short note on education for human rights

What is Human Rights Education?

Human Rights Education is all about equipping people with the knowledge, skills and values to recognize, claim and defend their rights. Various Human Rights organizations and representatives have defined human rights education in their own ways. Here are some of the most prominent definitions:

“ Education, training and information aimed at building a universal culture of human rights . A comprehensive education in human rights not only provides knowledge about human rights and the mechanisms that protect them, but also imparts the skills needed to promote, defend and apply human rights in daily life. Human rights education fosters the attitudes and behaviours needed to uphold human rights for all members of society. ” (United Nations World Programme)

“ Through human rights education you can empower yourself and others to develop the skills and attitudes that promote equality, dignity and respect in your community, society and worldwide. ” (Amnesty International)

“ Human rights education builds knowledge, skills and attitudes prompting behavior that upholds human rights. It is a process of empowerment which helps identify human rights problems and seek solutions in line with human rights principles. It is based on the understanding of our own responsibility to make human rights a reality in our community and society at large. ” (Navi Pillay, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights)

“ Human rights education means education, training, dissemination, information, practices and activities which aim, by equipping learners with knowledge, skills and understanding and moulding their attitudes and behaviour, to empower them to contribute to the building and defence of a universal culture of human rights in society, with a view to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. ” (Council of Europe)

Why is Human Rights Education Important?

Human Rights Education is important for many reasons. Below are some of the most frequently mentioned reasons why human rights education is important.

• Human Rights Education is crucial for building and advancing societies
• Human Rights Education empowers people to know, claim and defend their rights
• Human Rights Education promotes participation in decision making and the peaceful resolution of conflicts
• Human Rights Education encourages empathy, inclusion and non-discrimination

Often abbreviated as “HRE,” human rights education is also an essential tool for human rights awareness and empowerment. Many teachers don’t label their curriculum as “human rights education,” but they include features of HRE. Educational frameworks that consider non-discrimination, gender equality, anti-racism, and more help build an understanding and respect for human rights. Students learn about their rights, history, and their responsibility as citizens of the world.

In 2011, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration for Human Rights Education and Training . It called on countries to implement human rights education in every sector of society.

Here are ten more reasons why human rights education is important:

#1 It enables people to claim their rights

This is the most obvious benefit of HRE. In the “Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups, and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,” Article 6 states that everyone has the right to know about their rights. By receiving that education, people can identify when rights are being violated and stand up to defend them.

#2 It teaches young people to respect diversity

When young people are exposed to human rights education, it teaches them to respect diversity from an early age. This is because no matter the differences between people – race, gender, wealth, ethnicity, language, religion, etc. – we all still deserve certain rights. Human rights also protect diversity. The earlier people learn about this, the better it is for society.

#3 It teaches history

Understanding history through a human rights lens is critical to a good education. If human rights weren’t included, lessons would be incomplete. Learning about human rights through history challenges simple and biased narratives. It teaches students the origins of human rights, different historical perspectives, and how they evolved to today. With this foundation in history, students better understand modern human rights.

#4 It teaches people to recognize the root causes of human rights issues

By recognizing the roots of problems, people are better equipped to change things. As an example, it isn’t enough to know that homelessness is a human rights issue. To effectively address it, people need to know what causes homelessness, like low-paying jobs and a lack of affordable housing. Studying history is an important part of identifying the roots of human rights issues.

#5 It fosters critical thinking and analytical skills

HRE doesn’t only provide information about human rights. It also trains people to use critical thinking and analyze information. Many human rights issues are complicated, so one of HRE’s goals is to teach people how to think. Students learn how to identify reliable sources, challenge biases, and build arguments. This makes human rights discussions more productive and meaningful. Critical thinking and analysis are important skills in every area of life, not just human rights.

#6 It encourages empathy and solidarity

An important piece of human rights education is recognizing that human rights are universal. When people realize that and then hear that rights are being violated elsewhere, they are more likely to feel empathy and solidarity. The violation of one person’s rights is a violation of everyone’s rights. This belief unites people – even those very different from each other – and provokes action.

#7 It encourages people to value human rights

When people receive human rights education, what they learn can shape their values. They will realize how important human rights are and that they are something worth defending. People who’ve received human rights education are more likely to stand up when they believe their rights (and the rights of others) are being threatened. They’ll act even when it’s risky.

