Declaration on human rights education and training

On the basis of the Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training developed by the Advisory Committee contained in A/HRC/AC/4/4, and pursuant to resolution 13/15, the Council established an open-ended intergovernmental working group which during its meeting of 10-14 January 2011 adopted a United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, which will be in front of the Council at its 16th sessions. In December 2011, the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training was endorsed by the General Assembly (A/RES/66/137).

Relevant documentation

Background

The Human Rights Council at its 13th session, adopted without a vote, resolution A/HRC/RES/13/15 on the United Nations declaration on human rights education and training, which decided to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group to meet for a maximum of 5 working days prior to the 16th session of the Council (in March 2011) to negotiate, finalize and submit to the Council the draft declaration on the basis of the draft submitted by the Advisory Committee.

In its resollution 6/10, the Human Rights Council requested the Advisory Committee to prepare a draft declaration on human rights education and training English Français Español العربية 中文 русский. To this end the Council also requested the Advisory Committee to seek the views and inputs of Member States, relevant international and regional organizations, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, national human rights institutions as well as civil society organizations, including non-governmental organizations, on the possible elements of the content of the declaration (para. 1 (a) of resolution 6/10).

The questionnaire prepared and dispatched by the Advisory Committee together with the accompanying note verbale; as well as the responses to the questionnaires received may be found at the following links:

The Advisory Committee during its first session, entrusted a drafting group with the task of undertaking preparatory work (para. 1 of recommendation 1/1 English | Français | Español) and in the annex included elements of the conceptual framework for further work and consultations.

During its second session, the Advisory Committee provided a progress report to the Council on its work and consultations (para.s 8-18 of recommendation 2/1 English | Français) on the basis of a working paper prepared by the rapporteur of the drafting group (A/HRC/AC/2/CRP.1).

The Council in a follow-up resolution during its 10th regular session, welcomed with satisfaction the progress report of the Advisory Committee and requested it to submit its draft Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training to the Council for consideration at its 13th session in March 2010 (para. 3 of resolution 10/28).

The Council also welcomed the initiative of the Platform for Human Rights Education and Training to organize a seminar, with the participation of experts and specialists and the assistance and expertise of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and all interested parties in order to further the reflection on elements to be included in the draft Declaration (para. 2 of resolution 10/28).

The seminar took place on 16 and 17 July 2009 in Marrakesh, Morocco and the programme of work with links to the presentations made may be found at the following link: Seminar on the United Nations Declaration on human rights education and training.

During its fourth session, the Advisory Committee transmitted the draft declaration on human rights education and training annexed to its recommendation 4/2, as revised, to the Council for its consideration at its 13th session, as requested by Council resolutions 6/10 and 10/28.