Human rights-based education

As a country we aspire to provide an education for our children that prepares them for a happy and productive life, in which they learn to have regard for others, in a setting in which they themselves are safe. These are human rights goals, although they are not always seen as such.

Human rights-based education recognises that every young person has an internationally-recognised right to a quality education that:

• helps realise their human rights, such as the rights to optimum development, work, and an adequate standard of living;
• respects their human rights, such as rights to dignity, identity, safety, expression & participation, justice;
• promotes the human rights of others.

There is growing evidence that focusing explicitly on the human rights role of the centre/school can have major impact on educational participation, engagement and achievement.

The education of the child shall be directed to:

(a) the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential;

(b) the development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;

(c) the development of respect for the child's parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own;

(d) the preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin;

(e) the development of respect for the natural environment.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 29

 

EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT

Human rights are an expression of human aspirations for dignity, equality, security and freedom to reach one’s potential as a human being.

The understanding that education is the key to meeting our individual and collective aspirations for a decent life has been at the heart of New Zealand education policy for seventy years. It was strongly articulated by world-renowned educationalist C E Beeby, and the minister who appointed him Director of Education, Peter Fraser.

Under Fraser – Prime Minister in 1940 – strong convictions that all people are entitled to basic rights became New Zealand’s wartime agenda, and helped give rise to the international human rights framework that emerged after World War 2, starting with the United Nations Charter (1945) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).

Lord Cooke of Thorndon – arguably New Zealand’s most eminent jurist – was to describe the adoption of the Universal Declaration as one of the most significant dates in world history: cross-cultural international agreement for the first time that all people everywhere were entitled to certain basic rights by virtue of being human. The human rights outlined in the Declaration were to be promoted “by teaching and education” by “every individual and every organ of society”.

The Universal Declaration and the international treaties that followed it, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, spelt out the right of every child and young person to an education that respects and helps realise their human rights and those of others.

Six decades after the adoption of the Universal Declaration, although New Zealand fares well in international comparisons of educational achievement, clear human rights-related challenges remain: for example, a significant tail of underachievement in particular social groups, problems of student behaviour, teacher burn-out and a lack of human rights knowledge.

RESULTS THROUGH HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED EDUCATION

New Zealand's educational challenges are not unique. Based on growing international agreement, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005-), citing various benefits:

• Helps improve the effectiveness of the national education system as a whole, enabling the education system to fulfil its fundamental mission to secure quality education for all

• Improves quality of learning achievements by promoting child-centred and participatory teaching and learning practices and processes
• Increases access to and participation in schooling by creating a rights-based learning environment that is inclusive and welcoming and fosters universal values, equal opportunities, diversity and non-discrimination
• Contributes to social cohesion and conflict prevention by supporting the social and emotional development of the child and by introducing democratic citizenship and values. (UN World Programme for HRE, Plan of Action)

The English county of Hampshire has been implementing human rights-based education as a county-wide initiative since 2004, under the label 'Rights, Respect, Responsibility'.  (Click here for more a more detailed account of the positive results experienced in Hampshire.) Building on Hampshire's experience, Unicef UK developed their extensive Rights-Respecting Schools Award programme.

By adopting a whole-school framework of rights and responsibilities schools can:

• Create a school culture that supports learning, generates enthusiasm and responsibility, and helps young people develop as New Zealand and global citizens
• Create a coherent and powerful school curriculum meeting the requirements of the New Zealand Curriculum
• Contribute to New Zealand meeting its legal obligations to respect, protect and fulfil human rights.

Whole-school adoption of a human rights approach can lead to: improved self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and teacher-satisfaction; reduced absenteeism, bullying and vandalism; and academic results.

For more information on human rights-based education click here or explore our education resources here.

To read four key documents on the human right to education by pioneer in the field, Katarina Tomasevski, visit Primers on the right to education on the Right to Education Project website

Last Updated (Wednesday, 21 December 2011 15:01)