media engagement to promote human rights awareness cannot be a one-off event. It requires consistent promotion, across multiple media outlets, over a sustained period of time.
NHRIs should seek opportunities to work cooperatively with media outlets and individual journalists to support informed reporting on human rights.
Chapter 11: Human rights education in early childhood education centres and schools
Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child focuses specifically on the right to education for the child.
Research shows that children and young people in human rights-based schools know their rights, understand their responsibilities and the rights of others, have more self-esteem, are more accepting of diversity and have higher achievement rates.
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Human rights education principles should guide the work that NHRIs undertake in early childhood education centres, with school communities and with departments of education.
NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region are actively engaged in human rights education with schools, universities and departments of education.
Chapter 12: Human rights education in conflict and post-conflict situations
Education in conflict and post-conflict regions is important to lessen the impact of conflict and to restore peace.
In conflict and post-conflict regions, NHRIs may be required to take on roles that are unique to their situations and to modify normal programme functions to respond to the specific situations facing different groups in the society.
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Useful resources
Chapter 1: Human rights: An overview
International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System:A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions; APF; 2012
“What are human rights?”; OHCHR; available at www.ohchr.org/en/issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspx
United Nations, What Are Human Rights. Available online at www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/human-rights/
Chapter 2: Human rights education: An overview
APF (2015) Who is Human Rights education for? Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8X6DBc_hsk (5.07)
Human Rights Education: Open Source WebsitePromotes human rights education at the local, national and international levels. Set up in 2018, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to contribute to the goals of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. Available at www.power-humanrights-education.org/about-us/
HRE 2020A global civil society coalition aiming to support and strengthen the monitoring and implementation of international human rights education commitments, as enshrined in the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training and the World Programme for Human Rights Education. Working with civil society, governments and international organizations, HRE 2020 promotes human rights education through advocacy, capacity building and resource development. Available at www.hre2020.org
NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning A working group of the NGO Committee on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. It aims to ensure NGO participation in the processes of global policy making on human rights education in relation to UN institutions, principally the UN Human Rights Council. Available at www. ngowghrel.wordpress.com
The Platform for Human Rights Education and TrainingThe Platform for Human Rights Education and Training is an informal cross-regional governmental grouping in support of human rights education and training. It is comprised of the following UN Member States: Brazil, Costa Rica, Italy, Morocco, Philippines, Senegal, Slovenia, and Thailand.
Path to Dignity – The Power of Human Rights EducationSoka Gakkai International (SGI) and UNHCR (2013): Video series available at www.hrea.org/path-to-dignity/
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)Human rights education is central to the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote and protect the effective enjoyment by all of all human rights. Through its headquarters and field presences, the high commissioner
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implements related programs and provides assistance to governments, institutions and civil society. Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Education/Training/Pages/HREducationTrainingIndex.aspx
Soka Gakkai International (SGI)SGI collaborates with other civil society organizations and intergovernmental agencies in the fields of human rights education, nuclear disarmament, gender equality, sustainable development and humanitarian relief. Available at www.sgi.org
Chapter 3: National human rights institutions and human rights education
National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010
APF (updated 2018) A Manual on National Human Rights Institutions. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/manual-on-nhris/
Chapter 4: Human rights education theory and principles
Building Human Rights Communities: The experience of three indigenous peoples in the Philippines. Commissions on human rights of New Zealand and the Philippines (2011). Available online at https://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/Themes/IndigenousPeoples/DocumentsPage/HRC_Building_Human_Rights_Communities-%20PHIL-NZ%20joint%20project.pdf
Facilitation Manual: A guide to using participatory methods for Human Rights Education (2014). Available online at www.amnesty.org/en/documents/act35/020/2011/en/ and online at https://issuu.com/aihumanrightseducation/docs/facilitation-manual
Maranga Mai! Human Rights Community Development. Dr Jill Chrisp in the Australian New Community Quarterly (Vol. 9, No. 1); Autumn 2011
SPC Regional Rights Resources Team (2019), Sustaining campaign coalitions. Available online at https://rrrt.spc.int/resources/videos/sustaining-campaign-coalitions
Chapter 5: A human rights education approach
Human Rights-Based Approach to Education for All; United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; 2007
OHCHR. Training and Education. Available online at www.ohchr.org/EN/PublicationsResources/Pages/TrainingEducation.aspx
SPC Regional Rights Resources Team (2019). The rights-based approach. Available online at https://rrrt.spc.int/resources/videos/a-human-rights-based-approach
Chapter 6: Planning and designing human rights education
APF Video (2015) Planning human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDQD7tpzMOw (5.37).
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Qualitative and Quantitative Indicators for the Monitoring and Evaluation of the ILO Gender Mainstreaming Strategy; Tanja Bastia; 2000. Available online at www.academia.edu/694038/Qualitative_and_Quantitative_Indicators_for_the_Monitoring_and_Evaluation_of_the_ILO_Gender_Mainstreaming_Strategy
Videos available online at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXKkFGPSxE – Planning (2015)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhYwa62SMAw&t=3s – The Logic Model (2017)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR8FalapJf0&t=103s – Input, Activity, Output, Outcome, Impact (2015)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pswhgh4u-Gg – Understanding Indicators in 7 Quick Chapters (2017)
Chapter 7: Implementing human rights education
All Different All Equal: Education Pack; Council of Europe. Available online at www.eycb.coe.int/edupack/
APF (2015) Delivering human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=356rLNkBgIs (6.41)
Community Organisers’ Toolbox; Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development. Available online at www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/building/webtraining.html
Enhancing Learning for Effectiveness; Train4Dev; 2011
Facilitation Skills for Interpersonal Transformation; Ron Kraybill, Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management; 2004
Facilitator’s Toolkit; Action for the Rights of Children/Reach Out; 2005. Available online at www.unhcr.org/4371d7c92.pdf
How Adults Learn (2017). Video available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LdEwYDDJBg&t=3s (3.29)
Methodology for Human Rights Education for the Police; National Human Rights Commission of Korea; 2008
Reclaiming Voices: A Study on Participatory Methodologies in the Asia Pacific; Asian Regional Resource Center for Human Rights Education; 2004
Training for Transformation: A Handbook for Community Workers; Anne Hope and Sally Timmel; Books 1, 2 and 3 (1984) and Book 4 (1999)
We can teach the way we were taught, or we can teach the way people learn; Sierra Training Associates; 2007. Available online at www.sierra-training.com/
What is Learning and How Does it Occur (2014). Video available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nSe1VfAtww (7.50)
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Chapter 8: Evaluating human rights education
APF (2015) Evaluating human rights education. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqInXa0P6Po&t=332s (7.22)
Evaluating Human Rights Training Activities: A Handbook for Human Rights Educators; OHCHR and Equitas; 2011
Handbook on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results; United Nations Development Programme. Available online at http://web.undp.org/evaluation/guidance.shtml#handbook
Integrity Watch Afghanistan (2012) Lack of monitoring. Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaXAxZWwBnE (0.38)
Monitoring and Evaluation; CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation; available at www.civicus.org/view/media/Monitoring%20and%20Evaluation.pdf
Monitoring and Evaluation; World Bank. Available online at http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTBELARUS/Resources/M&E.pdf
Reflect and Improve Tool Kit: Section 5, Development and Implementing an Evaluation Plan; Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development; 2005
STAND (2015). Introduction to monitoring and evaluation. Available online in English & Arabic at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_z9H0alSqQ (2.06)
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Part 1; United Nations Development Programme. Available online at http://web.undp.org/evaluation/documents/HandBook/part_1.pdf
Useful Tools for Engaging Young People In Participatory Evaluation; UNICEF (2005) Available online at http://betterevaluation.org/en/resources/overview/tools_engaging_young_people_particip_eval
Chapter 9: Human rights education and gender
APF (2016) Promoting the rights of women and girls (6.42). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU9HGto5lXI&feature=youtu.be
APF (Jul 2017) Gender mainstreaming guidelines for trainers and developers of APF training material. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/apf-gender-mainstreaming-guidelines-trainers/
APF (2017) Part of Our Everyday Work: NHRI Guidelines for Mainstreaming SOGISC Work. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/media/resource_file/APF_Part_of_our_Everyday_Work_NHRI_SOGISC_Guidelines.pdf
APF (2019) Guidelines for mainstreaming the human rights of women and girls. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/nhri-guidelines-mainstreaming-rights-women/