#8 It fuels social justice activities

If people didn’t know anything about human rights, positive change would be rare. When people are educated and equipped with the necessary skills, they will work for social justice in their communities. This includes raising awareness for the most vulnerable members of society and establishing/supporting organizations that serve basic needs. With HRE, people feel a stronger sense of responsibility to care for each other. Believing in social justice and equality is an important first step, but it often doesn’t move far beyond a desire. HRE provides the knowledge and tools necessary for real change.

#9 It helps people support organizations that uphold human rights

Knowing more about human rights and activism helps people identify organizations that stand up for human rights. It also helps them avoid organizations (e.g. corrupt corporations) that directly or indirectly disrespect rights. These organizations are then forced to change their practices to survive.

#10 It keeps governments accountable

Human rights education doesn’t only encourage people to hold organizations accountable. It encourages them to hold governments accountable, as well. Human rights experts say that HRE is critical to government accountability. Armed with knowledge, skills, and passion, citizens have the power to challenge their governments on issues and demand change. HRE also helps provide activists with resources and connections to the global human rights community.

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) turned 75 on 10 December 2024. What is the purpose of this text? Where did it originate? What is its value? Action Education gives you 6 key facts about this essential document. 

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris on 10 December 1948 in the aftermath of the Second World War. It was drafted by an 18-member Drafting Committee representing several countries, including the American politician Eleanor Roosevelt and the French jurist René Cassin. Forty-eight of the 58 Member States of the United Nations at the time adopted this text. 
• The UDHR is the first document adopted in the world to affirm that all human beings are free and equal, regardless of gender, skin colour, creed, religion or any other characteristic. The text sets out the fundamental rights of the individual (the right to housing, to decent work, to holidays and to social protection), their recognition, and their respect by law. It is preceded by a preamble with eight considerations on the need for all countries to respect fundamental human rights inalienably. Even today, these rights form the basis of the entire  international human rights law .
• Article 26 of the UDHR is devoted to the right of everyone to education, including free elementary education. The article specifies that elementary education is compulsory, that technical and vocational education must be generalised and that access to higher education must be open to all on the basis of merit. It also reiterates the aims of education, namely the full development of the human personality, the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and the furtherance of the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. 
• Unlike the Convention on the Rights of the Child The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first legally binding text to make children subjects of law in their own right, has only declaratory value as such, and therefore does not create any legal obligations.

• The Universal Declaration has inspired numerous documents and institutions, including the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms This treaty is unique in that it provides for a compulsory judicial mechanism to monitor compliance with it: the European Court of Human Rights .
• The French version of the Universal Declaration contains 30 articles. It is an official original, signed and approved by the founding members of the United Nations not a translation. The UDHR holds the world record for the number of translations according to the 2009 Guinness Book of Records. In 2019, the  Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights  counted 518 translations, available on its website.

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COMPASS Manual for Human Rights Education with Young people

The evolution of human rights.

"All rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated." Vienna Declaration, 1993

Promises, promises…

Our leaders have made a huge number of human rights commitments on our behalf! If every guarantee that they had signed up to were to be met, our lives would be peaceful, secure, healthy and comfortable; our legal systems would be fair and would offer everyone the same protection; and our political processes would be transparent and democratic and would serve the interests of the people. So what is going wrong? One of the small things that is going wrong is that politicians are like the rest of us and will often take short cuts if they can get away with it! So we need to know exactly what promises have been made on our behalf and to start making sure that they are kept.

Question: Do you always do what you have said you will do? Even if no one reminds you?

• What are our Rights?

Being imprisoned is not the problem. The problem is to avoid surrender. Nazim Hikmet

We know that we are entitled to have all human rights respected. The UDHR, the ECHR and other treaties cover a wide range of different rights, so we shall look at them in the order in which they were developed and were recognised regionally or by the international community. The most established way of classifying these rights is into 'first, second and third generation' rights, so we shall follow this for the time being but, as we shall see, such a classification has limited use and can even be misleading at times. These categories, after all, are not clear-cut. They simply constitute one way – amongst many – of classifying the different rights. Most rights fall under more than one category. The right to express one's opinion, for example, is both a civil and a political right. It is essential to participation in political life as well as being fundamental to our personal liberty.

Civil and political rights (first generation rights)

These rights began to emerge as a theory during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and were based mostly on political concerns. It had begun to be recognised that there were certain things that the all-powerful rulers should not be able to do and that people should have some influence over the policies that affected them. The two central ideas were those of personal liberty, and of protecting the individual against violations by the state. Civil and political rights today are set out in detail in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and in the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), and they include rights such as the right to participate in government and the prohibition of torture. These rights have traditionally been regarded by many – at least in "the West" – as the most important human rights. We shall see in the next section that this is a false view.

