Introduction to Human Rights and Human Rights Education

1
Introduction to Human Rights and Human Rights
Education

• BRINGING HUMAN RIGHTS HOME

2
FRAMING OUR HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS

• What are the historic and philosophical
  foundations for human rights?
• What are the underlying principles of the
  Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
• How does the Universal Declaration of Human
  Rights and our stories connect to Human Rights
  Education?

3
How do we tell our story of the evolution of
human rights and human rights education?
4
OUR PAST STORIES
We must recognize our ancestors and elders, whose
shoulders we are standing upon!
5
Philosophical Visions Human Nature - A search
for Common secular inquiry and human reason

• 400 B.C.E. est. - Mo Zi founded Mohist School of
  Moral Philosophy in China
• Importance of duty, self-sacrifice, and an
  all-embracing respect for others universally
  throughout the world
• 300 B.C.E. est. Chinese sage Mencious
• Wrote on the human nature humans are
  fundamentally good, but goodness needs to be
  nurtured
• 300 B.C.E. est. Hsun-tzu
• Asserted to relieve anxiety and eradicate
  strife, nothing is a effective as the institution
  of corporate life based on a clear recognition of
  individual rights

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Philosophical Visions Human Nature

• 1750 B.C.E. King Hammurabi in Babylon
• Necessary to honor broad codes of justice among
  people. Created one of the earliest legal codes
  to govern behavior let the oppressed man come
  under my statue to seek equal justice in law
• Ancient Egypt
• Explicit social justice comfort the
  afflictedrefrain from unjust punishment. Kill
  notmake no distinction between the son of a man
  of importance and one of humble origin
• Early Sanskrit writings in Indian
• Responsibility of rulers for the welfare of
  people. Noone should be allowed to suffer
  either because of poverty or of any deliberate
  actions on the part of others

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Philosophical Visions Human Nature with
Spiritual/Religious Traditions

• 300 B.C.E. Ashoka of India
• Freedom of worship and other rights of his
  subjects. Other leaders from this area impartial
  justice and social equality and no castes should
  exist since all are from one tree
• 16th century - Hindu philosopher Chaitanya
• There is only one caste humanity
• Sikh leader Guru Gobind Singh
• Proclaimed recognize all the human race as one
• 10th Century - Al-Farabi, an Islamic Philosopher
• Wrote The Outlook of the People of the City of
  Virtue, a vision of moral society in which all
  individual were endowed with rights and lived in
  love and charity with their neighbors.

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Philosophical Visions Natural Law focused on
universal responsibilities and duties rather than
what are now described as rights

• Greek Philosophers
• Equal respect for all citizens (insotimia).
  Equality before the law (isonomia). Equality in
  political power (isokratia) and Suffrage
  (isopsephia).
• Marcus Tillius Cicero
• Universal justice and law guided human nature
  to act justly and be of service to others This
  natural law binds all human society together,
  applies to every member of the whole human race
  without distinction and unique dignity of each
  person.
• French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1762)
  Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains

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Precursors to 20th Century Human Rights Documents

• 1750 B.C.E.
• Code of Hammurabi, Babylonia
• 1200 - 300 B.C.E.
• Old Testament
• 551 - 479 B.C.E.
• Analects of Confucius
• 40 - 100 C.E.
• New Testament
• 644 - 656 C.E.
• Koran
• 1215
• Magna Carta, England
• 1400
• Code of Nezahualcoyotl, Aztec

• 1648
• Treaty of Westphalia, Europe
• 1689
• English Bill of Rights, England
• 1776
• Declaration of Independence, United States
• 1787
• United States Constitution
• 1789
• French Declaration on the Rights of Man and the
  Citizen, France 1791 -United States Bill of Rights

10
19th and 20th Century Human Rights based on
Natural Rights

• 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, United States
• 1864 1949 Geneva Conventions, International
  Red Cross
• 1919 League of Nations Covenant, International
  Labor Organization (ILO) Created
• 1920 Women gain the right to vote in the U.S.
• 1926 Slavery Convention
• 1945 United Nations Charter, San Francisco
• 1947 Mohandas Gandhi uses non-violent protests
  leading India to independence.