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The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) I want to pray. Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/news/using-digital-stories-advocate-human-rights/
UNFE (2015) Pacific Free & Equal. Available online at http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2015/08/un-launches-campaign-supporting-gay-rights-in-the-pacific/
UN Women (2018), Empower indigenous women, strengthen communities (1.22). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh1OuJEd8cU
UN Women (2019). Amplify the voices of the unheard. Available online at http://interactive.unwomen.org/multimedia/campaign/unheardwomen/index.html
Chapter 10: Working with the media
Journalism, Media and the Challenge of Human Rights Reporting, International Council on Human Rights Policy; 2002
Media Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions, APF; 2013
Advocacy Toolkit, UNICEF; 2010
Whose News? The Changing Media Landscape and NGOs, C. Bogert, Human Rights Watch; 2011
‘The Science of What Makes People Care’, in Stanford Social Innovation Review; A. Christiano & A. Neimand; Fall 2018
Chapter 11: Human rights education in early childhood education centres and schools
Compasito: Manual on human rights education for children; European Youth Centre in Budapest. Available online at www.eycb.coe.int/compasito/chapter_1/2_wha.html
Guidelines for Human Rights Education in Secondary School Systems; Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; 2012
Human rights education: developing a theoretical understanding of teachers’ responsibilities. Carol Robinson, Louise Phillips & Ann Quennerstedt (2018). Available online at www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00131911.2018.1495182?needAccess=true
Manual on rights-based education: Global Human Rights Requirements Made Simple; Katarina Tomasevski (2004). Available online at www.right-to-education.org/resource/manual-rights-based-education-global-human-rights-requirements-made-simple
Right to Education Handbook. UNESCO (2019). Available online at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000366556
Rights Respecting Schools Initiative; UNICEF. Available online at www.unicef.org.uk/rights-respecting-schools/
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The Right to Education Initiative (2017). What are the 4As? Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=21&v=05vtdEh_P0w (2.05)
What are Children’s Rights? (2019) available on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHNfaPuoZHM
What is the Right to Education? UNESCO India (2014). Available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsCKu7FH9wc
Chapter 12: Human rights education in conflict and post-conflict situations
Conflict Resolution and Human Rights: Contradictory or Complementary; Baroness Helena Kennedy QC; 2001; published in Human Rights Education Pack; Asian Regional Resource Centre for Human Rights Education; 2003
Education and Reconciliation: Exploring Conflict and Post-conflict Situations; Julia Paulson (ed.); 2011
National Human Rights Institutions: History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities; Professional Training Series No. 4 (Rev. 1); OHCHR; 2010
Quality Education in Conflict Affected Countries: Facilitator’s Manual; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; 2005. Available online at http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001433/143319E.pdf
The Influence of Education on Conflict and Peace Building; Alan Smith; 2010 (paper commissioned for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011)
Toolkit for collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions; United Nations Development Programme and OHCHR; 2010
Part IV: Tools and techniques
All Different – All Equal: Education Pack; Council of Europe; 1995
Circle of Rights: Economic, Cultural and Social Rights Activism – A Training Resource; Human Rights Resource Center, University of Minnesota. Available online at www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/IHRIP/circle/toc.htm
Citizens as Partners: Information, Consultation and Public Participation in Policy-Making; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; 2001
Community Sustainability Engagement Evaluation Tool Box. Available online at http://evaluationtoolbox.net.au
Community ToolBox. Available online at http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/chapter_1001.aspx
Crowd Wise (for participatory decision-making). Available online at www.crowd-wise.org
New Tactics in Human Rights; available at www.newtactics.org
Training and Advocacy: Community Paralegal Training Programme; Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team. Available online at www.rrrt.org/paged095.htm
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Participatory Methods Toolkit: A Practitioner’s Manual; Nikki Slocum, joint publication of the King Baudouin Foundation and the Flemish Institute for Science and Technology Assessment, in collaboration with the United Nations University – Comparative Regional Integration Studies; 2003
Participatory Techniques and Tools; World Food Programme; 2001
Picturing a Life Free of Violence: Media and Communications Strategies to End Violence Against Women; UNIFEM; 2001
Reclaiming Voices: A Study on Participatory Human Rights Education Methodologies in the Asia Pacific; Asia-Pacific Regional Resource Centre for Human Rights Education; 2004
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Glossary
The following definitions explain the main concepts used in the Manual as they relate to human rights education.
Activity Anything from a small, one-off event to an extensive project or programme, including all forms of human rights education.
Advocate An advocate provides a voice for a person or group, or encourages them to use their voice, to address a specific issue. A human rights advocate, as it relates to human rights education, promotes the role and value of human rights and encourages others to act.
Approach A particular set of theory, principles and practices that may be used for a human rights activity.
Case study A summarized and planned account of a person, group, and/or an event.
Communicator A communicator sends and receives information in a way that it is most effectively received by the intended audience. A human rights communicator gives out information about human rights, as well as receiving information about human rights matters that affect people.
Competency The knowledge, skills and behaviour required to carry out a specific role or task.
Community developer A community developer uses a variety of tools and processes to encourage self-reliant communities who are able to identify and address the issues that are important to them. For a human rights community developer, the focus is on a community’s human rights issues.
Duty bearer Those who have the responsibility to ensure others’ human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.
Evaluation Gathering information, either during or after a human rights activity, which contributes to the ongoing improvement of outcomes or performance.
Facilitator A facilitator enables a group to arrive at its own questions and solutions. A human rights facilitator uses various processes and tools that enable people to identify human rights issues that impact on them and on others, and to find ways of addressing those issues.
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Feedback The response given by participants or stakeholders about their experience of a human rights education activity. It is linked with “constructive feedback”, which aims to acknowledge what is working well and improvements could be made.
Formal human rights education
Human rights education in early childhood centres, schools, and universities.
Human rights Basic human rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled.
Human rights education Disseminating knowledge about human rights, building the capability of people to apply human rights to their lives and strengthening individuals and communities to take action toward human rights outcomes.
Human rights educator A person who is competent in the theory and practice of human rights and education and uses this to undertake human rights education activities.
Indicator The measure that gives information about how well an activity is reaching it outcomes. Indicators can be quantitative (involving numbers) or qualitative (identifying the quality of the activity).
Informal human rights education
Unorganized and often unintentional learning about human rights drawn from personal experiences.
Influencers Individuals or groups who are able to influence others’ opinions about human rights and encourage action toward promoting and protecting human rights.
Inputs The resources required for a human rights education activity.
Learning environment The real or virtual space where the human rights education activity is conducted.
Learning styles The particular way that an individual learns best.
Logic model A systematic way to link the main elements of an education activity.
Methodology The analysis and explanation of human rights education methods.
Milestones Used for human rights activities that are conducted over an extended period. They indicate what should be achieved at a given time during the life of the activity.
Monitoring A process to assess whether a human rights education activity is achieving the planned outcomes.
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National human rights institution (NHRI)
NHRIs are official independent legal institutions established by the State by law for the promotion and protection of human rights. They are established by the constitution or an act of the legislature that guarantees their independence from political direction and political interference, both governmental and non-governmental. They comply with the international minimum standards for NHRIs, the Paris Principles.
Networker A networker develops relations with and between people to reach a common goal. A human rights networker develops relationships with and between appropriate individuals or groups – rights holders, duty bearers or influencers – to promote action to address an identified human rights situation.
News values Characteristics of a news story that make it more or less interesting to a journalist and his or her audience. News values determine the prominence given to the story relative to other stories.
Non formal human rights education
Education activity conducted outside of the formal education system.
Paris Principles The “Principles Relating to the Status of National Institutions” set out internationally-agreed minimum standards for the establishment and operation of independent national human rights institutions.
Outcome The desired and actual results of a human rights activity.
Output A human rights activity implemented to contribute to a desired outcome.
Participant Someone who takes an active part in a human rights education activity. They may also be a “stakeholder”.
Principles of human rights education
The standards or guidelines to follow when planning, implementing or evaluating human rights education.
