12/36 Consultation on the focus of the second phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education - Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

GE.09-15066 (E) 170909

UNITED NATIONS

A

General Assembly Distr. GENERAL

A/HRC/12/36 20 August 2009

Original: ENGLISH

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Twelfth session Agenda item 3

PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT

Consultation on the focus of the second phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights*

* Late submission.

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Summary

The present report is submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 10/3. It summarizes contributions and views expressed by Governments, national human rights institutions, intergovernmental and regional organizations as well as NGOs on the possible focus, in terms of target sector or thematic area, of the second phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. These contributions were received between 3 June and 28 July 2009 in the context of a consultation conducted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The wide variety of different approaches contained in the responses received only allowed some general conclusions to be drawn, which are presented at the end of the report. A significant number of respondents highlighted that the focus on human rights education in primary and secondary schools should continue as the aims of the first phase have not yet been achieved. At the same time, a considerable number of respondents highlighted the need to focus attention on human rights training for teachers and educators, where not enough has been achieved and without which human rights education cannot be effectively integrated into the school system. A number of respondents cited tertiary or university education as the next proposed target area. A significant number of respondents pointed to the need for human rights training of duty bearers, especially law enforcement officials. As regards the thematic areas to be targeted, while numerous areas were recommended, often in the light of national realities, the role of human rights education in tackling poverty and the importance of focusing on the principles of non-discrimination and equality were most frequently highlighted. Finally, the majority of respondents proposed a period of five years for the second phase.

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CONTENTS

Paragraphs Page

I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 1 - 7 4

II. RESPONSES FROM GOVERNMENTS ........................................... 8 - 25 5

III. RESPONSES FROM NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS .................................................................. 26 - 43 8

IV. RESPONSES FROM UNITED NATIONS BODIES AND SPECIALIZED AGENCIES, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ............................................. 44 - 50 12

V. RESPONSES FROM NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS ............................................................................ 51 - 69 13

VI. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................. 70 - 83 17

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I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Human Rights Council, in resolution 10/3, requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to consult with States Members of the United Nations, national human rights institutions and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on the possible focus, in terms of target sector or thematic area, of the second phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, to begin on 1 January 2010, and to submit a report on those consultations to the Council at its twelfth session. The present report is submitted in accordance with that request.

2. On 5 June 2009, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) sent a request to Member States, national human rights institutions and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations for their views and contributions. The consultation was announced on the OHCHR website and publicized on the Global Human Rights Education LISTSERV.

3. By 28 July 2009, 59 responses were received including 17 replies from Governments, 15 from national human rights institutions and 8 from international organizations. In addition 16 NGOs and 3 individuals also replied. The present report summarizes their views and makes some concluding remarks on the basis of the information and suggestions received.1

4. The Governments of the following Member States replied: Armenia; Cambodia; Costa Rica; Cyprus; Germany; Italy; Japan; Montenegro; Morocco; Republic of Moldova; Romania; Slovenia; Switzerland; Togo; Turkey; Ukraine; and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

5. The following national human rights institutions replied: Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission; Australian Human Rights Commission; Canadian Human Rights Commission; Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, Mexico; Commission consultative des droits de l’homme, Luxembourg; Irish Human Rights Commission; National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, Cameroon; National Human Rights Commission of India; National Human Rights Commission of Korea; National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia; New Zealand Human Rights Commission; Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos de Nicaragua; Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, Canada; Uganda Human Rights Commission; and Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.

6. The following United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, international and regional organizations replied: United Nations Children’s Fund; United Nations Population Fund; Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; United Nations World Food Programme; International Labour Organization; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; International Maritime Organization; and European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.

1 Input from replies received after 28 July 2009 could not be included in this report.

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7. The following NGOs replied: Amnesty International - International Secretariat, United Kingdom; Amnesty International Mongolia; Buraku Liberation League, Japan; Cercle de recherche sur les droits et les devoirs de la personne humaine, Cameroon; Cercle d’initiative commune pour la recherche, l’environnement et la qualité, Cameroon; Council of Human Rights of Deprived Communities of Sri Lanka; Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement; Europe-Third World Centre, Switzerland; Human Rights Education Associates, United States of America; International Association of Schools of Social Work, Switzerland; International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism - Japan Committee, Japan; Ius Primi Viri, Italy; Population and Community Development Association, Thailand; Soka Gakkai International, Japan; Solidarity for Social Equality (Human Rights Centre), India; Worldwide Organization for Women, United States of America; and individual researchers from Jordan, Kenya, and Turkey.

