Opening remarks by Flavia Pansieri, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights at the Side Event on Human Rights Education and Training: Achievements and Perspectives

25 September 2015

I am delighted to welcome you to this Side Event on Human Rights Education and Training: Achievements and Perspectives organized by the Platform for Human Rights Education and Training.

I wish to thank Costa Rica, Italy, Morocco, Philippines, Senegal, Slovenia, Switzerland and Thailand – as members of the Platform – for organizing this event and for their strong commitment to human rights education and training.

Sixty-seven years ago, in the wake of the second world war, the authors of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights realized that human rights education would be so crucial that they wrote it into that great, foundational text. Article 26 reads “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

They did this because they realize that, as the High Commissioner said earlier this year, we do not only need people who are smart. We need people who are kind. People with PhD-level compassion. People who feel joy, and generosity, and love, and who have fully integrated the values that are essential to life in freedom and dignity. In the turbulent world we live in, we need people with a strong moral compass.

All UN Member States have affirmed on many occasions their belief in the centrality of human rights education as a long-term strategy for the prevention of human rights violations and conflicts; for equality and sustainable development; and for people’s participation in decision-making processes.

And we have seen human rights education gain momentum in the past 20 years:

• The UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, as well as similar developments at the regional level, have brought progress in standard-setting.
• The many organizations, including those sitting in this room, which are dedicated to promoting human rights education, illustrate the progress in institution-building.
• We have also seen increased visibility on the international agenda: the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council routinely address human rights education in their work. The UN Decade for Human Rights Education and the World Programme for Human Rights Education which constitute advocacy tools for human rights educators worldwide.

But more importantly, we have seen a significant growth in education and training programmes, initiatives, materials and resources championed by Governments, national human rights institutions and civil society. There are more children, and more adults, learning about human rights – this is what really matters.

When OHCHR conducted its most recent evaluation of the implementation of the second phase of the World Programme, it revealed an impressive amount of activities undertaken by States to implement and support human rights education in higher education and human rights training for civil servants, law enforcement officials and the military during the second phase of the World Programme. The tools and resources for improvement in the area of human rights education and training are becoming more and more available, and more attention is paid to design better training methodologies that are practical and relevant to the learners and their work context.

These are very positive and important developments. But these achievements must be built on.

In particular, human rights training for targeted professional groups must be institutionalised. It still remains ad hoc and dependent on external initiatives in many countries.

Secondly, States can increasingly both use and contribute to the wealth of opportunities for technical cooperation in human rights education and training that exist through UN entities, ICRC, regional organizations, Governments, NGOs as well as through regional initiatives. I hope this event will shed some light on good ways to achieve synergies and alliances between States and these actors.

Thirdly, States should take full advantage of the new third phase (2015-2019) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. This phase focuses on promoting human rights training of media professionals and journalists – but also on strengthening the implementation of both the first phase¹ and the second phase².

OHCHR is committed to supporting the national implementation of the plan of action for the third phase, providing related technical assistance, and coordinating related international efforts. Human rights education and training are a regular part of the work of our around 60 field presences. We also supports the human rights education and training programmes of others by providing advice, developing and disseminating methodological tools based on good practice, and sharing resources.

It is only if we work together that we can achieve our goals. But they are reachable. From the earliest age, human rights education can and should be infused throughout the program of every school and learning context – in curricula and textbooks, policies, the training of teaching personnel, pedagogical methods and the overall learning environment. Let us join efforts to make sure that every child and adult on this planet acquires a foundational understanding of human rights.

Thank you.

1. 2005-2009, which focused on human rights education in the primary and secondary school systems.

2. 2010-2014, which 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.