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Philosophical Visions Human Rights the Social
Construction of Human Nature

• A Moral Vision of Human Nature
• Human Rights set the limits and requirements of
  social (especially state) action. But the state
  and society, guided by human rights, play a major
  role in realizing that nature. When human
  rights claims bring legal and political practice
  into lines with their demands, they create a
  person in line with a moral vision. (Donnelly,
  2003)
• Human Rights Theories and documents point
  beyond actual conditions of existence to what is
  possible.
• Treat a person like a human being and youll
  get a human being.

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What are the Human Rights Principles?

• Core Principles
• Human Dignity
• Equality
• Non-discrimination
• Universality
• Interdependency
• Indivisibility
• Inalienability
• Responsibilities

• The rights that someone has simply because he or
  she is a human being born into this world.

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What are the Common Myths about Human Rights in
U.S.?

• Human Rights civil rights.
• Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (i.e.,
  healthcare, housing) are privileges.
• Human Rights applies only in poor, foreign
  countries.
• Human Rights are only concerned with violations.
• Only lawyers can understand the significance of
  Human Rights.

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Five Primary Categories of Human Rights

• Civil Rights
• Political Rights
• Economic Rights
• Social Rights
• Cultural Rights

15
Universal of Declaration of Human Rights History
and Current Status
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
was drafted by the UN Commission on Human Rights
chaired by, then first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.
The UDHR was adopted by the 56 member nations of
the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948.
December 10th is celebrated around the world as
International Human Rights Day. The 192 member
states in the U.N., upon membership, agreed to
educate their citizens about the principles of
the UDHR. Most of these countries have
incorporated the principles of the UDHR into
their constitutions. The UDHR specifies minimal
conditions of a dignified life.
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Human Rights USA 1997 Survey Results

• Only 8 of adults and 4 of young people are
  aware the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  exists.
• After learning about the UDHR, a large majority,
  83, feel that the US should do more to live up
  to the principles of the UDHR.
• 2/3 of the people polled (63) say that the poor
  are usually discriminated against in US. Others
  discriminated against the disabled (61), the
  elderly (54), gays and lesbians (51), Native
  Americans (50), and African Americans (41).

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International Bill of Human Rights
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Selected Human Rights Conventions/Treaties

• International Convention on the Elimination of
  all forms of Racial Discrimination, 1966
• Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
  Discrimination against Women, 1979
• Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989

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• How do we move from learning about Human Rights
  to promoting and protecting them on a personal
  and community level?

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OUR PRESENT STORIES
We must share, listen, and respect each others
stories and journeys, working for human rights
and human rights education!
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Personal and Community Human Rights Learning
Wheel KRP - 1999
22
Building Blocks for Human Rights Education

• BLOCK 1 THINKING
• Know your human rights
• BLOCK 2 FEELING
• Value your human rights
• BLOCK 3 - EQUIPPING
• Learn new human rights Skills
• BLOCK 4 ACTING
• Practice human rights

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Measuring the Impact and Being Accountable

• STEP 1 MEASURING IMPACT
• What are initial outcomes?
• STEP 2 REFLECTING
• Was our intent the impact?
• STEP 3 COMMUNICATE OUR LEARNING JOURNEYS
• Can we connect and hold each other accountable?
• STEP 4 CELEBRATE OUR EMERGING PRACTICES
• Can our work be a means rather than an end?

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Who are the Stakeholders and Responsible
Partners in our Human Rights Community?
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How will we gauge the Progress in Realizing our
Human Rights Community?
26
What is Human Rights Education?
27
1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action,
Part 1, para. 33
The World Conference on Human Rights reaffirms
that States are duty-boundto ensure that
education is aimed at strengthening the respect
of human rights and fundamental freedoms and
that this should be integrated in the
educational policies at the national as well as
international levels.
28
The UN resolution declaring the Decade for Human
Rights Education, 1995-2004
Human rights education should involve more than
the provisions of education and should constitute
a comprehensive life-long process by which people
at all levels in development and in all strata of
society learn respect for the dignity of others
and the means and methods of ensuring that
respect in all societies.
29
The World Programme for Human Rights Education
(A/59/525/Rev. 1)
Human rights education can be defined as
education, training and information aiming at
building a universal culture of human rights
through the sharing of knowledge, imparting of
skills and moulding of attitudes directed to
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1. The strengthening of respect for human rights and
   fundamental freedoms
2. The full development of the human personality and
   the sense of its dignity
3. The promotion of understanding, tolerance, gender
   equality and friendship among all nations,
   indigenous peoples and racial, national, ethnic,
   religious and linguistic groups
4. The enabling of all persons to participate
   effectively in a free and democratic society
   governed by the rule of law
5. The building and maintenance of peace
6. The promotion of people-centered sustainable
   development and social justice.

