Human Rights Day 2020: Special article on observance

Special article title: How is Human Rights Education Faring in India?

(Original article: Dr. Lalit Kishor[1]e, merinews.com[2], Dec. 10, 2015 reproduced here and by ‘Global Campaign for Peace Education[3]’)

Human Rights Education (HRE) is cognitive learning and practical application of human rights and responsibilities agreed at the international level with the first ‘right to know the rights’ to make a beginning.

Many educators, as indicated by the UN, view HRE as a tool for ‘learning, action, and change’ through ‘critical thinking skills and concern or empathy for those who have experienced violation of their rights’. Human rights education is learning of all that develops the knowledge, skills, and values of human rights spelled out by UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

The Preamble to UDHR exhorts “every individual and every organ of society” to “strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms” and declares that one goal of education should be “the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Article 26.2 of the UDHR says that “education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.”

According to Lalit kishore at slideshare.net, whatsoever be content of HRE, its pedagogical foundation is concerned with experiences and approaches to the issues of education such as cooperation as societal value rather than competition; democratic values and processes; respect for cultural diversity; equitable gender perspectives; removal of domination and oppression; and emancipation, liberation and freedom.

However, in educational institutions competition and lecture method continue to dominate as a violation of human right which gives freedom to pursue education by respecting the diversity of learners.

In India, some universities are running courses and NGOs giving training to interested persons in HRE. For example, the India Chapter of International Association For Religious Freedom (IARF-India) organizes human rights education workshops for college students and helps them in setting HRE resource centers on their premises in collaboration with IARF-SACC (South Asia Coordinating Council).

However, HRE as a study course or adaptation of curricula on human rights basis, which draws its strength from humanistic approach to education, are not popular in our country. Some seminars and other events are organized by the National Commission of Human Rights for creating awareness on human rights.

[1] Works at Disha, Jaipur, and contributes for slideshare.net [2] Citizen journalism portal that has closed down [3] https://www.peace-ed-campaign.org/how-is-human-rights-education-faring-in-india/