RES/21/14 World Programme for Human Rights Education

GE.12-17438

Human Rights Council Twenty-first session

Agenda item 3

Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights,

including the right to development

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council 

21/14.

World Programme for Human Rights Education

The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming that, as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and in other international

human rights instruments, States are duty-bound to ensure that education is aimed at

strengthening the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 43/128 of 8 December 1988, by which the

Assembly launched the World Public Information Campaign on Human Rights, resolutions

59/113 A of 10 December 2004 and 59/113 B of 14 July 2005, in which the Assembly

proclaimed the World Programme for Human Rights Education and adopted the Plan of

Action for its first phase, and 60/251 of 15 March 2006, in which the Assembly decided,

inter alia, that the Human Rights Council should promote human rights education and

learning, as well as Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/61 of 20 April 2005 and

Subcommission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights resolution 2006/19 of

24 August 2006 on the World Programme for Human Rights Education,

Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 6/9 and 6/24 of 28 September

2007, 9/12 of 24 September 2008, 10/3 of 25 March 2009, 12/4 of 1 October 2009 and

15/11 of 30 September 2010,

Recalling further that the World Programme is an ongoing initiative structured in

consecutive phases to advance the implementation of human rights education programmes

in all sectors, and that Member States should continue the implementation of human rights

education in primary and secondary school systems, which was the focus of the first phase

(2005-2009), while taking the necessary measures to implement the second phase (2010-

2014), which focuses on human rights education for higher education and on human rights

 The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in

the report of the Council on its twenty-first session (A/HRC/21/2), chap. I.

training programmes for teachers and educators, civil servants, law enforcement officials

and military personnel at all levels,

Welcoming the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Declaration

on Human Rights Education and Training in its resolution 66/137 of 19 December 2011,

1. Takes notes of the progress report on the implementation of the World

Programme for Human Rights Education prepared by the Office of the United Nations High

Commissioner for Human Rights;

2. Welcomes initiatives by all relevant stakeholders on the implementation of

the second phase of the World Programme;

3. Encourages all States, and, where appropriate, relevant stakeholders that

have not yet taken steps to implement, within their capabilities, the World Programme and

the Plan of Action to do so;

4. Encourages all States and other relevant stakeholders to apply in their human

rights education initiatives sound educational methodologies based on good practices and

assessed through continued evaluation, and recommends cooperation, networking and

information sharing among all actors;

5. Recognizes that the World Programme for Human Rights Education is among

useful tools that may assist and enhance the national implementation of the United Nations

Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training;

6. Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to seek the views of States,

national human rights institutions and other relevant stakeholders on the target sectors,

focus areas or thematic human rights issues for the third phase of the World Programme,

and to submit a report thereon to the Council at its twenty-fourth session.

37th meeting

27 September 2012

[Adopted without a vote.]