Human Rights Education and Training

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Human Rights Education and Training

The international community has expressed its growing consensus on the fundamental role of human rights education in the realization of human rights, understanding by "human rights education" a learning process encompassing various dimensions:

  1. Knowledge and skills — learning about human rights standards and mechanisms, as well as acquiring the skills to put them into practice in daily life;
  2. Values, attitudes — developing values and reinforcing attitudes which uphold human rights;
  3. Behaviour, action — encouraging action to defend and promote human rights.

The consensus of the international community is evidenced by this compilation, which contains texts or excerpts from international and regional instruments and documents dealing with human rights education, as well as general comments/recommendations of relevant bodies clarifying those provisions, organized by organization in chronological order of adoption.

These instruments and documents include treaties, covenants, conventions and protocols; charters; declarations; recommendations; decisions; resolutions; principles; guidelines; rules; final documents; commitments; and conclusions or joint communiqués of intergovernmental meetings, congresses and conferences. Despite their different legal status, and the different fora in which they were adopted which bear responsibility for their content, taken together these texts outline the human rights education commitments made by States in the context of international and regional intergovernmental forums, and provide the basis for the right to human rights education.

The preparation of this compilation has been coordinated by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on behalf of the International Contact Group on Citizenship and Human Rights Education. The following organizations have contributed: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; the Commonwealth; the International Committee of the Red Cross; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; the Council of Europe; the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights; the League of Arab States; the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; the International Labour Office; and the Organization of American States.

This project has also benefited from the research assistance of the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Center of Human Rights Education at the University of Teacher Education Lucerne.   

This compilation aims at further promoting human rights, and human rights education in particular, by facilitating a number of initiatives, which might include comparing national legislation and international commitments with a view to bringing national laws into conformity with international standards; designing, implementing and evaluating human rights education programmes in all sectors in line with international commitments; and supporting overall advocacy for human rights education.

Any compilation of this nature will inevitably require updating. For information on new international and regional instruments or documents, please consult the websites of the organizations concerned.

September 2014

List of contents

PART I. UNITED NATIONS INSTRUMENTS AND DOCUMENTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION
  1. United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1994) 
  2. Plan of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education, 1995-2004 (1996) 
  3. Guidelines for National Plans of Action for Human Rights Education (1997) 
  4. World Programme for Human Rights Education (2004) 
  5. Plan of Action for the first phase (2005-2007) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005) 
  6. World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005) 
  7. World Programme for Human Rights Education (2007) 
  8. International Year of Human Rights Learning (2007) 
  9. Plan of Action for the second phase (2010-2014) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education (2010) 
  10. World Programme for Human Rights Education: adoption of the plan of action for the second phase (2010) 
  11. United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training (2011)
PART II: OTHER UNITED NATIONS INSTRUMENTS AND DOCUMENTS

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) 

A.  TREATIES

  1. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965)

    a) General Recommendation V: Reporting by States parties (article 7) (1977) 
    b) General Recommendation XIII on the training of law enforcement officials in the protection of human rights (1993) 
    c) Guidelines for the CERD-Specific document to be submitted by States parties under article 9, paragraph 1, of the Convention (2007)
    d) General recommendation no. 35: Combating racist hate speech (2013)
     
  2. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)

    a) General Comment No. 3: The nature of States parties' obligations (article 2, para.1) (1990) 
    b) General Comment No. 10: The role of national human rights institutions in the protection of economic, social and cultural rights (1998) 
    c) General Comment No. 11: Plans of action for primary education (article 14) (1999) 
    d) General Comment No. 13: The right to education (article 13) (1999) 
    e) General Comment No. 14: The right to the highest attainable standard of health (article 12) (2000) 
    f) General Comment No. 16: The equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights (article 3) (2005) 
    g) General Comment No. 19: The right to social security (article 19) (2007) 
    h) Guidelines on treaty-specific documents to be submitted by States parties under articles 16 and 17 (2008) 
    i) General comment No. 21: Right of everyone to take part in cultural life (article 15, para. 1 (a), of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) (2009)
     