II. RESPONSES FROM GOVERNMENTS

8. The Government of Armenia proposed specific target groups for the second phase as follows: secondary school directors and teachers, especially social science, law or human rights teachers; university and college teachers; representatives of local self-governing bodies, especially trusteeship and guardianship bodies; representatives of the justice system, including judges and lawyers; representatives of law enforcement bodies, including police, especially those working with minors, and public prosecutors’ offices; and media representatives. Themes tackled in the second phase could include all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and labour rights with emphasis to migration issues. The second phase should last from 2010 to 2014.

9. The Government of Cambodia expressed the commitment of its Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport to the second phase. The Ministry will implement further teacher training in human rights and related civil codes for teachers working in and out of the educational system as the Ministry’s staff, through a technical team preparing a workplan, developing training materials as well as providing training in this framework.

10. The Government of Costa Rica stated that as education in sexual and reproductive rights of young persons is one of the tasks that the Costa Rican State still has to fulfil, the Public Education Ministry should play a larger role in this area. States should take up the responsibility of providing information on sexual and reproductive rights as well as access to health services. The explicit commitment of Costa Rica to sexual and reproductive rights of the young population via the adoption of this topic in the second phase could contribute to meeting this challenge. The response further provided a detailed account of recent surveys among the Costa Rican population and an overview of specific education programmes of the Public Education Ministry.

11. According to the Government of Cyprus, in the World Programme’s second phase the target sector should be migrant and disabled children at school. Cyprus suggested as a thematic area the right of migrant and disabled children to have equal educational opportunities to all other schoolchildren.

12. The Government of Germany highlighted the following possible target groups: teachers in primary and secondary schools (human rights education included in university studies as well as

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part of in-service training for schoolteachers); jurists (human rights integrated in legal studies and vocational training); police and other security officers working with vulnerable groups such as migrants, asylum-seekers and prisoners (human rights education being part of their basic training as well as in-service training). Thematically, human rights education could be focused on protection against discrimination and teaching non-discriminatory social behaviour; the right to freedom of religion; personal data protection and freedom of information. The second phase could last four years.

13. The Government of Italy stated that the second phase should build upon the experience and outcome of the first phase. A specific focus was needed in the area of training courses for government officials, particularly from the following sectors: Ministry of Justice, the judiciary, Ministry of the Interior, law enforcement officials (civil and/or military), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Defence. Italy offered some suggestions on a possible length and structure of such training programmes. Raising awareness of the whole spectrum of human rights at all levels, as well as elaborating the most effective instruments for different environments and beneficiaries, remain the most important challenges of the World Programme. Italy singled out the issue of religious freedom as being of particular importance.

14. In the view of the Government of Japan, the target sector for the second phase should be general. The protection of the human rights of foreigners would be a meaningful theme, following the agenda of the 2009 Durban Review Conference. The possible length of the second phase could be five years.

15. The Government of Montenegro proposed that parents, adults, professors, schools of foreign languages, teachers and NGOs could be possible target groups involved in human rights education.

16. The Government of Morocco recommended focusing efforts on preschool education, higher education and the media. Socialization with the human rights theme can begin as from preschool age, which would allow for better integration of the individual in his/her environment. Teaching in higher education institutions would also allow scientific research with a view to adapting policies and programmes to objective data on the social reality. In terms of specific human rights themes, Morocco suggested notably the fight against all forms of violence and all forms of incivility. Five years would allow the elaboration of necessary analyses and implementation of plans of action.

17. The Government of the Republic of Moldova provided eight possible thematic areas and corresponding target sectors (in brackets): domestic violence and victim protection (general public); prevention and combating of torture (institutions providing detention of persons); freedom of assembly (general public); child rights and protection (educational institutions); juvenile justice (law enforcement); promoting human rights in the penitentiary system (prison employees and inmates); strengthening the knowledge of human rights (penitentiary system employees); and human rights education and training (detainees).

18. The Government of Romania proposed to focus on teacher training on migrants and, in terms of themes, on the human rights of migrants, concentrating on the rights of migrant children.

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19. The Government of Slovenia emphasized the following target sectors for the second phase: third triad of primary school (12-15 years), secondary school (15-19 years), and education of expert workers in the field of education and training. As regards thematic areas, Slovenia proposed an emphasis on: global problems of humankind such as freedom of expression, right to information, and right to work, fair pay and rest; a decent standard of living; cooperation in developing culture and science; equality, right to protection, freedom of movement, housing, and citizenship; emphasis on the quality of relations among people and development of social competences, which lead to non-violence, tolerance, cooperation and respect.