Practice of human rights education
The application of human rights education theory and principles to activity – “doing” human rights education.
Reflective practice The self-assessment that a human rights educator makes about their performance.
Review A process to assess how well a human rights activity is going and using this assessment to modify ongoing actions.
Rights holder Individuals or groups who are entitled to specific rights and protection.
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Situation analysis Gathering information that is useful for planning a human rights education activity. It identifies the strengths, needs, supports and barriers that relate to a specific situation.
Stakeholder A person, group or organization that can affect or be affected by the human rights education activity. A stakeholder could be a participant, the national human rights institution or an external organization, such as a funding agency.
Technique The processes and/or methods a human rights educator uses to achieve a particular outcome.
Theoretical framework for human rights education
The combination of theory and principles that provide a structure to guide the planning, implementation and evaluation of human rights education activities.
Theory of human rights education
The thinking, concepts and ideas that explain human rights education.
Tool(s) The education aids used by a human rights educator to increase the chance of successful outcomes. A variety of tools are commonly used in order to meet the diverse learning needs and styles of participants.
Trainer An individual who works with people to develop knowledge, skills, and behaviours required to perform a particular task or activity. A human rights trainer focuses on ensuring that people know about human rights and human rights behaviours.
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Appendix 1:Logic Models applied to human rights education activities in the Asia Pacific region
The following Logic Models take each of the methods in the Multi-Method approach and apply them to human rights activity in the Asia Pacific Region.
It is important to note that the benefit and effectiveness of the Logic Model process lies in the involvement and ownership of the educator, the NHRI, the participants and the stakeholders.
The two examples below are incomplete working examples only and aim to demonstrate how a range of different human rights education programmes can be mapped using the Logic Model.
Asia Pacific Forum Facilitators’ Network
Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines; Indigenous peoples’ project.
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Logic Model: Example 1 Asia Pacific Forum Facilitators’ Network251
SITUATION ANALYSIS: NHRIs in the region have a long and rich tradition of delivering human rights education programmes for a broad range of stakeholders. Some provide training in human rights law and practice to law enforcement officials; others work with their governments to encourage the incorporation of human rights into national school curriculums. Many also undertake programmes at the grass-roots level to develop the capacity of communities and civil society organisations to advocate for human rights, especially for those most vulnerable to violations. As new technologies develop, NHRIs continue to design innovative ways to share human rights knowledge, skills, stories and perspectives with the many different groups with which they work.
The APF is aiming to increase the effectiveness of human rights education provision by strengthening the practice of facilitation – that is of, ‘participant-centred’ human rights capacity development rather than ‘teacher/trainer-centred’ instruction on human rights.
INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES
Resources Human rightseducation activity
Participants/stakeholders
Short-term(12 months)
Medium-term(3 years)
Long-term(5 years)
ResearchAPF staff / contractors NHRI membershipFunds/partnersHost NHRIsFacilitation materials Online learning tool and support staff to support its establishment
Facilitators’ Blended Learning Programme.Participant/NHRI-led activities within their NHRIs in response to a human rights issue. Formation of a network of facilitators – the AFN.Follow-up meetings to share and reflect on experiences.Establishment of an online learning community.
Participants: NHRI representatives Stakeholders: NHRIs in the Asia Pacific Region, funders, APF Secretariat
With ongoing mentoring and support, participants’ confidence, skills to facilitate effective human rights education is increased.A network of facilitators is formed and agreed guidelines and facilitator competencies developed.Activities facilitated in NHRIs build the capacity of staff to address a human rights issue.
All NHRIs in the Asia Pacific Region have staff involved in the AFN and a succession plan is in place.Facilitators are practicing at a highly competent level.
NHRIs are undertaking effective human rights education in their countries.
Examples of monitoring (during the activity) and evaluation (after the activity) questions …
What amount of time and resource was invested? Were resources
What was the uptake and feedback on the BL programme? What NHRI activities were
What was the engagement of NHRIs across the region?
What is the level of participants’ confidence, skills to facilitate effective human rights education?
What is the level of engagement of NHRIs in the AFN?
What is the impact of the AFN on the effectiveness of
251 More information is available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/support/promoting-collaboration/professional-networks/apf-facilitators-network/.
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(personnel and other) adequate / effective?Were they participant-led?
facilitated and how effective were they?Has a network been formed? How effectively is it operating?What are the engagement levels in the AFN meetings? Is there evidence of increased facilitator capacity? How engaged are facilitators in the online community?
Was the BL programme participant-led?What is the gender balance – in number and in level of engagement? Are the stakeholders involved in the design? What is their feedback?
How effectively is the AFN operating?What is the impact of activities facilitated in NHRIs?
How sustainable is this engagement / the AFN over time?What mechanisms are in place to assess the competency levels of participants? What are those mechanisms reporting?
human rights education being facilitated by NHRIs in the region?
Indicators, such as …
[No.] personnel and time Non-people costs Value for budget
[No.] NHRIs engaged in the AFNFeedback from facilitatorsFeedback from NHRIsActivity on FUSE community
Evidence of diverse participant involvement – data disaggregated, including by gender.Participant feedback.Stakeholder feedback.NHRI feedback.Continuation of funding.
Observation of facilitator practice evidences increased capability. [No.] activities facilitated.Feedback from NHRIs reflecting outcomes from the programme.Feedback from externals reflecting outcomes of facilitated activities.Positive attitudinal changes evidenced.
Increase in level of engagement by NHRIs – [No. and quality].Sustainability measures in place.Self, peer, APF, stakeholder assessment of facilitator competency.Positive behavioural changes evidenced.
External evaluation against whole of project outcomes.
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Logic Model: Example 2Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines – Indigenous peoples’ project252
SITUATION ANALYSIS: Since the term of the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo began in 2001, many hundreds of people had been victims of extra-judicial killings. Many more had been harassed, detained or had disappeared. Victims included trade unionists, farmers’ rights activists, people from indigenous communities, lawyers, journalists, human rights campaigners and members of religious groups. Groups from within the Philippines, and countries from around the world, were pressuring the Philippine Government to address these issues. In August 2007, the New Zealand Human Rights Commission undertook a scoping visit to the Philippines. This involved discussions with a wide range of civil society and government stakeholders and with international agencies. They found that:
extensive legislation provided for human rights protections, but enforcement was weak gaps existed between human rights policy, training and how this was practiced, particularly with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines there were focused areas of insurgency and counter-insurgency, particularly in Mindanao and Northern Luzon, with indigenous peoples particularly vulnerable in these
conflict regions there were inadequate resources and support available to the CHRP for the rapidly increasing expectations of it.
After talks between Arroyo and the then New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, the human rights commissions of both countries were invited, and agreed, to work together to strengthen human rights in the Philippines.
INPUTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES
Resources Human rightseducation activity
Participants/stakeholders Short-term Medium-term Long-term
Staff; field workers, administrators, researchers, project coordinator, CommissionerFundsLogistics; travel, communications, meeting resources, participants’ travel, etc
Three-year human rights community development project involving: identifying indigenous
partners, using process of free, prior and informed consent
identifying appropriate field CHRP teams
Indigenous peoples; Kankana-ey (of Kibungan); Higaonon (of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur); Sama Dilaut (of Basilan, Jolo, Sulu and Zamboanga)State agencies; local and nationalCivil society organizations; local and national
The three priority indigenous communities have increased awareness of human rights and how they can be used a tool to address human rights issuesThe police, military and other State agencies have increased
The three priority indigenous communities are able to identify, verify, document and monitor human rights abuses Community-based projects have been initiated that include practical and realistic
Community-based projects achieve planned resultsPolice, military and other State agencies have undertaken initiatives that demonstrate their human rights obligations CHRP has increased its capability to facilitate
252 More information, including an overview of the actual outcomes of this project, is available online at https://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/Themes/IndigenousPeoples/DocumentsPage/HRC_Building_Human_Rights_Communities-%20PHIL-NZ%20joint%20project.pdf.
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Partners building relationships through face-to-face engagement
extensive programme of planning, implementation and evaluation involving multiple methods and with the identified indigenous people as direction-drivers
International partners and stakeholders
knowledge of human rights
steps to address identified human rights issues Police, military and other State agencies are able to integrate human rights into their practice and have initiated strategies accordingly
human rights community development programmes
Evaluation questions (end of year check), such as …
What amount of time and resource was invested? Were the resources adequate?