31
The World Programme for Human Rights Education
Launched January 1, 2005 December 31, 2007

• Resolution 2004/71 of the Commission on Human
  Rights supported the first phase (2005-2007) of
  the World Program for HRE to focus on primary and
  secondary school systems.
• UN General Assembly adopted resolution in
  support of The World Programme for HRE (12/10/05)
• Revised draft plan of action for the first
  phase (2005-2007) of the World Programme for HRE

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What is the Human Right to Education?

• Everyone has the human right to education,
  training and information
• Education should be directed to the full
  development of the human personality and the
  strengthening of human rights and fundamental
  freedoms.

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Governments Obligations to Ensuring the Human
Right to Education

• Everyone has the right to education.Education
  shall be directed to the full development of the
  human personality and to the strengthening of
  respect for human rights and fundamental
  freedoms. UDHR, Article 26
• State parties undertake to prohibit and to
  eliminate racial discriminationand to guarantee
  the right of everyone without distinction as to
  race, colour, or national or ethnic originin the
  enjoyment ofthe right to education and
  training. CERD, Article 5
• ICESCR (Art. 13), CRC (Art. 29), CEDAW (Art.
  10).
• In response to new World Programme on HRE,
  Governments need to develop plans for HRE in
  primary and secondary school education.

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HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION for PEACE BUILDING A
Planning Evaluation Handbook

• Recommendations to International and National
  Actors Based on research in
• El Salvador, Guatemala, Liberia, Mexico and
  Sierra Leone Paul Martin,Tania Bernath, Tracey
  HollandLoren Miller
• DRAFT 10/28/2002

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Human Rights Education is a means towards social
change a tool to transform the theory and
practical applications into everyday social
practice.In conflict situations and in peace
building, HRE must be seen to benefit the target
populations daily lives.Paul Martin et al
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HRE focuses especially on social goals and
ideals that emphasize the dignity of all human
beings and the need for laws and institutions
that enforce those standards. In so doing, HRE
contributes directly to the process of building a
society based on freedom, peace and
Justice. Paul Martin, et al.
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CORE COMPONENTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION
PROGRAMS

• (1) You have rights and members of government
  are obliged to protect and promote them and
• (2) You can gain the knowledge and skills to use
  to protect and implement those rights in real
  life and subsequently improve your and
  community-wide living conditions. Paul
  Martin,Tania Bernath, Tracey HollandLoren Miller
  (Draft 2002)

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HRE PROGRAM I. WHY? Goal Setting Questions

• (1) What do we hope to achieve through HRE?
• (2) How will the promotion of human rights
  contribute to goal(s)?
• (3) In the absence of an effective local
  government, how can common rules based on
  international standards become part of national
  law and be enforced to ensure respect for these
  rights for both nationals and expatriates alike?

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WHAT Content Skills? Questions to Determine
Content/Skills

• (1) What are the participants greatest concerns
  and how do they relate to human rights?
• (2) What human rights concerns have the
  participants identified?
• (3) What articles from which international
  documents in human rights and humanitarian law
  reflect the concerns of this population at this
  time?
• (4) How are human rights principles reflected in
  the activities of state and local Institutions?
• (5) What skills do we need to gain to redress
  these concerns?

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III. HOW TO CHOOSE PROCESS METHODS? Questions
About Implementation

• (1) How can we engage the participants in the
  learning process?
• (2) What approaches will make these topics come
  alive for the participants?
• (3) How should one organize and structure the
  goals and topics to be taught?
• (4) What do participants learn from the way that
  we facilitate process?
• (5) How can we use the classroom dynamic to
  reinforce our goals and topics?
• (6) What methods will best help participants
  learn and apply this knowledge?