Human rights are prone to political abuse

During the Cold War, the countries of the Soviet block were severely criticised for their disregard of civil and political rights. These countries responded by criticising the western democracies, in turn, for ignoring key social and economic rights, which we shall look at next. There was at least an element of truth in both criticisms. It also illustrates how human rights are prone to political abuse

"States and the international community as a whole continue to tolerate all too often breaches of economic, social and cultural rights which, if they occurred in relation to civil and political rights, would provoke expressions of horror and outrage and would lead to concerted calls for immediate remedial action." Statement to the Vienna Conference by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1993

Social, economic and cultural rights (second generation rights)

First comes the grub then the morals. Bertold Brecht

These rights concern how people live and work together and the basic necessities of life. They are based on the ideas of equality and guaranteed access to essential social and economic goods, services, and opportunities. They became increasingly a subject of international recognition with the effects of early industrialisation and the rise of a working class. These led to new demands and new ideas about the meaning of a life of dignity. People realised that human dignity required more than the minimal lack of interference from the state as proposed by the civil and political rights. Social, economic and cultural rights are outlined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and also in the European Social Charter of the Council of Europe.

Social, economic and cultural rights are based on the ideas of equality and guaranteed  access to essential social and economic goods, services, and opportunities.

• Social rights are those that are necessary for full participation in the life of society. . They include at least the right to education and the right to found and maintain a family but also many of the rights often regarded as 'civil' rights: for example, the rights to recreation, health care, privacy and freedom from discrimination.
• Economic rights are normally thought to include the right to work, to an adequate standard of living, to housing and the right to a pension if you are old or disabled. The economic rights reflect the fact that a certain minimal level of material security is necessary for human dignity, and also the fact that, for example, a lack of meaningful employment or housing can be psychologically demeaning...
• Cultural Rights refer to a community's cultural "way of life" and are often given less attention than many of the other types of rights. They include the right to participate freely in the cultural life of the community and, possibly, also the right to education. However, many other rights, not officially classed as "cultural" will be essential for minority communities within a society to preserve their distinctive culture: for example, the right to non-discrimination and equal protection of the law.

Solidarity rights (third generation rights)

The list of internationally recognised human rights has not remained constant. Although none of the rights listed in the UDHR has been brought into serious question in over 60 years of its existence, new treaties and documents have clarified and further developed some of the basic concepts that were laid down in that original document.

right to development, right to peace, right to a healthy environment, to humanitarian assistance…

These additions have been a result of a number of factors: they have partly come about as a response to changing ideas about human dignity, and partly as a result of new threats and opportunities emerging. In the case of the specific new category of rights that have been proposed as third generation rights, these have been the consequence of a deeper understanding of the different types of obstacles that may stand in the way of realising the first and second generation rights. The idea at the basis of the third generation of rights is that of solidarity ; and the rights embrace collective rights of society or peoples, such as the right to sustainable development, to peace or to a healthy environment. In much of the world, conditions such as extreme poverty, war, ecological and natural disasters have meant that there has been only very limited progress in respect of human rights. For that reason, many people have felt that the recognition of a new category of human rights is necessary: these rights would ensure the appropriate conditions for societies, particularly in the developing world, to be able to provide the first and second generation rights that have already been recognised. The specific rights that are most commonly included within the category of third generation rights are the rights to development, to peace, to a healthy environment, to share in the exploitation of the common heritage of mankind, to communication and  humanitarian assistance.

There has, however, been some debate concerning this category of rights. Some experts object to the idea of these rights because they are ‘collective rights', in the sense of being held by communities or even whole states. They argue that human rights can only be held by individuals. The argument is more than merely verbal, because some people fear such a change in terminology could provide a "justification" for certain repressive regimes to deny (individual) human rights in the name of these collective human rights; for example, severely curtailing civil rights in order to secure "economic development". There is another concern which is sometimes expressed: since it is not the state but the international community that is meant to safeguard third generation rights, accountability is impossible to guarantee.  Who, or what, is supposed to be responsible for making sure that there is peace in the Caucasus or the Middle East, or that the Amazonian rainforest is not destroyed and that appropriate measures are taken against climate change?