What was the nature of the engagement from communities, State agencies and civil society? What was the quality of projects; ownership of issues by participants, strengths of the strategies, resources allocated, outcomes reported?How well did the field teams perform? What was the quality of the community development process?
Were participants/stakeholders involved in designing the programme? If so, how?Were the participants representative by gender and age?How many organizations took part?Support from other stakeholders?
To what extent did human rights knowledge among the communities increase?To what extent did the human rights knowledge of other stakeholders increase?
How realistic are the community projects? Who was involved in developing them?How willing and able are police, military and other State agencies to apply human rights practices?
To what extent were the human rights issues identified by the communities addressed? How? To what extent did the police, military and other State agencies change their behaviour? How?
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Indicators, such as …
[No.] personnel and time Non-people costs Partners
[No.] of participants/stakeholders engaged Nature/quality of engagement Process and outcome reviews
No.] of participants Participant profile. [No.] and type of State agencies engaged
[No.] of indigenous peoples involved in human rights activity in the communityReported outcomes of projects Additional outcomes
Monitoring activity[No.] and diversity of participation; involvement of women and young peopleEvidence of local and central government initiatives
Examples of sustainable community-based project outcomes Examples of initiatives by police, military and other State-based duty bearers Evidence of local activism
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Appendix 2:Choosing an appropriate human rights education method
Method ActivityOther activities may be added to this list Comment
Information sharingPassing on human rights information
PublicationSpeech, Presentation, LectureWebsite, social mediaTelephone information lineMass media
Coverage Has the potential to reach limitless numbers.
Role of educator “Communicator”. Distils human rights information and distributes it in a way that it is most effectively received by the intended audience. Has little control over how others will respond to the information.
Time required Self-monitored. Is useful when participants don’t have much time or when they want to access the information in their own time.
Content/process Often relies on written or spoken word. Little opportunity for dialogue.
Outcomes sought People are given information about human rights.NHRIs are informed about human rights matters for the community/country.
TrainingImparting human rights skills and knowledge
WorkshopCoaching and supportTraining manualOnline course
Coverage Numbers per activity are usually small; between one and 20.
Role of educator “Trainer/teacher”. Is educator-centred with a heavy reliance on the educator, who develops appropriate methods, resources and experiences that most effectively teach participants.
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Method ActivityOther activities may be added to this list Comment
DemonstrationAudio visual resources
Time required Usually a fixed amount of time that is linked with the achievement of specific objectives and outcomes. The time required is specified in the activity outline.
Content/process Content focused. Covers human rights knowledge, skills and competencies.
Outcomes sought People are able to reiterate human rights information and demonstrate how to act in a human rights “manner”.
FacilitationStrengthening and supporting others to take action to improving human rights conditions
Working with a group of people to encourage them to identify their human rights concerns and finding ways to address those. There are many activities associated with this method, such as:
working with a group of young people seeking to build human rights awareness among other young people through an art exhibition, concert or DVD
supporting a community group to gauge the views of its members about housing issues through a street survey.
Coverage Numbers per activity are usually small but larger numbers can be managed depending on the strength and maturity of the group and the leaders within it.
Role of educator “Facilitator”. There is less reliance on the educator, whose role is to develop processes that enable participants to achieve their objectives using human rights principles.
Time required Ideally the time allowed is flexible and guided by the participants’ feedback that they have reached their objectives. It is more realistic, however, that a specific amount of time is available.
Content/process Process-focused, supported by human rights content.
Outcomes sought Participants can identify human rights issues that impact on them and on others and have the ability to address them.
Relationship managementWorking with others
Establish network/sNewsletterRoundtable
Coverage Has the potential to reach limitless numbers.
Role of educator “Networker”. A human rights matter has usually been identified and the educator brokers relationships and activities, forging networks
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Method ActivityOther activities may be added to this list Comment
toward shared human rights outcomes
Think-tankTask group
with those most able to act on the matter. The educator may also be required to be project manager.
Time required Various – not necessarily too time-intensive. It is usually the decision of the participants about how much time they wish to commit to the activity.
Content/process Usually single-issue content-focused, even if that issue is broad. It also involves a heavy reliance on effective engagement with people.
Outcomes sought Authentic and results-focused partnerships with people, groups or sectors most able to impact on an identified human rights matter/situation.
Advocacy for human rightsPromoting the role and value of human rights
Initiating a campaign Strengthening others to self-advocatePromoting the role and value of human rights
Coverage Could be one-on-one or involve limitless numbers.
Role of educator “Advocate”. The educator supports and promotes the rights of those most disadvantaged and supports others through education to take action in support of human rights goals. The educator may also be required to be project manager.
Time required Various – and could be time intensive. It is usually the decision of the participant/s about how much time they wish to commit to the activity and whether the goal has been reached.
Content/process Usually single-issue content-focused but requires effective processes.
Outcomes sought Structural and lasting changes that increase the power of those
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Method ActivityOther activities may be added to this list Comment
who are most disadvantaged.
Community developmentStrengthening communities to be the key actors in the human rights issues which affect their lives
Usually a project involving:
networking
outreach
advocacy
facilitation
capability and capacity development
Coverage Could be a small group or involve large numbers.
Role of educator Requires a multi-function role involving each of the other approaches: communicator, trainer/teacher, educator, networker and advocate. It also requires project management, resource management and leadership development.
Time required Often involves large amounts of time. It is usually the decision of the participant/s about how much time they wish to commit to the activity and whether the goal has been reached.
Content/process Process-focused and content-focused.
Outcomes sought A self-reliant and respectful community is established where individuals and groups are able to identify, examine, address and monitor local human rights abuses and to advocate for the realization of the community’s human rights priorities.
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Appendix 3:Logic Model checklist
Logic Model Yes No
SITUATION ANALYSIS: An assessment of a human rights situation that provides information for planning, carrying out and evaluating a human rights education activity
Do you know …
1 The human rights priorities in the situation?
2 The external factors that impact on the context?
3 The human rights issue or focus that is to be addressed by the activity?
4 Who the participants are (who will be involved in the activity)?
5 The characteristics of the participant group; roles, experiences, prior knowledge, potential barriers or constraints, and contributions?
6 The expectations, needs and strengths of the participant group?
7 The type of human rights activity that would be most relevant to the issue and the participants?
8 Who the stakeholders are (who has an interest in the human rights issue or focus)?
9 The expectations, needs and strengths of the stakeholder group?
10 The other actors? Who else is involved in addressing this human rights issue?
11 Who would be useful to engage as partners?
INPUT:The resources required to carry out and evaluate a human rights education activity
Have you identified the resources required?
12 People resources – who will be involved?
human rights educators?
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administrators?
communications people?
partners?
other experts?
other?
13 Financial resources
14 Support systems, including language interpreters
15 Research and information
16 Materials, equipment, technology and resources for disability accessibility
17 Time required and available
18 Environmental requirements; accessible venue, childcare, refreshments, work spaces, other
19 Communications resources
OUTPUT:The type of human rights education activity carried out and the participants and stakeholders involved
Does the activity design include …
20 SMART objectives?
Specific?
Measurable?
Achievable?
Relevant?
Time-bound?
21 Relevant content
22 Appropriate structure
23 Consideration of the venue/place/environment
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24 Plan of logistics
25 Plan for communications
26 Plan for monitoring and evaluation
27 Has the participant group been involved in planning and designing the activity?
28 Has the activity been focused on the needs and strengths of the participants?
OUTCOMES: The results sought from the human rights activity against which the activity will be monitored and evaluated
29 Are the outcomes SMART?
30 Do they use qualitative and quantitative indicators to measure their achievement?
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Appendix 4:Jakarta Guidelines for Human Rights Facilitation253
Preamble
In 2017, and as a result of feedback from its members, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) initiated a programme to establish the APF Facilitators Network (AFN). It was envisaged that the AFN would build facilitation capacity and capability within NHRIs and across the region.
As a first step, 20 NHRIs took part in a blended learning programme involving both online and face-to-face development. The programme aimed to:
build participants’ understanding and practice of facilitation as it related to adult-centred learning and human rights education, and
initiate a region-wide network of human rights facilitators.