20. The Government of Switzerland proposed the following sectors: use of science, technology and other scientific activities that respect human dignity and human rights, e.g. bioethics, including the right to access knowledge and the benefits of science and of research in the context of sustainable development (see the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development); and training for the media and journalists. 21. In recognizing the pertinence of human rights education in primary and secondary schools, the Government of Togo recommended extending human rights education to other levels of formal education such as universities and professional schools. In order for the education in these sectors to be effective, it is important to emphasize training educators from these institutions in human rights education. This should also include training the media as they have a significant influence on the values and behaviours of youth. In addition to formal education of students, citizens in general should be educated in human rights issues. Support should be envisaged for civil society organizations whose goal is to contribute to civic education of the general population. Although human rights education should be based on the holistic dimension of human rights, the specificities of each level of education should be taken into account. The second phase could last for four years.

22. The Government of Turkey considered that the second phase should target in particular experts and officials mandated with preparing and monitoring school textbooks. The issues of non-discrimination and equality for all should be the main themes to reflect the challenges in combating discrimination globally and to emphasize tolerance. This would also be useful in combating discrimination and violence in schools. Turkey proposed that the second phase cover the period 2010-2014.

23. The Government of Ukraine considered it important to build respect for human rights within legal education, and therefore one of the themes of the second phase could be “a rights culture”. Human rights education should cover the whole society. Ukraine referred to its positive experience in educating citizens to respect the law and human rights through the annual nationwide Week of Law and proposed its use in the realization of the second phase. National governmental and non-governmental organizations as well as intergovernmental and international human rights institutions would report on their activities in the framework of the World Programme. The second phase should last five years.

24. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland underscored the importance of continuing efforts to promote human rights in primary and secondary schools, noting the general consensus that there is still much to do in ensuring that sufficient progress has been made during the first phase of the Programme. The focus should

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remain on schools and practitioners and further work needs to be undertaken at the primary and secondary education levels to establish this agenda. The United Kingdom suggested conducting a baseline assessment of the level of human rights education in schools and a review of impact.

25. The Government considered that human rights education should be expanded to include government policymakers as a target group. There may be a role for the World Programme in providing education on torture prevention to police, correction services, judiciary, armed forces, etc. Other sectors that might usefully be targeted include lawyers and teachers. As concerns themes, the United Kingdom stressed a greater focus on the interdependence and indivisibility of human rights and the importance of bringing together human rights, development and the Millennium Development Goals. NGOs should be supported in working on fair trade and employment rights in the developing world.

III. RESPONSES FROM NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS

26. The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission suggested that before moving on to the second phase, evaluation of the first phase should be carried out by all Member States. The evaluation should focus on educational strategies and policy, programme planning, human rights curriculum development, teaching and learning materials development, pre- and in-service training of teachers and educational personnel, teaching and learning methodologies, teacher training and others. Human rights education should be included in all sectors, but particularly in grades 10-12. The proposed length for the second phase is five years.

27. The Australian Human Rights Commission offered its views on priorities in the Australian context. Human rights education is fundamental to building a human rights culture and it should be incorporated into every level of general education. A broad human rights education programme should be aimed at parliamentarians, court officials, public servants, private sector workers, students in both schools and universities and the wider community. Specific human rights education initiatives should be developed to address the needs of communities facing particular human rights issues, e.g. indigenous peoples and particular faith-based communities. The Commission deemed that a national study on the status of human rights education in the schooling sector, professional support for teachers to teach human rights content and the development of a comprehensive national implementation strategy for human rights education should remain the priorities for the second phase.

28. The federal Canadian Human Rights Commission undertook consultations with its provincial and territorial counterparts and proposed that the second phase focus on disability issues. In the Canadian context, disability is the most often cited ground of discrimination. The biggest barrier to the full social and economic integration of persons with disabilities is said not to be the lack of legal protection, but rather the attitudes of non-disabled people toward their fellow citizens. The Commission recommended that education and other related initiatives be targeted at the general population in view of education’s role in attitudinal change. Greater tolerance and improved realities for those living with physical and mental disabilities can be achieved through broad educational efforts to counter prejudices. This focus could positively impact on the elimination of barriers that now prevent the full participation in society of persons with disabilities.