Nevertheless, whatever we decide to call them, there is general agreement that these areas require further exploration and further attention from the international community. Some collective rights have already been recognised, in particular under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The UDHR itself includes the right to self-determination and a human right to development was codified in a 1986 UN General Assembly Declaration.

The right to development is an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realised. (UN Declaration on the Right to Development).

Are some rights more important than others?

The different types of rights are far more closely connected with each other than their labels suggest.

Social and economic rights had a difficult time being accepted on an equal level with civil and political rights, for reasons which are both ideological and political. Although it seems evident to the ordinary citizen that such things as a minimum standard of living, housing, and reasonable conditions of employment are all essential to human dignity, politicians have not always been so ready to acknowledge this. One reason is undoubtedly that ensuring basic social and economic rights for everyone worldwide would require a massive redistribution of resources. Politicians are well aware that that is not the type of policy that wins votes. Such politicians therefore suggest that second generation rights are different to first generation civil and political rights. The first claim often made is that social and economic rights are neither realistic nor realisable, at least in the short term, and that we should move towards them only gradually. This is the approach that has been taken in the ICESCR: governments only need to show that they are taking measures towards meeting these aims at some point in the future. The claim, however, is certainly open to dispute and appears to be based more on political considerations than anything else. Many independent studies show that there are sufficient resources in the world, and sufficient expertise, to ensure that everyone's basic needs could be met if a concerted effort was made. A second claim is that there is a fundamental theoretical difference between first and second generation rights: that the first type of rights require governments only to refrain from certain activities (these are so-called "negative" rights); while the second require positive intervention from governments (these are "positive" rights). The argument states that it is not realistic to expect governments to take positive steps, for example to provide food for everyone, and that they are therefore not obliged to do so. Without any obligation on anyone's part, there can be no right in any meaningful sense of the word. However, there are two basic misunderstandings in this line of reasoning.

Firstly, civil and political rights are by no means purely negative. In order, for example, for a government to guarantee freedom from torture, it is not enough just for government officials to refrain from torturing people! Genuine freedom in this area often requires a system of checks and controls to be put in place: policing systems, legal mechanisms, freedom of information and access to places of detention – and more besides. The same goes for securing the right to vote and for all other civil and political rights. In other words, these rights require positive action by the government in addition to refraining from negative action.

Secondly, social and economic rights, just like civil and political rights, also require that governments refrain from certain activities: for example, from giving large tax breaks to companies, or encouraging development in regions that already possess a relative advantage, or imposing trade tariffs which penalise developing countries – and so on.

Question: What positive action does a government need to authorise in order to ensure genuinely free and fair elections?

Both self-determination and the right to development are … at once individual and collective rights. Chidi Anselm Odinkal

In actual fact, the different types of rights are far more closely connected with each other than their labels suggest. Economic rights merge into political rights; civil rights are often undistinguishable from social rights. The labels can be useful in giving a broad picture but they can also be very misleading. Many rights can fall into either category and rights from one category may depend in their realisation on the fulfilment of rights in another category. It is therefore fitting to recall the understanding captured in the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, in which paragraph 5 recognises that:

All human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated. The international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis.

Other accounts for ‘core' and ‘other' rights

The ‘generations approach' is not the only effort in distinguishing between rights in the light of the proliferation of rights. Some rights can be derogated in times of public emergency; others cannot. Some rights are recognised as being ‘jus cogens' or norms that have been accepted by the international community of states as a norm from which no derogation is permitted: examples include the prohibitions against genocide, slavery, and systematic racial discrimination. Some rights are ‘absolute' in that they cannot be subject to derogation or limitation in their manifestation, for example the prohibition on torture. ‘Minimum core' obligations have been identified in relation to certain economic and social rights, for example the provision of essential primary health care, basic shelter and education. Others may suggest that collective rights are core, in that they establish a framework of protection within which individual rights can then be realised. There is no clear consensus or single theory on this, and most observers would reinforce the importance of emphasising the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of rights. Irrespective of the question of proliferation, however, science sometimes triggers the need for the application of human rights norms to new challenges, and these will be discussed below.

• The advance of science

Everyone has the right […] to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. Article 27, UDHR

Council of Europe Oviedo Convention

Another area where new rights are being acknowledged is in health and medical science.  New scientific discoveries have opened up a number of questions relating to ethics and human rights, in particular in the fields of genetic engineering, and concerning the transplant of organs and tissues. Questions on the very nature of life have had to be addressed as a result of technical advances in each of these fields. The Council of Europe responded to some of these challenges with a new international treaty: The 1997 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine ("Oviedo Convention"). This convention has been signed by 30 member states of the Council of Europe and ratified by ten. It sets out guidelines for some of the problematic issues raised in the previous section.