The face-to-face workshop component of the programme was held in Jakarta in December 2017. At this workshop facilitators began to identify the elements of facilitation and to develop a set of guiding principles for effective human rights facilitation. This was the beginning of the Jakarta Guidelines for Human Rights Facilitation (the Guidelines).
Since this programme, facilitators have delivered initiatives in their own NHRIs and countries. Experiences and resources have been shared online in the APF Learning Community and at a face-to-face network meeting in Bangkok. The Guidelines have been further developed at the Bangkok meeting and through subsequent sub-regional contributions. They are a work in progress.
Defining human rights facilitation
Effective facilitation seeks to promote genuine and sustained transformation in the way people think, form opinions, make decisions and act. This process is most likely to occur when participants at the centre of the learning process.
Human rights facilitation therefore is a participant-centred practice that encourages an understanding of human rights norms, principles, values and mechanisms; develops attitudes and values that uphold human rights and encourages action toward human rights outcomes.
Purpose of human rights facilitation
The Paris Principles for National Human Rights Institutions254 establish that NHRIs must protect and promote human rights. As it relates to the promotion of human rights, NHRIs are responsible for:
informing and educating about human rights
253 Developed by the APF Facilitators’ Network and available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/jakarta-guidelines-human-rights-facilitators/.
254 Paris Principles are available on the APF website at www.asiapacificforum.net/support/paris-principles/ and video Understanding the Paris Principles at www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqZgDddNB-0&feature=youtu.be (0.54 – 1.04).
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fostering the development of values and attitudes which uphold human rights
encouraging action aimed at defending human rights from violation.
Paris Principles-compliant NHRIs play a critical role in promoting the effective implementation of human rights standards at national, regional, community, organisational and individual levels. They do this through the provision of human rights education activities.
The APF is aiming to increase the effectiveness of human rights education provision by strengthening the practice of facilitation in the region. The key focus is on ‘participant-centred’ human rights capacity development, rather than on ‘teacher/trainer-centred’ instruction on human rights.
The AFN supports NHRIs to develop confident and effective facilitation practitioners. It anticipates that effective facilitation will be transformative, resulting in participant engagement with, and commitment to, human rights principles and practices.
The purpose of human rights facilitation is to develop participants’:
understanding of human rights
ability to apply this understanding to their lives and experiences
ability to identify the human rights issues that impact on them and on others
ability and commitment to address these issues and progress the realisation of human rights.
Human rights facilitation is therefore both an obligation on NHRIs and good practice.
Guiding principles for human rights facilitation
The practice of human rights facilitation is consistent with, and guided by, human rights and adult-education principles. As a result, the activity of human rights facilitation focuses on strengthening respect for the human rights and dignity of participants and enabling their full and active participation in the learning process.
For human rights education to work toward freedom, justice and peace, it must challenge the conditions that allow and perpetuate violations of human rights. If human rights education is to be transformative across all sectors and levels of society, the act of facilitating human rights education must also be transformative.
Human rights facilitation will:
demonstrate human rights principles of equality, human dignity, inclusion and non-discrimination
prioritise the specific challenges and barriers faced by, and the needs and expectations of, people who experience human rights violations because of the situations they live in or how they identify
support those most disadvantaged to use human rights to take action, and those in power to respect, promote and fulfil the rights of others.
encourage attitudinal and behavioural change toward human rights outcomes
be enriched by the diversity of participants
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acknowledge lived experience through a human rights viewpoint
take into account wider national and international human rights circumstances, while promoting local initiatives.
The human rights facilitator will:
use participatory methods, processes, tools and techniques throughout the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a human rights activity / programme
encourage active participant engagement in the learning process
be participant-centred
act as a supporter of learning and as a co-learner, rather than a transmitter of knowledge, by encouraging, advocating, listening, discussing, enabling, and ensuring respectful learning environments
apply a gender lens and ensure gender equality across all processes of the human rights activity / programme
manage differing viewpoints by working toward shared human rights outcomes
ensure relevance to the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual and cultural contexts of participants
be innovative and adaptable to a wide range of environments
encourage critical thinking and problem solving
create a respectful and effective learning environment where human rights are demonstrated
promote communication and dialogue among participants.
Refer to Appendix 5: AFN Human Rights Facilitator Competency Framework for a breakdown of facilitator abilities.
The Learning Pyramid below demonstrates that learning is accomplished through facilitated group dialogue, advocating open-minded appreciation and inclusion of differences. It also shows that learning by experience, rather than by absorbing information, such as listening to a lecture or reading resource material, is the most ideal approach for changing behaviours.255
Linked to the model is a continuum of outcomes that are the result of three models of education and training.256
Transmission (or ‘banking ‘approach) – information is passed on.
Generation – new ideas have been developed.
Transformation – situations have been changed.
The model encourages the human rights facilitator to use approaches that are experiential and participatory in order to achieve transformative and sustainable outcomes.
255 Informed by the ‘10-20-70’ model.256 Joan Wink (theory), Dayna Watland (artist) www.joanwink.com/critical-pedagogy-3rd-edition/critical-pedagogy-3rd-edition-
practicing-pedagogy-patiently/.
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Human rights facilitation is aimed at:
Everyone – all levels, sectors, groups, roles, positions in society.
Rights holders – those most vulnerable to human rights violations.
Duty bearers – those most able to defend to violate human rights.
Influencers – those most able to influences others’ opinions and actions.
Potentially everyone is a rights holder, a duty bearer and an influencer. In a particular context however, there is usually a set of dynamics that will identify the specific position that each person or group occupies. (refer Chapter 2, Section 2.3 for more detail)
These factors, as well as others such as identity and context, will influence how facilitators decide the approach/es they will use in their practice.
The Learning Pyramid
Gender and human rights facilitation
Gender equality and gender mainstreaming is a priority for the APF membership, recognising that gender equality is vital in achieving substantive equality for all.
Considering that women and girls have historically been discriminated against owing to patriarchal norms and power structures, gender mainstreaming practices have a strong focus on advancing gender equality between women/girls and men/boys, including cis and trans gender.
Gender mainstreaming also includes working toward equality for gender diverse people, those who identify as neither female nor male but a third or alternative gender, or a combination of genders, or no gender.
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10%: Lecture or reading
20%: Mentoring and coaching
70%: Experiential and participatory learning
Transmission
Generation
Transformation
Participatory
Passive
Applying a gender-neutral approach that does not make explicit the distinct and differential situation of women and girls or the specific inequalities arising across genders, prevents the visibility of issues for women and girls and diverse gender identities.
If women, girls and gender diverse identities are not actively included, they may be unintentionally excluded in human rights facilitation practices. This means that achieving substantive gender equality when facilitating a human rights activity goes beyond balancing the number of male and female participants, to applying a gender lens to all stages of the activity.257
A facilitator will consider the following when applying a gender lens to the facilitation of a human rights activity:
developing a gender strategy
involving diverse genders in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of an activity
ensuring a gender balance among facilitators
using inclusive facilitation practices
creating gender safe, respectful, non discriminating and inclusive environments
recognising the gender implications across intersecting and diverse identities including race, disability, age, socio economic status/class, caste, indigeneity, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, rurality, migrant and refugee status
ensuring participation of all genders through relevant methods and approaches
recognising that gender equality does not mean treating people the same – women/girls, people of diverse gender identities may need more support than others to achieve equality. Special measures may need to be taken to achieve this.
(Refer to Chapter 9: Human rights education and gender for more detail)
Working with diverse groups (such as religious or indigenous groups)
When working with diverse groups facilitating a human rights activity, you might consider;
Identifying local influencers (leaders, doctors, teachers etc.) and involving them in the activity so that they can be part of the process;
– consult them on the planning stage
– invite them to contribute to reaching the outcomes of the activity
– invite them to participate/host or support the activity
Give participants a safe space to have their voice
Acknowledge the importance of the activity with a formal open or closing or acknowledgement of space or land
Avoid using ‘loaded terms’ or names that have a significant negative meaning
257 For more information, please see the APF Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines for Trainers and Developers. Available at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/apf-gender-mainstreaming-guidelines-trainers/.