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29. In addition to the input from the Canadian federal level, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission, in a separate submission, recommended that the World Programme continue its focus on the primary and secondary school systems, as they provide the greatest opportunity to inform individuals of their human rights and responsibilities and create broad cultural change. Although the World Programme has made significant advances during the first phase, it is clear from its reports on national initiatives that many nations, including Canada, have not yet responded adequately to the World Programme Plan of Action. The Commission further suggested extending the World Programme to the post-secondary educational sector, particularly with regard to teacher training. The non-formal sector, often the primary provider of human rights education, should be given financial support. The second phase should focus on the activities of duty bearers including police officers and government officials, and could combine a general thematic emphasis on ways of integrating a human rights perspective into all public education, services and actions, with a focus on pressing issues such as the situation of vulnerable and impoverished children. The second phase could be undertaken for a period of 5 to 10 years.

30. The Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos of Mexico suggested focusing on the university sector. In Mexico the study of human rights is not a priority theme in the majority of university degrees at present. However, university students should know their rights and responsibilities as an important element of democratic society. Teachers should constantly be educated in human rights and an interdisciplinary human rights education programme should be established. Certain topics should be privileged in human rights education, namely education for peace, education for development and education for multiculturalism.

31. The Commission consultative des droits de l’homme of Luxembourg identified non-formal education as a possible target sector. Teaching staff need to be motivated or obliged to follow specific training on didactic principles that lead children to become conscious of social phenomena and daily events linked to fundamental rights. Initial and continuing education of teaching staff could be more accessible, for example through e-learning. Such non-formal education would affect less-gifted young people, those refused by schools, members of minorities, and groups of different age and origin. Human rights education should be of a philosophical nature, less academic and more pragmatic, and should also be provided to police, administrators, enterprises and other audiences.

32. Human rights education should sensitize people to social integration and should make people aware of fundamental rights and responsibilities of minority groups. The current global crisis, high housing prices, job insecurity, the employment crisis and excessive debt justify reflection on socio-economic rights. Furthermore, child rights should not lose their priority status as increasing poverty is also hampering the effective protection of children from physical and psychological violations. Human rights training activities should sensitize to the rights and needs of the elderly.

33. The detailed reflection from the Irish Human Rights Commission on the progress on human rights education globally and in Ireland concluded that there was much yet to be done to build on initiatives developed during the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education and the World Programme and to secure increased support at national level for their continued sustainability. It reported that by July 2008 only a small number of countries had completed stage two of the World Programme Plan of Action and developed national action plans/strategies

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for human rights education. Therefore, the first phase should be further extended and its activities evaluated at regional and global levels so as to ascertain the impact of the programme to date and to be better able to tackle remaining challenges, the scale of which is different in each country or region.

34. The Commission suggested that initial work on the second phase focus on civil and public servants, especially teachers. Training on the norms and principles of human rights should be a mainstream component of all pre- and in-service training for teachers, the police service, prison staff, health professionals, public service providers, civil servants, and for State bodies to which the Government delegates responsibilities. Such training should be mandatory for all public officials, while those engaged in law-, policy-, or decision-making and service provision should be provided with tailor-made training on human rights. Existing human rights infrastructures should be used in implementing the second phase, which would require a time frame of at least 10 years.

35. The National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms of Cameroon considered that the focus should be on disadvantaged and vulnerable children, although they may not be able to defend their rights even after coming to know them. Education on the rights of the child should move from targeting rights holders to targeting duty bearers. Parents, tutors, teachers, public authorities, local or traditional authorities and everyone else should be able to participate in effective protection of the rights of the child. Topics like non-discrimination, equality between boys and girls at home and in school, the right to participate and the responsibilities of parents and community leaders towards the protection of the child should be part of the agenda for effective human rights education.

36. The National Human Rights Commission of India identified children and teachers in schools and colleges as one possible target sector. A human rights education component should be introduced in the school and college curriculum and teachers should also be sensitized since they serve as role models. Secondly, in view of the importance of good governance, the new phase could focus on elected representatives of people and field-level functionaries of Government or organizations under Government. The third possible target group could be rights holders, namely women, vulnerable groups, persons with disabilities and labourers, including migrant labourers. Global thematic areas for the second phase could include climate change and environmental issues, which have a bearing on the rights to food, water, clean air and life; and gender equality, with a view to empowering women. Thematic areas specific to India include food security; right to education; right to health, hygiene and sanitation; conditions in places of custody; HIV/AIDS; and right to development. The second phase should last three to five years.