Summary of most relevant articles:

• Any form of discrimination against a person on grounds of their genetic heritage is prohibited.
• Predictive genetic tests can be carried out only for health purposes and not, for example, in order to determine the physical characteristics that a child will develop in later life.
• Intervention which aims to modify the human genome may only be undertaken for preventative, diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
• Medically assisted procreation is not permitted where this is designed to determine a future child's sex.
• Removal of organs or tissue from a living person for transplantation purposes can be carried out solely for the therapeutic benefit of the recipient. 

Any intervention seeking to create  a human being genetically identical to another human being, whether living or dead, is probihited. Additional Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being, Paris 1998

Genetic engineering is the method of changing the inherited characteristics of an organism in a predetermined way by altering its genetic material. Progress in this area has led to an intense debate on a number of different ethical and human rights questions; for example, whether the alteration of germ cells should be allowed when this results in a permanent genetic change for the whole organism and for subsequent generations; or whether the reproduction of a clone organism from an individual gene should be allowed in the case of human beings if it is permitted in the case of mice and sheep.

Question: Should there be limits to what scientists can research?

The progress of biomedical technology has also led to the possibility of transplanting adult and foetal organs or tissues from one body to another. Like genetic engineering, this offers huge potential for improving the quality of some people's lives and even for saving lives - but consider some of the problematic issues that are raised by these advances:

• If a life can be saved or improved by using an organ from a dead body, should this always be attempted? Or do dead bodies also deserve respect?
• How can we ensure that everyone in need has an equal chance of receiving a transplant if there is a limited supply of organs?
• Should there be laws concerning the conservation of organs and tissues?
• Is there a rights approach to genetically modified foods and feeds (GMOs)? If so, what is it?

Download Compass  

• Promises, promises
• Chapter 1 - Human Rights Education and Compass: an introduction
• Chapter 2 -  Practical Activities and Methods for Human Rights Education
• Chapter 3 - Taking Action for Human Rights
• Chapter 4 - Understanding Human Rights
• Chapter 5 - Background Information on Global Human Rights Themes

State obligations and responsibilities on the right to education

International human rights law lays down obligations which states are bound to respect.  

By ratifying international human rights treaties, states assume obligations and duties under international law to respect, protect and fulfil human rights. 

Principal responsibility of states 

States are the duty-bearers under international human rights law and hold the principal responsibility for the direct provision of the right to education, although there are exceptions for specific contexts. 

Through ratification of international human rights treaties, governments undertake to put into place domestic measures and legislation compatible with their treaty obligations and duties. 

All countries in the world have ratified at least one treaty , covering certain aspects of the right to education which means all of them are expected to implement that right.  

Content of states’ obligations concerning the right to education 

Like all human rights, the right to education imposes levels of obligation on states: to respect, protect and fulfil the right to education.  

• The obligation to  respect  requires states to avoid measures that hinder or prevent the enjoyment of the right to education. 
• The obligation to  protect  requires states to take measures that prevent third parties from interfering with the enjoyment of the right to education. 
• The obligation to  fulfil  means that states must take positive measures that enable and assist individuals and communities to enjoy the right to education. 

The obligations related to each of the 'essential features' of the right to education are categorised under four areas: availability, accessibility, acceptability, adaptability.

Main components of the right to education

States are also bound by the principles of non-retrogression (they should not take deliberate backward steps by adopting measures that will repeal or restrict existing guarantees of the right to education) and by allocating the maximum of their available resources. 

For more information see the Right to education handbook . 

Related items

• Right to education

A network dedicated to building a culture of human rights

Lesson Plans – Universal Declaration of Human Rights

A re Human Rights Universal? Source: HRE USA Using hypothetical examples, students will discuss the concept of universal human rights and their personal thoughts and opinions on the issues. Students will be asked to read or listen to various news articles about the topics, conduct their own research, and prepare notes for a discussion. The purpose is to use current and personal examples in order to engage students in the discussion of human rights.

Grade Level : high school Subject Area : social studies

“Close to Home” – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Source: UN Visitor’s Center Teaching Guide and Resources for two lessons: Understanding the UDHR introduces the UDHR engages students with specific rights; Everyday Human Rights relates rights to daily life.