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Do some research to better understand:
– history
– current political climate
– their context.
Meet them in their space, in their terms while building relationships
Ensure equal participation by diversifying your tools and methods. For example, having multiple ways of presenting ideas, videos, infographics, readings, provide materials in different formats i.e. visually impaired
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Appendix 5:AFN Human Rights Facilitator Competency Framework258
Being an effective human rights facilitator involves having the appropriate knowledge, skills and personal attributes to effectively plan, deliver, monitor and evaluate an education activity. The following table identifies the core competencies required for an effective facilitator and the performance indicators that demonstrate achievement of the competencies.
The AFN Human Rights Facilitator Competency Framework has been developed by the AFN facilitators and will continue to evolve as it is implemented, monitored and evaluated.
Competency Performance Indicators
1.0Knowledge competencies – what the facilitator needs to know about
1.1Knowledge of human rights
Applies an in-depth knowledge and understanding of:
human rights in general and issues specific to the country, the Asia Pacific region and its sub-regions
international and domestic human rights frameworks and legislation
the role of a national human rights institution (NHRI)
priorities and strategic direction of their own NHRI
mechanisms for addressing human rights grievances.
1.1Knowledge of facilitation
Understands the theories and principles of facilitation in general, and human rights facilitation specifically and applies appropriately to facilitation processes including:
planning
implementation and monitoring
monitoring and evaluation.
Knows about a variety of facilitation methodologies, processes and tools and can apply these appropriately to diverse environments.
2.0Technical and professional practice competencies – what the facilitator needs to be able to do
Planning and designing an activity/programme
2.1Undertake a situation analysis
Gathers information about the situation:
the human rights issue or focus to be addressed and its context
258 Available online at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/competency-framework-human-rights-facilitators/.
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Competency Performance Indicators
gender considerations that may impact participants, stakeholders and the activity
the factors that impact on the context
characteristics of the participants – roles, experiences, identities, values, culture, specific language, prior knowledge, barriers, constraints and contributions
the needs, strengths and expectations of the participants
the needs, expectations and contributions of any stakeholder/s (including the NHRI).
2.2Develop outcomes and indicators
Uses the information gathered during the situation analysis to identify the outcomes anticipated from the facilitation that are:
Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-bound Accountable.
Develops simple and tangible measures/indicators that give information about how well the activity is progressing toward its outcomes.
Facilitates outcome and indicator development collaboratively, where appropriate, with participants and stakeholders.
2.3Identify and manage resources (inputs)
Identifies, coordinate and effectively manage the personnel, financial, and other resources required to achieve the outcome(s).
2.4Design and plan an activity/programme (output)
Plans a programme taking into consideration the participants (and stakeholders) who will be involved:
content structure timing environmental considerations logistics a documentation, communication and reporting a monitoring and evaluation
Designs appropriate methods, techniques and tools that are participant-centred and that aim to reach the outcomes.
Facilitating an activity/programme
2.5Facilitate a participant-centred
Facilitates a human rights activity or programme that:
involves participatory methods, processes, tools and techniques
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Competency Performance Indicators
human rights activity/programme and encourages active participant engagement in the learning
process
is relevant to the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual and cultural contexts of participants
2.6Use effective facilitation skills
Demonstrates the following facilitation skills:
creates and sustains a respectful, inclusive and participatory learning environment where human rights are demonstrated
manages differing viewpoints by working toward shared human rights outcomes
guides participants to appropriate and useful outcomes
adapts to changing situations and dynamics
encourages, advocates, listens, discusses and enables
is innovative and adaptable to a wide range of environments
encourages critical thinking and problem solving
uses effective and inclusive communication skills
is aware of and effectively manages overt and underlying group dynamics including conflict
is aware of facial expressions, voice and other non-verbal signals
ensures accessibility – language, information, venue, resources
2.7Facilitate tools and techniques
Understands the sequencing of an activity and can effectively facilitate a range of facilitation tools and techniques that:
recognise diverse learning styles
are appropriate for the context
will lead to the achievement of the outcomes.
2.8Promote gender equality
Applies a gender lens to the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the human rights activity.259
2.9Cultural competency
Acknowledges the diverse individual, country and region-specific cultural backgrounds, values, beliefs and identities of participants and their contexts, and is able to facilitate an activity accordingly.
2.10Relationship management
Enhances participant engagement and creates positive relationships by:
approaching relationships in a genuine and sincere manner
being attuned to the needs and emotions of themselves and others
supporting participants to set achievable and appropriate goals
259 Refer to NHRI Guidelines for Mainstreaming the Human Rights of Women and Girls into Our Everyday Work available at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/nhri-guidelines-mainstreaming-rights-women/.
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Competency Performance Indicators
acting as a coach/mentor to bring best qualities from participants.
Monitoring and evaluating an activity/programme
2.11Monitor and review progress toward outcomes
Monitors the progress of the activity / programme to ensure that progress is being made toward achieving the outcomes on time and within allocated budget by:
keeping track of how activities are progressing
identifying potential problems
taking action if necessary.
2.12Evaluate outcomes
Facilitates an assessment of the results of an activity to find out how well the related outcomes have been achieved:
What worked well and why
What didn’t work well and why
What was learned that could be useful for further facilitated activities.
3.0Personal competencies – the personal traits that the facilitator brings to their work
3.1Reflective practice
Regularly reflects on facilitation practice and looks for ways to improve performance.
3.2Self-awareness and respect
Recognises personal culture, values, beliefs, viewpoints and biases and the impact that this may have on their facilitation.
3.3Ability to listen
Senses the feelings of individuals and the group through effective listening; to the explicit meaning of words as well as tone, implicit meaning and body language.
3.4Confidence
Has confidence in their role and ability and able to receive constructive criticism.
3.5Motivation
Is motivated to promote and defend human rights, locally and globally.
3.6Sense of humour
Is able to laugh and share the laughter of others to enhance the facilitation experience.
3.7Self-care
Monitors the potential for ‘burn-out’ and ensures adequate self-care.
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Appendix 6:Four categories of learning experiences or styles260
Doer
Likes to be actively involved in the learning process, wants to know how they will apply learning in the real world, likes information presented clearly and concisely.
Feeler
People-oriented, expressive, focuses on feelings and emotions, thrives in open, unstructured learning environment.
Thinker
Relies on logic and reason, likes to share ideas and concepts, analyses and evaluates, enjoys independent work.
Observer
Likes to watch and listen, tends to be reserved, will take her or his time before participating, thrives on learning through discovery.
Training methods and learning styles
260 Adapted from The Trainer’s Handbook; Karen Lawson; 1998.
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Appendix 7:Four types of thinking styles261
Concrete Sequential
Concrete Random
CONCRETE SEQUENTIALSequential Abstract
RANDOM ABSTRACT
Random Abstract
Concrete Sequential thinker
Based in reality Physical sense of sight, touch, sound, taste & smell Notices details, remembers facts Hands-on approach to learning Builds on organizational strengths.
Concrete Random thinker
Experimenters, divergent thinkers Willing to take a “trial and error” approach Strong need to do things in own way
261 Developed by Anthony Gregorc and Kathleen Butler. More information is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Gregorc.
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Learns through problem solving Sets deadlines for self.
Abstract Random thinker
Uses feelings and emotions Absorbs ideas, information and impressions and organizes them through reflection Learns best when information is personalized Ability to work with others Uses lots of visual clues.
Abstract Sequential thinker
Thinks in concepts, likes to analyse information Make great philosophers and research scientists Can focus in on key points easily Learns best alone Learns best with processes that are logical, rational and intellectual.
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Appendix 8:Self-evaluation, peer evaluation and external evaluation
Type Description Advantages Disadvantages
Self-evaluation
Involves a human rights educator, a group of educators or the NHRI as a whole reviewing itself and its own human rights education performance
Could involve an internal or external facilitator262
Educator/s or the NHRI are active participants in the evaluation process
Commitment to monitoring and evaluation outcomes and motivation to address them can be increased
Can be more deeply informed by insider experience
Can be less resource intensive
May be carried out in an ongoing way over a period of time, facilitating immediate adjustment
Builds reflective practice
Can be difficult to see the whole situation clearly because of close involvement
There is a potential for subjectivity.
