Training Policies and other

Related Policies

Dr. Sandra Reitz

Head of Department Human Rights Education

German Institute for Human Rights

Outline

1. Human Rights Education – Definition

2. Human Rights Education – Actors

3. Human Rights Education – Policies

4. HRE Policies – German School System (key

documents & current plans)

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Human Rights Education - Definition

UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and

Training (HRET), Article 2, Paragraph 2:

“Human rights education and training encompasses:

(a) Education about human rights, which includes

providing knowledge and understanding of human

rights norms and principles, the values that underpin

them and the mechanisms for their protection;

(b) Education through human rights, which includes

learning and teaching in a way that respects the

rights of both educators and learners;

(c) Education for human rights, which includes

empowering persons to enjoy and exercise their

rights and to respect and uphold the rights of others.” 3

Culture of

human rights

Knowledge

Content of HR,

institutions, but

also relevance

Attitudes

Open discussions,

reflections, role-

plays

Skills

Exhibits, applying

HR to target

group’s work

in a respectful, participatory way

If not covered, danger of:

Ignorance Disinterest “Paralysis”

Human Rights Education - Definition

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Different Definitions:

• International Government Organization, Governments and

UN: Focus on legal documents

→ HRE contributing to social order, peace, continuity

• Non-Government Organizations: Focus on educational

approach & empowerment

→ HRE contributing to social justice, transformation,

limiting state power

Human Rights Education - Actors

Cf. Flowers, Nancy (2004). How to Define Human Rights Education? - A

Complex Answer to a Simple Question. In: Georgi, Viola B. & Seberich,

Michael (Eds.). International Perspectives in Human Rights Education.

Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Foundation Publishers. Pages 105-128.

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National Human Rights Institutes (NHRIs):

• State bodies with a constitutional and/or legislative mandate to

protect and promote human rights

• Basis: Paris Principles (adopted by UN General Assembly in

1993)

• Financed by public funds

• Independent from government (different status: „A“ grants

participation in the work of the Human Rights Council and other

UN mechanisms, 69 NHRIs with A status in 2011)

• “Effective NHRIs are an important link between government and

civil society” (http://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/RolesTypesNHRIs.aspx)

Human Rights Education - Actors

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Human Rights Education - Policies

UN Declaration on HRET, Article 8

1. States should develop, or promote the development of, at the

appropriate level, strategies and policies and, where

appropriate, action plans and programmes to implement human

rights education and training, such as through its integration

into school and training curricula. In so doing, they should take

into account the World Programme for Human Rights

Education and specific national and local needs and priorities.

2. The conception, implementation and evaluation of and follow-

up to such strategies, action plans, policies and programmes

should involve all relevant stakeholders, including the

private sector, civil society and national human rights

institutions, by promoting, where appropriate, multi-stakeholder

initiatives. 8

HRE Policies – German Education System

General Conditions

• Education Policies: Responsibility of 16 „Länder“ (federal

states), in spite of some centralisation tendencies

• Further differentiation: different school forms (3-4 different

secondary schools, including grammar schools)

16 different education laws

Curricula: 16 („Länder“) * 3-4 (school types) * 6-15

(subjects relevant to HRE) = 336-960 curricula!

Teacher education dependent on „Land“ (federal state),

often differentiated by school form

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Current policies & documents relevant to HRE

1. Recommendation of the Standing Conference of the

Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs on the

Promotion of Human Rights in Schools (1980/2000):

“Human rights are not only realised by the actions of the

state, but above all by the attitude and the commitment of

the individual. School must make a substantial

contribution to this by forming the character accordingly.

Human rights education is a major task in the

pedagogical mission of school and is defined in all

Länder constitutions and school laws as one of the

primary aims of education. It encompasses all areas of

school activity.” 10

HRE Policies – German Education System

Current policies & documents relevant to HRE

2. Forum Menschenrechte (NGO Human Rights Coalition/

Forum): Standards of Human Rights Education in Schools

(2005):

• Picked up dominant discussion on educational

standards (for main subjects)

• Defined key competencies for HRE in primary and

secondary schools

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HRE Policies – German Education System

Current policies & documents relevant to HRE

3. “Länder” survey by the Secretariat of the Standing

Conference of the Ministries of Education and Cultural

Affairs to prepare a national report within the framework of

the United Nations Action Plan for the World Programme

for HRE (2008):

• “Human Rights” only mentioned in 2 federal states’

school law (Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein (the latter

possibly restrained to German Constitution)),

• HRE mostly mentioned only indirectly, interpreted into

“Citizenship /Civic Education”

• HRE mentioned mostly in subjects: social sciences,

history, ethics/religion

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HRE Policies – German Education System

Current Plans & Ideas

• Encourage “Länder” to mention Human Rights in their

school law (responsibility of Parliaments)

• Initiative started by Amnesty International Germany:

Meetings with Ministries of Education to send information

about material & teacher training offers through their

channels – experience so far: very open

• Use strong documents for legitimation (UN Declaration on

HRET, Recommendation of the Standing Conference of the

Ministries of Education, UN World Programme for HRE)

and phrasing (Standards of HRE)

• Use UN State Reporting (esp. UPR, CRC, ESC) 13

HRE Policies – German Education System

Current Plans & Ideas

Create “demand” for HRE, especially by

HRE in school law: legitimation both for

teacher & pupil education

→ use existing concepts, material, courses

Offer teacher education/ curriculum consulting

Encourage second survey by Secretariat (for

current status)

Continue to critically analyze content (cf.

Flowers: NGO “vs.” IGO)

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HRE Policies – German Education System