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IV. WHO are actors in teaching/training and
learning? Questions for Determining Actors

• (1) What arenas of society should be the focus
  for human rights education?
• (2) What experience, talents, and skills will
  best serve the educational and human rights
  goals?
• (3) How can local and international efforts best
  be combined in the application of human rights
  education?
• (4) What kinds of experts are needed to
  implement human rights education?
• Paul Martin,Tania Bernath, Tracey Holland, and
  Loren Miller (Draft 2002)

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What are some models and effective practices in
HRE Programs in the U.S. and the Americas?
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National Human Rights Resource Center
http//www.hrusa.org

• Passports on Universal Declaration of HR and
  Convention on the Rights of Child (_at_ 1/2 million
  distributed)
• Human Rights Here Now Curriculum (_at_25,000
  distributed)
• Taking Your Human Rights Temperature of Your
  School (adapted/translated into numerous other
  languages)
• Human Rights and Peace Bookstore
• National Training of Trainers HRE Institutes

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National Human Rights Resource Center U of MN

• Beyond September 11 Curriculum
  http//www.beyondseptember11.org
• Human Rights Education Handbook Effective
  Practice for Learning, Action Change
  http//www.hrusa.org
• Dismantling Racism and Human Rights Workshops
  for Trainers
• Partnering on Training for the Police, FBI,
  Judiciary, and New Immigrants
• Police and Civilian Review Board

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Human Rights Library http//www.umn.edu/humanrts

• Largest Primary human rights documents Web site
  available in 6 languages Spanish, English,
  French, Russian, Arabic, Japanese. Chinese is
  coming soon.
• _at_ 120,000 hits in one month period.
• _at_ 3,500 Human Rights Links.
• Link to the Resource Center for full-text
  training resources free on-line.
• New UN Guidelines on Transnational Corporations
  HR now available.

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This is My Home A Minnesota HRE Experience - 2005

• Primary and Secondary School HRE initiative

• (1)To create learning environments for all
  students to develop to full potential
• (2)To motivate all members of school community to
  take responsibilities for HRE
• (3)To share effective practices on Web site

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Minnesota Global, Human Rights, and Peace
Education Network

• (1) CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF TORTURE. Works with
  teachers to help them understand unique needs of
  students and families coming from War-torn
  countries. (www.cvt.org)
• (2) MN ADVOCATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. Has
  implemented a full Rights Sites approach with 8
  schools and also developed a Building Immigrant
  Awareness Support curriculum and video.
  (www.mnadvocates.org)
• (3) MN INTERNATIONAL CENTER. Brings immigrants
  and refugees into classrooms to speak about their
  countries. (www.mic.org)

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Minnesota Global, Human Rights, and Peace
Education Network

• (4) RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE AMERICAS. Conducts
  teacher training, hosts a bi-lingual curriculum
  bookstore, and runs a youth-lead Child Labor
  Project. (www.americas.org)
• (5) U of MN HUMAN RIGHTS RESOURCE CENTER. Works
  with St. Paul School District on Respect and
  Human Rights Campaign Coaching and Curriculum
  Integration (www.hrusa.org)
• (6) WORLD CITIZENS. Works with schools to become
  peace sites and integrate human rights and peace
  curriculum.

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Measuring Human Rights Community
TemperatureMoorhead Residence Survey on
Discrimination, Moorhead Chamber of Commerce,
1998
50
Martin Luther King, Jr., Last Speech on April
3,1968

• Men, for years now, have been talking about war
  and peace. But now, no longer can they just talk
  about it. It is no longer a choice between
  violence or non-violence in this world its
  nonviolence or nonexistence.
• That is where we are today. And also in the
  human rights revolution, if something isnt done,
  and in a hurry, to bring the colored peoples of
  the world out of their long years of poverty,
  their long years of hurt and neglect, the whole
  world is doomed.

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The U of MN Human Rights Center

• N-120 Mondale Hall, U of MN Law School
• 612-626-0041
• Primary Human Rights Documents www.umn.edu/humanrt
  s
• Human Rights Education and Training www.hrusa.org
• Human Rights and Peace Store www.humanrightsandpea
  cestore.org

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Eleanor Roosevelt, 1958

• Where, after all do universal rights begin? In
  small places, close to home so close and so
  small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the
  world. Yet they are the world of the individual
  person the neighborhood he lives in the school
  or college he attends the factory, farm or
  office where he works. Such are the places where
  every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice,
  equal opportunity, equal dignity without
  discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning
  there, they have little meaning anywhere.
  Without concerted citizen action to uphold them
  close to home, we shall look in vain for progress
  in the larger world.