  3. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)

    a) General Comment No. 20: Prohibition of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (article 7) (1992) 
    b) General Comment No. 28: The equality of rights between men and women (article 3) (2000) 
    c) General Comment No. 31: The Nature of the General Legal Obligation Imposed on States Parties to the Covenant (2004)
     
  4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)

    a) General Recommendation No. 3: Education and public information programmes (1987) 
    b) General Recommendation No. 6: Effective national machinery and publicity (1988)
     
  5. Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) 
     
  6. Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (2002)
     
  7. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)

    a) General Comment No. 1: The Aims of Education (article 29) (2001) 
    b) General comment No. 5: General measures of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (articles. 4, 42 and 44, para. 6) (2003) 
    c) Treaty-specific guidelines regarding the form and content of periodic reports to be submitted by States parties under article 44, paragraph 1 (b), of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (2010)
     
  8. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (2000)
  9. Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (2000)
  10. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990) 
  11. Harmonized guidelines on reporting under the international human rights treaties, including guidelines on a common core document and treaty-specific documents (2006) 
  12. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006)

    a) Guidelines on treaty-specific document to be submitted by States parties under article 35, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2009)

     
  13. International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2006)

B.  DECLARATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND OTHER  INSTRUMENTS

  1. Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959) 
  2. United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1963) 
  3. Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples (1965) 
  4. Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (1967) 
  5. Final Act of the International Conference on Human Rights (1968)

    a) The Proclamation of Teheran (1968) 
    b) Resolutions adopted by the Conference (1968)
  6. Declaration on Social Progress and Development (1969) 
  7. Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (1975) 
  8. Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981) 
  9. Declaration on the Right to Development (1986) 
  10. Development of Public Information Activities in the Field of Human Rights (1988) 
  11. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials (1990) 
  12. Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers (1990) 
  13. Guidelines on the Role of Prosecutors (1990) 
  14. United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines) (1990) 
  15. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non‑custodial Measures (The Tokyo Rules) (1990) 
  16. Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992)
  17. Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (1992)
  18. Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (1993) 
  19. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) 
  20. Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (1994)
  21. Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms  (1998) 
  22. Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (2001)
  23. 2005 World Summit Outcome (2005)
  24. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007)
  25. The Right to Education (2008)
  26. Outcome Document of the Durban Review Conference (2009)

C.  UNITED NATIONS SPECIALIZED AGENCIES

1) UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)

a)   Treaties

  1. UNESCO Constitution (1945) 
  2. Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960) 
  3. Convention on Technical and Vocational Education (1989)

b)  Declarations, Recommendations and other Instruments

  1. Recommendation against Discrimination in Education (1960) 
  2. ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (1966) 
  3. Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1974) 
  4. Recommendation on the Development of Adult Education (1976) 
  5. Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice (1978) 
  6. Principles of the Vienna International Congress on the Teaching of Human Rights (1978) 
  7. Declaration on Fundamental Principles concerning the Contribution of the Mass Media to Strengthening Peace and International Understanding, to the Promotion of Human Rights and to Countering Racialism, Apartheid and Incitement to War (1978) 
  8. Malta Recommendations on Human Rights Teaching, Information and Documentation  (1987) 
  9. World Declaration on Education for All (1990) 
  10. World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy (The Montreal Declaration) (1993) 
  11. Declaration of the 44th session of the International Conference on Education (1994) 
  12. Integrated Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy (1995) 
  13. Declaration of Principles on Tolerance (1995) 
  14. Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel (1997) 
  15. Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generation Towards Future Generations (1997) 
  16. World Declaration on Higher Education for the Twenty-First Century: Vision and Action  (1998) 
  17. The Dakar Framework for Action (2000) 
  18. Revised Recommendation concerning Technical and Vocational Education (2001) 
  19. UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001)
  20. Conclusions and Recommendations of the 48th session of the International Conference on Education (ICE) (2008) 
  21. World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development: Bonn Declaration (2009)

2)  INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION (ILO)

a)   Treaties

  1. Convention concerning Paid Educational Leave (1974) 
  2. Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (1989) 
  3. Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999) 
  4. Convention concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers (2011)

b)  Declarations, Recommendations and other instruments

  1. Recommendation concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1990) 
  2. Recommendation concerning HIV and AIDS and the World of Work (2010) 
  3. Recommendation concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers (2011) 
  4. Recommendation concerning National Floors of Social Protection (2012)

D. INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

  1. Geneva Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field (1949) 
  2. Geneva Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea (1949) 
  3. Geneva Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (1949) 
  4. Geneva Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Times of War (1949) 
  5. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I) (1977) 
  6. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II) (1977)
PART III. REGIONAL INSTRUMENTS

A. AFRICAN UNION (Organization of African Unity)

  1. African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights “Banjul Charter” (1981) 
  2. African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990) 
  3. Resolution on the Promotion of Human Rights in Africa (1992) 
  4. Resolution on the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1993) 
  5. Resolution on Human Rights Education (1993) 
  6. Resolution on the Promotion and the Respect of International Humanitarian Law and Human and Peoples’ rights (1993) 
  7. Resolution on the Role of Lawyers and Judges in the Integration of the Charter and the Enhancement of the Commission’s work in National and Sub-Regional Systems (1996) 
  8. Constitutive Act of the African Union (2000) 
  9. Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance (2002) 
  10. OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa (2002) 
  11. Protocol relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (2002) 
  12. Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (2003) 
  13. Pretoria Declaration on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa (2004)

B. ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)

  1. ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint (2009) 
  2. ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (Terms of Reference) (2009) 
  3. ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (Terms of Reference) (2009) 
  4. ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (2012)

C. COUNCIL OF EUROPE

  1. Committee of Ministers Resolution (78) 41 on the Teaching of Human Rights (1978) 
  2. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (79) 16 to Member States on the Promotion of Human Rights Research in the Member States of the Council of Europe (1979) 
  3. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (81) 17 to Member States on Adult Education Policy (1981) 
  4. Committee of Ministers Declaration on the Freedom of Expression and Information (1982) 
  5. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (83) 13 to Member States on the Role of the Secondary School in Preparing Young People for Life (1983) 
  6. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (84) 17 to Member States on Equality between Women and Men in the Media (1984) 
  7. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (84) 18 to Member States on the Training of Teachers in Education for Intercultural Understanding, Notably in a context of Migration (1984) 
  8. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (85) 7 to Member States on Teaching and Learning about Human Rights in Schools (1985) 
  9. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (87) 3 to Member States on the European Prison Rules (1987) 
  10. Committee of Ministers Declaration on Equality of Women and Men (1988) 
  11. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (91) 16 to Members States on the Training of Social Workers and Human Rights (1991) 
  12. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (94) 12 to Member States on the Independence, Efficiency and Role of Judges (1994) 
  13. Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1994) 
  14. Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1346 - on human rights education (1997) 
  15. Final Declaration and Action Plan of the Second Summit of Heads of State and Government of the member States of the Council of Europe (1997) 
  16. Committee of Ministers Recommendation No. R (98) 15 to Member States on the Training of Officials who first come into contact with Asylum Seekers, in particular at Border Points (1998) 
  17. Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1401 - Education in the responsibilities of the individual (1999)
  18. Committee of Ministers Recommendation Rec (2002)12 to member states on education for democratic citizenship (2002)
  19. Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1682 – Education for Europe (2004)
  20. Committee of Ministers Recommendation Rec (2000) 4 to member states on the European Convention on Human Rights in university education and professional training (2004)
  21. Declaration and Action Plan of the Third Summit of Heads of State and Government of the member States of the Council of Europe (2005)
    a)  Action Plan (2005)
  22. Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1849 - For the promotion of a culture of democracy and human rights through teacher education (2008)
  23. Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec (2011) 4 to member states on education for global interdependence and solidarity (2011)
  24. Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec (2010) 7 to Member States on the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education (2010)
  25. Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe Resolution 332 -Education for democratic citizenship: tools for cities (2011)
  26. Committee of Members Recommendation CM/Rec (2012)13 to member States on ensuring quality education (2012)