Grade Level : K-4; 5-8 Subject Area: social studies

Competing Visions of Human Rights: Questions for U.S. Policy Source: The Choices Program, Brown University] A challenging seven-lesson curriculum that addresses human rights concepts, practice, and controveries.

Grade Level : high school Subject Area: social studies, history, civics

Educating for Human Dignity: Learning about Rights and Responsibilities Author: Betty Reardon,  Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press It is the first resource offering both guidance and support materials for human rights education programs from kindergarten through high school. It opens possibilities for an holistic approach to human rights education that directly confronts the values issues raised by human rights problems in a context of global interrelationships. Designed for both teachers and teacher educators. Grade Level:  Adults, educators, teacher educators

Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Source: National Park Service Focuses on Eleanor Roosevelt’s role. Compares the UDHR with Magna Carta and the US Bill of Rights. Grade Level:  high school Subject Area:  social studies, history

Going Global – Investigating Global Issues of Interest and Importance Source: HRE USA In this independent research project, students focus on areas of interest to them based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and then study a location that is a hotbed of violations of their chosen human right. The long-term study culminates with a structured presentation of their topic with the intent to raise awareness of Human Rights issues and the intent of proposing a potential solution utilizing specific problem-solving steps. Grade Level: middle school Subject Area: social studies

Human Rights Source: Anti-defamation League Introduces the UDHR and relates rights to students’ communities and experiences

Grade Level:  high school Subject Area:  social studies, civics

Human Rights Here and Now: Celebrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Publisher: Amnesty International, University of Minnesota Human Rights Center, The Stanley Foundation, 1998 Full curriculum that provides an introduction to the UDHR and human rights and human rights education, lesson plans, activities for taking action, and a human rights glossary. Grade Level: middle – high school

Human Rights, Responsibilities, and You Publisher: The Advocates for Human Rights Three lessons that introduce human rights and personal responsibility for their realization in everyday life. Grade Level:  middle school Subject Area:  social studies

I Have a Right to … Source: BBC World Service A collection of case studies that illustrate specific human rights with contemporary examples. Grade Level:  high school Subject Area:  social studies, current events, geography

Introduction to Human Rights Lesson Plan Source: PBS NewsHour Classroom, AFT An introduction to human rights with video. Grade Level:  middle school-high school Subject Area:  social studies, civics

Teaching Human Rights Author: David Shiman Publisher: Center for Teaching International Relations, 1993 The UDHR provides a useful framework for organizing this collection of curriculum activities on human rights. Can serve either as the core on human rights or a resource from which teachers can draw specific activities to integrate into existing curricula. Price : About $30 Grade Level : middle – high school Subject Area : social studies, government

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Source:  Facing History and Ourselves Reading and discussion on the history and significance of the UDHR. Grade Level : middle – high school Subject Area : history, social studies, government

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Lesson Plan Source: Academy 4 Social Change Covers the meaning of rights, the UDHR and its contemporary relevance. Grade Level : middle – high school Subject Area : history, social studies, government

The UDHR & Contemporary Issues Source: HRE USA This lesson asks students to correlate the UDHR to current newspaper articles which illustrate the portrayal of human rights in one of four situations (rights achieved, rights denied, rights violated, rights in conflict). Students will explain that situation, the correlation to the UDHR, and then write a reflection on the role of the UDHR in potentially resolving the situation. Grade Level : high school Subject Area : social studies

Using Inquiry-Based Research to Highlight Contemporary Human Rights Challenges Source: HRE USA Students will be introduced to the concept of Human Rights and tasked with finding how they are still applicable to our world today. This series of lessons will begin with a general introduction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Following this, students will design their own questions about what human rights abuses may still be occurring today. The lesson will culminate in students creating an infographic, which will then be shared with the class. Grade Level : high school Subject Area : social studies

The World as It Could Be Publisher: The World as It Could Be Full curriculum that uses the creative arts to deepen learning about the UDHR and provide opportunities for the youth to, in turn, teach their peers and adults about the importance of manifesting the words of the UDHR.  Lesson plans are designed to encourage a progression of learning that starts with objective knowledge, moves to personal connection to both human rights concepts and issues, and then engagement to play a role in advancing UDHR principles. Grade Level: middle – high school Subject Area: social studies, language arts, drama, music

A World at Peace Source: PBS In this lesson students to brainstorm the basic rights of people everywhere, explore in basic terms the UDHR and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and then use international photography galleries as part of a multimedia creative writing assignment imagining a world at peace. Grade Level: elementary school Subject Area: social studies

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