The validity of the monitoring and evaluation findings may not be highly regarded by external stakeholders, including funders
Peer evaluation
Conducted by other human rights educators (or if the organization as a whole is evaluating its performance, another NHRI or regional coordinating body)
Evaluation is undertaken by those who have an existing understanding of the context
Peers have the ability to propose good practice during the course of the monitoring and evaluation
Both the educator and the peer reviewer may gain insights from the monitoring and evaluation process
Relationships among peers may affect the process and outcomes
The validity of the monitoring and evaluation findings may not be highly regarded by external stakeholders, including funders
262 An external facilitator in this instance does not carry out the evaluation themselves but rather implements the process whereby an internal evaluation can occur.
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Type Description Advantages Disadvantages
External evaluation
Conducted by a person or a team outside of the activity context
External evaluator/s will often use information collected during self-evaluation and peer evaluation processes, and supplement this with information they gather
Provides a degree of objectivity
May bring new insights and perspectives
Triangulates the information gathered through self-evaluation and peer evaluation
Sometimes more trusted by external stakeholders, including funders.
The information may not be as accurate or as informed as that developed by “insiders”
Can be expensive
Tends to give a “snapshot” of a particular time
May not have adequate understanding of the context
May encourage less engagement and therefore less ownership by those involved in the activity
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Appendix 9:Guide questions for evaluating whether an activity meets human rights education principles
Principles Evaluation process questions[These questions can be used for formative or summative evaluation]
Principle 1:Relevant to participantsHuman rights education is participant-centred and relevant
1. Does/did the activity focus on the participants’ issues and priorities?
2. Is/was it implemented in such a way that it took into account such things as participants’ diverse physical needs, styles of learning and timeframes?
3. Has the background of the participants been taken into account?
Principle 2: Collaborative Human rights education is enhanced by partnerships and collaborations
1. Does/did participants and other stakeholders have an opportunity to contribute to the implementation of the activity?
2. Are/were the participants treated as partners?
Principle 3: Participatory Human rights education acknowledges participants as educators
1. Does/did the activity draw out and share participants’ experiences?
2. Does/did it maximize and respect the contribution of participants?
3. Are/were participants actively engaged in learning and knowledge development?
4. As human rights educator, are/were you part of the education experience, rather than the source of it?
Principle 4: Probing Human rights education deepens knowledge and experience
Does/did the activity encourage participants to:
1. Critique their knowledge and experience?
2. Compare it with others’ experiences and other knowledge sources and integrate the outcomes?
3. Explore relationships of cause and effect?
4. Discover more about their own experiences and deepen their understandings?
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Principle 5:Thoughtful action Human rights education recognizes that societal change comes from informed action
Does/did the activity:
1. Include time and processes for critical reflection?
2. Encourage critical thinking and problem solving?
3. Uphold human rights standards and principles in its implementation?
Principle 6: Empowering Human rights educationis transformative
1. Does/did the activity involve methods, tools and processes that encouraged participants to:
Become familiar with human rights?
Identify those human rights that impact on them or for which they have a responsibility?
Analyse their situations through a human rights lens?
Develop strategies to act on these?
2. Will the activity benefit those most marginalized or most vulnerable to human rights abuses?
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Appendix 10:UNICEF framework for the development of rights-respecting schools
Aspect 1:Leadership and Management: Embedding the values of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the life of the school
The school’s provision? Validation/evidence required?
1. A rights-respecting school has the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) at the heart of the core values of a school.
2. The processes of developing as a rights-respecting school:
(a) informs the school’s arrangements for planning, development and review
(b) prepares the school community to recognize the universality of children’s rights and to support the rights of others, locally and globally
(c) ensures the school has strong arrangements for protecting pupils from all forms of abuse and harassment.
The school leadership team has measures in place to ensure the values of the CRC are integrated into its policies as they are reviewed at all levels.
The school has a process of evaluating and sustaining its culture, which is open, transparent and rights-respecting. Students contribute to this process.
Teachers have opportunities to improve their knowledge and understanding of local and global issues and how they relate to children and human rights.
1. Students report that there is a culture of mutual respect for the rights of others, evident in all levels of school relationships.
2. Students are empowered to work for change, aware of how the CRC is a major instrument for improvements in children’s lives worldwide.
3. The school’s physical environment is a feature of its rights-respecting ethos.
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Aspect 2:Teachers, other adults and students know and understand the CRC and its relevance to the school ethos and curriculum
The school’s provision? Validation/evidence required?
1. There is a broad understanding by the whole school community (including parents and carers) of the CRC and why the school is implementing it.
2. The curriculum provides regular opportunities for students to develop their knowledge and understanding of the CRC in four contexts, with respect to each child’s ability. These contexts are:
(a) respecting each other’s rights in everyday life
(b) working for global justice
(c) valuing diversity
(d) environmental sustainability.
1. Parents and community demonstrate awareness of article 42 – knowledge and some understanding of the content of the CRC – and its relevance to the whole school community, the country and globally.
2. The school is maximizing opportunities for cross-curricular consolidation to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the CRC.
3. Students are involved in the ongoing promotion of respect for children’s rights, both locally and globally.
4. All students are knowledgeable of the content of the CRC and its relevance to themselves, the school and the wider world (appropriate to age and ability).
5. Students can point to rights principles and their relevance in different curriculum subjects/areas and across the school.
6. Provisions of article 29 are reflected in the school’s curriculum, development plan, policies and vision statements.
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Aspect 3:Teaching and learning in rights-respecting classrooms
The school’s provision? Validation/evidence required?
The values of the CRC are reflected in the following aspects of the classroom experience:
systematic opportunities are provided for children to participate in decisions which affect them
children can freely think about and express their views
there is a classroom climate which allows for different perspectives and views; opinions can be expressed without loss of dignity
there is fair and equitable treatment for all
children learn how to be active contributors to their class, community and society.
1. All teaching staff recognize the importance of modelling rights and undertake a rights-respecting approach in their classrooms.
2. All teaching staff use a wide range of teaching and learning methods, with high levels of participatory teaching and opportunities for student interaction.
3. All teaching staff give students opportunities to make choices in their learning, within the framework of the required curriculum, so curriculum requirements and students’ interests and concerns are met.
4. Students have opportunities to give constructive feedback to their teachers.
5. All teachers include aspects of the global dimension in their lessons, as appropriate, and with a children’s rights dimension. This is reflected in the schemes of work.
6. Students are using a rights-respecting approach to resolve conflict.
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Aspect 4:Students actively participate in decision-making throughout the school
The school’s provision? Validation/evidence required?
1. There are effective and inclusive arrangements in the school community for students to actively participate in decision-making.
2. The school ensures that pupils have the information they need to make informed decisions (articles 13 and 17).
3. The school community makes provision for students to support the rights of others, locally, nationally and globally.
4. All members if the school community understand their responsibility to listen to students.
1. The school has systems and procedures that effectively engage students in the democratic running of the school (articles 12 and 13).
2. Students participate in wider initiatives, local, national and global.
3. Students have frequent opportunities to feed opinions and suggestions to the school’s governing body.
4. Students participate in the staff recruitment process.
5. An elected School Council/Union has a responsibility to function as ambassadors for the CRC within the school.
6. The school’s physical environment is a feature of its rights-respecting ethos.
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Appendix 11:“4-A” framework for education and international human rights instruments
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1978 (ICESCR)
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, 1972 (CERD)
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1985 (CEDAW)
Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1993 (CRC)
Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons, 2007 (CRDP)
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2006 (UNDRIP)
“4-A” framework International human rights instruments
Availability ICESCR: articles 13, 14 CRC: article 28(1a) and 28(1b) CRDP: article 4UNDRIP: articles 1 and 14
Accessibility ICESCR: articles 13-14 CRC: article 23(1); 28(1a), 28(1b)CEDAW: article 10(d)CERD: articles 5(e), 5(v) and 7CRDP: article 4UNDRIP: articles 1 and 14
Acceptability ICESCR: article 13(1) CRC: articles 23(1), 29(1a), and 29(1c)CERD: articles 5(e), 5(v) and 7 CRDP: article 4 UNDRIP: articles 1, 14 and 15
Adaptability ICESCR: article 13(1) CRC: articles 23(1) and 29(1a)CERD: articles 5(e), 5(v) and 7 CRDP: article 4UNDRIP: articles 1, 14, 21 and 44
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Appendix 12:United Nations Declaration onHuman Rights Education and Training
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly66/137 of 19 December 2011
The General Assembly,
Welcoming the adoption by the Human Rights Council, in its resolution 16/1 of 23 March 2011,263 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training,
1. Adopts the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training annexed to the present resolution;
2. Invites Governments, agencies and organizations of the United Nations system, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to intensify their efforts to disseminate the Declaration and to promote universal respect and understanding thereof, and requests the Secretary-General to include the text of the Declaration in the next edition of Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments.