37. According to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, the second phase should seek to extend human rights education to higher education systems throughout the formal education curriculum at universities and postgraduate schools. It would be important to develop human rights research institutes based at local universities as well as human rights education and training modules for pre-service, in-service or lifelong training for lawyers, law enforcers, civil officials, teachers, social workers and health service providers. Human rights-centred training programmes should equip teachers to respect human rights. Among the various target populations for human rights education in the school and the public and civil society sectors, the Commission highlighted social workers and other human service providers, business people, and State and local public service officials, including police, prosecution, correctional and

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immigration officials. Thematically, the priority should be on ensuring human rights for people living in poverty; promoting economic and social rights such as the rights to work, food and housing; and strengthening civil and political rights. The right to privacy, preventing the misuse of personal information and eliminating inequality in access to information were also mentioned as global priorities.

38. The National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia proposed that the second phase should cover the third level of the educational system. This would give students the possibility to enhance their knowledge of human rights obtained in primary and secondary schools. It would be necessary to review and revise the curricula of educational institutions that prepare specialists providing service to the general public, such as teachers, social workers or medics. The timing for the integration of human rights education into the tertiary education system will depend on the political, economic, social and cultural circumstances of each country; most States Members of the United Nations would take appropriate measures within two to four years.

39. The New Zealand Human Rights Commission saw the need for a continuing focus on the integration of human rights education into the primary and secondary school systems. It further suggested that efforts should concentrate on government duty bearers who most directly address a country’s commitments under international instruments. A plan of action could be introduced for developing human rights as the standard for government policymaking and legislative drafting.

40. The Commission also highlighted the need to focus on lifelong human rights education and ongoing education and strategies for adult education and lifelong learning. A focus on the education of mass media and social media bodies would assist in ensuring that channels through which people consume information have a clear understanding of a human rights approach. This in turn could help them construct ways of interacting with audiences that take human rights into account. The rights of persons with disabilities and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities should further receive priority attention. The length of the second phase could be three years followed by a review and possible extension for a further period depending upon progress made.

41. The Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos de Nicaragua considered that there should be coordinated efforts between the States, civil society and national human rights institutions in order to develop human rights education and training for officials in charge of enforcing the law, e.g. national police, the army, migration and foreign offices; for implementers of the legal system such as judges or prosecutors; non-formal education for activists or community leaders at the local level; and training for persons in detention facilities. Human rights education should be offered at all levels of education. The role of national human rights institutions and the media should also be included.

42. The Uganda Human Rights Commission submitted a detailed account of its achievements during the implementation of the first phase. Additionally, the Uganda Commission proposed to focus on integrating human rights education into the Primary Teachers Colleges and National Teachers Colleges, with a view to empowering student teachers with the knowledge of human rights law and principles in order to teach human rights effectively at both primary and secondary schools. The Commission proposed integrating a human rights-based approach to development in the policies of government ministries at all levels with a view to eliminating injustice, inequality and poverty. The second phase could last for five years.

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43. The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights recommended that the second phase address the main trends of societal development, modern challenges and threats to human rights, in particular globalization; increasing poverty; the world financial and economic crisis and its negative impact on human rights; migration; growth of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; and threats to environmental rights. The second phase should be focused on education for society as a whole about economic and social rights, as well as the rights of migrants and refugees, environmental rights, especially the right to a safe natural environment, water, and safe food. Activities in the second phase should encourage the media to inform about human rights and freedoms. Human rights courses should be incorporated into the curriculum of higher educational institutions.

IV. RESPONSES FROM UNITED NATIONS BODIES AND SPECIALIZED AGENCIES, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

44. The United Nations Children’s Fund underlined that there is still considerable work to be done in the integration of human rights education into primary and secondary levels, and that the rationale of focusing human rights education efforts on children remains as relevant for the second phase as it was for the first. At the same time, the realization of human rights requires more public awareness than can be delivered by targeting educational institutions and systems alone. The second phase should, therefore, target a broader sector. Regarding a theme, one possibility might be to focus on the rights of women and children, given that both the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women celebrate major anniversaries at the end of this year. 45. The United Nations Population Fund suggested that the second phase focus on the rights of indigenous persons and of persons with disabilities as these two groups continued to face marginalization and discrimination despite progress in the legislative and judicial spheres. Building on the momentum generated by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, focusing on indigenous and disability issues would contribute to increasing visibility and fulfilling the needs and rights of these groups. Strengthening education systems at all levels - from primary to tertiary education - is key to ensuring equal opportunities for these two groups.

46. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) advised focusing the second phase on the general public, education authorities and educational personnel as well as governmental agencies in order to promote the right to safe and quality education for all children and adolescents, especially those affected by displacement and stateless children. UNHCR encouraged the inclusion of the right to education in the second phase as many children and adolescents are still denied this fundamental right. Advocacy on education as a human right is strongly needed to facilitate access to formal and non-formal education and to improve retention in schools of many vulnerable groups around the world suffering from very poor living conditions, conflict or displacement. UNHCR also proposed that the second phase focus on the necessity of promoting safe learning environments that must be violence- and exploitation-free to facilitate access to and deliver quality education.