D. EUROPEAN UNION

  1. Resolution of the European Parliament on Freedom of Education in the European Community (1984) 
  2. Resolution of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, Meeting Within the Council on the Fight against Racism and Xenophobia (1990) 
  3. Decision No. 818/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council adopting the third  phase of the “Youth for Europe” programme (1995) 
  4. Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of Member States’ Governments meeting within the Council on the response of educational systems to the problems of racism and xenophobia (1995) 
  5. Council Conclusions on a Strategy for Lifelong Learning (1996) 
  6. Council Conclusions on Local Community Development through Education and Training (1997) 
  7. Decision No. 1686/98/EC of the European Parliament and the Council establishing the Community action programme “European Voluntary Service for Young People” (1998) 
  8. Updated European Union Guidelines on Promoting Compliance with International Humanitarian Law (2009) 
  9. Resolution on the situation of fundamental rights in the European Union (2009) – effective implementation after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon (2010)

E. LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES

  1. Arab Charter on Human Rights (2004) 
  2. The formulation of an Arab plan to foster the culture of human rights (2010)

    a) The Arab plan to foster the culture of human rights (2010)

F.  ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE)

  1. Helsinki Final Act (1975) 
  2. Concluding Document of the Madrid Meeting of Representatives of the Participating States of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (1983) 
  3. Concluding Document of the Vienna Meeting of Representatives of the Participating States of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (1989) 
  4. Concluding Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (1990) 
  5. Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990) 
  6. Document of the Moscow Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (1991) 
  7. Helsinki Document: The Challenges of Change (Summit of the Heads of State or Government (1992) 
  8. Document of the Fourth Meeting of the Council Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe and the New Europe - Our Security is Indivisible (1993) 
  9. Budapest Summit Declaration: Towards a Genuine Partnership in a New Era (1994) 
  10. The Hague Recommendations regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities and Explanatory Note (1996) 
  11. Document of the Ninth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Bucharest (2001) 
  12. Document of the Tenth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Porto (2002) 
  13. Document of the Eleventh Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Maastricht (2003) 
  14. Document of the Twelfth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Sofia (2004) 
  15. Document of the Thirteenth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Ljubljana (2005) 
  16. Document of the Fourteenth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Brussels (2006) 
  17. Document of the Fifteenth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Madrid (2007) 
  18. Document of the Sixteenth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Helsinki (2008) 
  19. Document of the Seventeenth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Athens (2009) 
  20. Document of the Eighteenth Meeting of the Ministerial Council, Vilnius (2011)

G. ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES

  1. Charter of the Organization of American States (1948) 
  2. American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man (1948) 
  3. American Convention on Human Rights “Pact of San José, Costa Rica” (1969) 
  4. Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights “Protocol of San Salvador” (1988) 
  5. Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of Violence against Women “Conventión of Belém do Pará” (1994) 
  6. Inter-American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (1999) 
  7. Inter-American Democratic Charter (2001) 
  8. Statute of the Inter-American Commission of Women (2008) 
  9. Programs of the Organization of American States

    a) Program of Education for Peace in the Hemisphere (2000) 
    b) Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices (2005)
PART IV. OTHER INSTRUMENTS

A. COMMONWEALTH

  1. The Lusaka Declaration of the Commonwealth on Racism and Racial Prejudice (1979) 
  2. The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment 2007-2015 (PAYE) (1998) 
  3. The Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender Equality 2005-2015 (2004) 
  4. The 17th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers - Kuala Lumpur Communiqué (2009) 
  5. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting – CHOGM Communiqué (2009) 
  6. The 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers - Mauritius Communiqué (2012) 
  7. The Charter of the Commonwealth (2012)

B. LA FRANCOPHONIE

  1. Déclaration de Bamako (2000)

    a) Note fixant les modalités pratiques de mise en œuvre des procédures du chapitre 5 de la Déclaration de Bamako (2001) 
    b) Programme D’action De Bamako (2002)
     
  2. Prévention des conflits et Sécurité humaine : Déclaration de Saint-Boniface (2006)

C. ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC)

  1. Charter of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) (1982) 
  2. The Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam (1990) 
  3. Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam (2005) 
  4. Rabat Declaration on Child’s Issues in the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (2005) 
  5. Khartoum Declaration Towards a Brighter Future for Our Children (2009) 
  6. Tripoli Declaration on Accelerating Early Childhood Development in the Islamic World (2011)  
  7. Statute of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (2011) 

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