AnnexUnited Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations with regard to the promotion and encouragement of respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Reaffirming also that every individual and every organ of society shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Reaffirming further that everyone has the right to education, and that education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity, enable all persons to participate effectively in a free society and promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious groups, and further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace, security and the promotion of development and human rights,
Reaffirming that States are duty-bound, as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,264 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights265 and in other human rights instruments, to ensure that education is aimed at strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
263 See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/66/53), chap. I.264 Resolution 217 A (III).265 See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
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Acknowledging the fundamental importance of human rights education and training in contributing to the promotion, protection and effective realization of all human rights,
Reaffirming the call of the World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna in 1993, on all States and institutions to include human rights, humanitarian law, democracy and rule of law in the curricula of all learning institutions, and its statement that human rights education should include peace, democracy, development and social justice, as set forth in international and regional human rights instruments, in order to achieve common understanding and awareness with a view to strengthening universal commitment to human rights,266
Recalling the 2005 World Summit Outcome, in which Heads of State and Government supported the promotion of human rights education and learning at all levels, including through the implementation of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, and encouraged all States to develop initiatives in that regard,267
Motivated by the desire to send a strong signal to the international community to strengthen all efforts in human rights education and training through a collective commitment by all stakeholders,
Declares the following:
Article 1
1. Everyone has the right to know, seek and receive information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms and should have access to human rights education and training.
2. Human rights education and training is essential for the promotion of universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, in accordance with the principles of the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights.
3. The effective enjoyment of all human rights, in particular the right to education and access to information, enables access to human rights education and training.
Article 2
1. Human rights education and training comprises all educational, training, information, awareness-raising and learning activities aimed at promoting universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and thus contributing, inter alia, to the prevention of human rights violations and abuses by providing persons with knowledge, skills and understanding and developing their attitudes and behaviours, to empower them to contribute to the building and promotion of a universal culture of human rights.
2. Human rights education and training encompasses:
(a) Education about human rights, which includes providing knowledge and understanding of human rights norms and principles, the values that underpin them and the mechanisms for their protection;
(b) Education through human rights, which includes learning and teaching in a way that respects the rights of both educators and learners;
266 See A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. III, sect. II.D, paras. 79 and 80.267 See resolution 60/1, para. 131.
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(c) Education for human rights, which includes empowering persons to enjoy and exercise their rights and to respect and uphold the rights of others.
Article 3
1. Human rights education and training is a lifelong process that concerns all ages.
2. Human rights education and training concerns all parts of society, at all levels, including preschool, primary, secondary and higher education, taking into account academic freedom where applicable, and all forms of education, training and learning, whether in a public or private, formal, informal or non-formal setting. It includes, inter alia, vocational training, particularly the training of trainers, teachers and State officials, continuing education, popular education, and public information and awareness activities.
3. Human rights education and training should use languages and methods suited to priority groups, taking into account their specific needs and conditions.
Article 4
Human rights education and training should be based on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant treaties and instruments, with a view to:
(a) Raising awareness, understanding and acceptance of universal human rights standards and principles, as well as guarantees at the international, regional and national levels for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
(b) Developing a universal culture of human rights, in which everyone is aware of their own rights and responsibilities in respect of the rights of others, and promoting the development of the individual as a responsible member of a free, peaceful, pluralist and inclusive society;
(c) Pursuing the effective realization of all human rights and promoting tolerance, non-discrimination and equality;
(d) Ensuring equal opportunities for all through access to quality human rights education and training, without any discrimination;
(e) Contributing to the prevention of human rights violations and abuses and to the combating and eradication of all forms of discrimination, racism, stereotyping and incitement to hatred, and the harmful attitudes and prejudices that underlie them.
Article 5
1. Human rights education and training, whether provided by public or private actors, should be based on the principles of equality, particularly between girls and boys and between women and men, human dignity, inclusion and non-discrimination.
2. Human rights education and training should be accessible and available to all persons and should take into account the particular challenges and barriers faced by, and the needs and expectations of, persons in vulnerable and disadvantaged situations and groups, including persons with disabilities, in order to promote empowerment and human development and to contribute to the elimination of the causes of exclusion or marginalization, as well as enable everyone to exercise all their rights.
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3. Human rights education and training should embrace and enrich, as well as draw inspiration from, the diversity of civilizations, religions, cultures and traditions of different countries, as it is reflected in the universality of human rights.
4. Human rights education and training should take into account different economic, social and cultural circumstances, while promoting local initiatives in order to encourage ownership of the common goal of the fulfilment of all human rights for all.
Article 6
1. Human rights education and training should capitalize on and make use of new information and communication technologies, as well as the media, to promote all human rights and fundamental freedoms.
2. The arts should be encouraged as a means of training and raising awareness in the field of human rights.
Article 7
1. States, and where applicable relevant governmental authorities, have the primary responsibility to promote and ensure human rights education and training, developed and implemented in a spirit of participation, inclusion and responsibility.
2. States should create a safe and enabling environment for the engagement of civil society, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders in human rights education and training, in which the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, including of those engaged in the process, are fully protected.
3. States should take steps, individually and through international assistance and cooperation, to ensure, to the maximum of their available resources, the progressive implementation of human rights education and training by appropriate means, including the adoption of legislative and administrative measures and policies.
4. States, and where applicable relevant governmental authorities, should ensure adequate training in human rights and, where appropriate, international humanitarian law and international criminal law, of State officials, civil servants, judges, law enforcement officials and military personnel, as well as promote adequate training in human rights for teachers, trainers and other educators and private personnel acting on behalf of the State.
Article 8
1. States should develop, or promote the development of, at the appropriate level, strategies and policies and, where appropriate, action plans and programmes to implement human rights education and training, such as through its integration into school and training curricula. In so doing, they should take into account the World Programme for Human Rights Education and specific national and local needs and priorities.
2. The conception, implementation and evaluation of and follow-up to such strategies, action plans, policies and programmes should involve all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society and national human rights institutions, by promoting, where appropriate, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
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Article 9
States should promote the establishment, development and strengthening of effective and independent national human rights institutions, in compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (“the Paris Principles”),268 recognizing that national human rights institutions can play an important role, including, where necessary, a coordinating role, in promoting human rights education and training by, inter alia, raising awareness and mobilizing relevant public and private actors.
Article 10
1. Various actors within society, including, inter alia, educational institutions, the media, families, local communities, civil society institutions, including non-governmental organizations, human rights defenders and the private sector, have an important role to play in promoting and providing human rights education and training.
2. Civil society institutions, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders are encouraged to ensure adequate human rights education and training for their staff and personnel.
Article 11
The United Nations and international and regional organizations should provide human rights education and training for their civilian personnel and for military and police personnel serving under their mandates.
Article 12
1. International cooperation at all levels should support and reinforce national efforts, including, where applicable, at the local level, to implement human rights education and training.
2. Complementary and coordinated efforts at the international, regional, national and local levels can contribute to more effective implementation of human rights education and training.
3. Voluntary funding for projects and initiatives in the field of human rights education and training should be encouraged.
Article 13
1. International and regional human rights mechanisms should, within their respective mandates, take into account human rights education and training in their work.
2. States are encouraged to include, where appropriate, information on the measures that they have adopted in the field of human rights education and training in their reports to relevant human rights mechanisms.
268 Resolution 48/134, annex.
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Article 14
States should take appropriate measures to ensure the effective implementation of and follow-up to the present Declaration and make the necessary resources available in this regard.
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