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47. The International Labour Organization proposed that the second phase target marginalized and exploited children, since human rights education is one of the key measures to protect children, in particular girls, from exploitation. It recommended that the second phase should run for a minimum of three years.

48. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) identified, on the basis of information supplied by National Commissions for UNESCO, teachers and school personnel as possible target sectors in view of insufficient pre-service and in-service training and lack of clear guidelines and relevant materials for teachers and school personnel, including managers and administrators, at the local level in many of its member States. In the view of UNESCO, the lack of effective partnerships with the media limited the social change that human rights education sought to encourage. A change in the mindsets of societies is necessary for the full respect of everyone’s rights, as is closer cooperation with media professionals.

49. Regarding themes, UNESCO highlighted the role of human rights education, particularly in post-conflict situations, remembrance, and inter-religious dialogue. Adequate resources needed to be allocated in order to secure a solid follow-up to these issues. The role of research and higher education was also underlined with the following suggestions: further development of university degree programmes specialized in human rights education; development of methods to measure the impact of human rights education, serving to ensure sustainability through well-planned follow-up; and better coordination of the various stakeholders involved in human rights education research and capacity-building. The length of the second phase would depend on the target and objective of the phase. 50. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the International Maritime Organization, and the World Food Programme responded briefly, but were not in a position to offer detailed input on this subject.

V. RESPONSES FROM NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

51. The Amnesty International - International Secretariat supported firstly, the continuation, consolidation and comprehensive evaluation of efforts under the first phase focusing on primary and secondary education. Secondly, it recommended the expansion of the Programme to include non-formal education, thereby ensuring that human rights education reaches out to the most vulnerable groups through non-formal and participatory methodologies, so that they have the knowledge, skills and tools to apply a human rights framework to claim their rights and hold duty bearers to account. Amnesty International further stressed a specific focus on young people. When educated within a human rights framework, they can be empowered to take action in their local and global communities to ensure realization of their own rights, or those of others. Additionally, the World Programme should focus on educators, both in the formal and non-formal education sectors. Focus on training and capacity-building of educators ensures that they have the skills and resources to teach about human rights in a rights-respecting way. Amnesty International did not explicitly frame its submission to support a theme based on any particular human right, but would recommend eradication of poverty as a theme for the second phase if one had to be chosen.

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52. Amnesty International Mongolia stated that more time was needed to effectively include human rights education in the secondary school curriculum. The second phase should focus on the continuation of the first phase for an assessment of Government reports and a strong commitment by Governments to finalize it; and on human rights awareness-raising among the general public, including young people inside and outside school. Even if suffering from poverty, environmental degradation, corruption and impunity, they should be aware of how to participate as they have the right to development. This focus area would be consistent with and strengthen the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals.

53. The Buraku Liberation League, in pointing out the achievements and shortcomings of the first phase, suggested strengthening the system for the promotion of the World Programme, as well as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. A report on progress in the World Programme should be required as part of the universal periodic review and the examination of reports by the treaty bodies. The second phase should focus on promoting human rights education in tertiary education, especially the establishment of graduate human rights programmes at universities. Human rights education should be further promoted in private companies and for people in professions closely related to human rights, such as civil servants, teachers, police, prosecutors, judges, prison officers, as well as people working in the welfare and medical fields. Human rights education should also empower vulnerable people. The second phase should last for five years.

54. The Europe-Third World Centre highlighted the need to make organizations and social movements of the South in particular better aware of economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development. This organization deemed that people whose rights are violated should be better informed about how to mobilize United Nations human rights mechanisms, such as complaint mechanisms, special rapporteurs and independent experts, working groups and others. The goal should be to make the understanding of human rights more accessible in the South.

55. The Cercle d’initiative commune pour la recherche, l’environnement et la qualité considered that the goals of the first phase have not been fully achieved yet. In its view, Governments must establish curricula that include human rights education at all levels of education from nursery school onwards and in all subjects. The second phase should impart the culture of human rights, which should be considered as a catalyst for sustainable development and real democratization of the African continent.

56. The Cercle de recherche sur les droits et les devoirs de la personne humaine proposed, on the basis of a wide consultation with its partner organizations, that the second phase should target particularly the higher education and university sector as well as public and private institutes providing professional education. A generic education module on human rights should be introduced covering key concepts, namely obligations, duties, rights and freedoms. The phase should last from 2010 to 2015.

57. The Council of Human Rights of Deprived Communities in Sri Lanka suggested rural areas and deprived and neglected communities as a target sector and nutrition and religious liberty as a thematic area for the second phase.

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58. The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement deemed that the first phase had not yet achieved its goals and still needed to be extended, with tools to ensure government commitments to integrate human rights into primary and secondary school systems. The second phase should address media personnel, especially television, with a view to achieving socially responsible media.

59. Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) stated that the second phase should emphasize that the original focus on primary and secondary schools also remains a target. Governments should be encouraged to evaluate the results of their first phase activities in order to assess progress and to identify indicators and tools that can assist in the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of human rights education programming. Human rights education and the rights-based approach to schooling should be linked with the right to education. Governments should continue to be encouraged to establish and implement national plans of action for human rights education.

60. HREA recommended that the second phase target institutions of higher education, including universities, teacher training institutions and other professional training institutions, allowing for a natural progression from the first phase focus on schooling to teachers and administrators. The main target groups of the second phase would be teachers and other professional groups such as law enforcement officials, health workers, social workers and others. Human rights education undertaken would encompass both formal and non-formal approaches.

61. In the second phase, education efforts should be aimed to protect and help realize the human rights of the most vulnerable groups. Human rights education should address human rights issues of relevance to the lives of those engaged in education and training activities, e.g. poverty, discrimination, a lack of freedom of expression. Human rights education should integrate the identification and capacity-building of both rights holders and duty bearers in relation to human rights issues of special concern for learners. The language of the second phase should recognize the important contribution of civil society and encourage the inclusion of wider civil society in supporting the Government’s efforts. HREA proposed that the second phase run for three years.

62. The International Association of Schools of Social Work highlighted as possible target sectors the helping and health professions, e.g. social work, psychology, psychiatry, nursing, medicine, and disciplines such as sociology, political science and economics. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Principles for the protection of persons with mental illness and the improvement of mental health care and the Principles of Medical Ethics relevant to the Role of Health Personnel, particularly Physicians, in the Protection of Prisoners and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, should form part of the curricula for these professions. Themes suggested by the Association included the eradication of extreme poverty, right to peace and world citizenship.

63. The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism - Japan Committee suggested that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights conduct a general evaluation of the first phase. For the second phase, it proposed a focus on human rights education and training of law enforcement officers and civil servants. It further recommended that the second phase concentrate on school education about the history and culture of minority communities in their own societies in order to combat exclusion.

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64. Ius Primi Viri recommended continuing the target sectors of the first phase as in its view more serious commitment by all Governments was required. It recommended that courses should be held to train trainers, i.e. teachers, police, civil servants, military officers, lawyers, magistrates, doctors, nurses and health workers, using a methodology enabling them to develop a human rights conscience to analyse personal and interpersonal conflicts between couples, families, ethnic groups and nations. The second phase should last for at least three years from its initiation.

65. According to the Population and Community Development Association, the second phase could make use of its HIV/AIDS education programmes combining education and entertainment as a tool in human rights education. Children, youth and adults should be targeted, utilizing games or comic books for different age groups. Additionally, a media campaign could broadcast radio or TV spots and cartoons. Ethical business behaviour and corporate social responsibility training could be encouraged for companies. The length of the second phase should be five years.

66. Soka Gakkai International identified human rights education in higher education and academic institutions as well as other research institutions related to human rights as the proposed focus of the next phase. A sector or a theme should not be too specific in order to avoid the World Programme becoming a concern only to a limited number of countries or groups of individuals rather than being applicable to all countries of the world. Drawing on experience from the first phase, it highlighted the need for a generation of teachers trained in human rights. Focusing on human rights education in higher education and academic institutions would enable future teachers to acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes and ideas for initiatives to take toward building respect for human rights. Higher education institutions could contribute to the development of innovative methodologies and tools for human rights education as well as capacity-building of teachers and other professionals. Directly involving academic and research institutions could also contribute to the development of monitoring or evaluation machinery for the implementation of the World Programme. It proposed a three-year period; four years if the launch of the phase and drafting of a plan of action were delayed.

67. Solidarity for Social Equality (Human Rights Centre) proposed a focus on religious leaders to eliminate religious-based violence, and on scientists, especially those engaged in biotechnology and nuclear energy, to raise their consciousness of the right to life and to a healthy environment.

68. The Worldwide Organization for Women commented broadly on the importance of human rights education for every child and considered that it would be ideal to invest in human rights education for all educators. It emphasized the importance of programmes that build awareness in children and teach them about their fundamental rights and of investing in education of the girl child which could lead to achieving the highest increase in development.

69. Contributions from three individuals from Jordan, Kenya and Turkey highlighted the following target sectors and themes: impact of armed conflict on children; empowering and networking human rights education providers, teacher and leadership training institutions; and education for refugee and vulnerable children.

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VI. CONCLUSIONS

70. A diversity of suggestions and approaches reflecting specific national contexts received in the course of the consultation allow only general conclusions and broad trends and patterns, which are outlined in the following paragraphs.

71. It should be emphasized at the outset that 16 respondents, including 2 Governments and 6 national human rights institutions, observed that efforts to introduce human rights education in primary and secondary school systems should continue. Some remarked explicitly that despite its extension for a total of five years, the first phase had not yet been fully implemented, especially as concerns the development of national implementation strategies for human rights education. In their view, States needed more time to advance sufficiently with integrating human rights education into primary and secondary school systems.

72. Related to this was the view, voiced by seven respondents, including one Government, that a thorough evaluation of the national implementation by Member States of the World Programme’s first phase was essential in order to ascertain the results and impact of this first phase.

73. Nineteen respondents emphasized the need to train civil servants such as public sector law- and policymakers, government and ministry officials, parliamentarians, judges, law enforcement and military officers and health workers in order to reinforce their knowledge of universal human rights principles, nurture good governance and equip them with skills and attitudes needed to enable them to protect and promote human rights on behalf of the State.

74. Teachers, educators, trainers, leaders and staff of education institutions also featured prominently in the replies, and their adequate preparation through teacher training in human rights was seen as a general prerequisite to effective and sustainable human rights education efforts. Twenty-two respondents pointed to the urgent need to provide professional support for teachers and several cited inadequate teacher training as one of the obstacles hampering effective implementation of the first phase. Training officials who develop school textbooks were also mentioned.

75. Fifteen respondents identified the university or tertiary education sector as the next proposed target area, building logically upon the current focus on the primary and secondary education sectors. Several recommended the establishment of graduate human rights programmes and human rights education programmes at universities. Respondents also pointed to the important role of research in contributing to the development of innovative methodologies and tools for human rights education and of monitoring or evaluation machinery for the World Programme’s implementation. One respondent suggested focusing on preschool education, while others emphasized reaching every level of general education.

76. Five respondents called for an extension of human rights education beyond the formal education system, i.e. to non-formal education, in order to reach those outside of the

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formal education sector, whether they are professionals or vulnerable groups. Several submissions shared the view that a lifelong learning approach is essential in offering human rights education to adults as well.

77. As the media play an important role globally owing to their potential to affect social change, 10 respondents suggested targeting them in human rights education activities. The private sector and business people were also mentioned, as were social workers.

78. Several respondents considered that human rights education should be aiming at the general public, while the contribution of the non-governmental sector to carrying out human rights education was also highlighted.

79. Specific groups of rights holders were also raised in various submissions as in need of human rights education in order to be able to defend their rights, namely: vulnerable persons in general; children, including migrant and disabled children; migrants and migrant labourers; persons with disabilities; women, minorities and indigenous people; deprived and rural communities; and the elderly.

80. The responses were also quite diverse with regard to possible thematic areas. While several respondents pointed to the need for a holistic approach to human rights education, the majority made specific recommendations. 81. Civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights were cited generally in several submissions, while other replies pointed to more specific rights. Nine contributions noted the eradication of poverty and ensuring human rights for people in poverty through human rights education as goals. The right to development and the human rights-based approach to development were highlighted in several replies. Some respondents mentioned employment rights and the right to work specifically, while others brought up the right to health and reproductive rights. Certain respondents recalled that the right to education needed to be linked with human rights education and the rights-based approach to schooling. Other specific rights mentioned in the consultation were the rights to food, housing and water. Additionally, the importance of linking the Millennium Development Goals with human rights norms was stressed explicitly as both areas are mutually reinforcing. Certain respondents named other specific rights relevant to daily lives in various national contexts, e.g. freedom of information, speech and expression; freedom of religion; privacy; and freedom of assembly. Several submissions emphasized the importance of using education to eliminate violence and in relation to torture prevention.

82. The importance of human rights education for combating discrimination and inequality as a cross-cutting issue appeared in 10 replies and an explicit link to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action was made as well.

83. As concerns the length of the future second phase, the responses ranged from 2 to 10 years, with the majority of respondents appearing to prefer 5 years, followed by 3 years. Several respondents recommended that an extension of the second phase should be considered in case progress is slower in the second phase.

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