Human rights education

Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement campaigning for internationally recognised human rights. AI aims to create a world in which everyone can enjoy all of the human rights enshrined in the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. AI stresses the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights. In pursuit of this vision, AI's mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the right to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression and freedom from discrimination.

AI has dedicated considerable resources and specialist staff to the international promotion of Human Rights Education (HRE). HRE is a process whereby people learn about their rights and the rights of others within a framework of participatory and interactive learning. It is concerned with changing attitudes and behaviour, learning new skills and promoting the exchange of knowledge and information.

HRE is long-term and endeavours to provide an understanding of the issues involved while equipping people with the skills to articulate their rights and communicate this knowledge to others.

AI's HRE team, based in London, supports and communicates with AI sections and structures worldwide to disseminate HRE information and materials. The team also assists and supports fundraising initiatives for HRE projects, develops training and educational materials that can be adapted for use at national level and coordinates and services an international network of AI HRE coordinators and contact persons.

This global network of HRE coordinators consists of teachers, educators and volunteers who form regional and country programmes which focus on HRE in their areas.

The programmes are targeted at different levels of society as it is important to influence how individuals treat each other or treat defined groups of people, how a defined group treats people from groups that are different to theirs and how the state and organisations treat individuals and groups within their own country or institutions.

AI works through their groups and networks to reach teachers, journalists, lawyers, health professionals, women's organisations, indigenous people, youth groups and many others through several HRE activities. Among others, activities include workshops, training courses, programmes in schools, competitions, art, music and street dramas. Materials are developed to complement and support these programmes such as newsletters containing information on HRE section activities, publications, pamphlets, training packages and reference guides. All material is designed to facilitate the teaching of human rights in a way which is appealing to children so as to stimulate their interest and awareness in the matter. The content is specially formulated for distribution among children, since human rights abuses are of their very nature disturbing. The whole educational programme emphasises the importance and the intrinsic good of being educated as to one's human rights, so as to enable people to detect when they or others have become victim to a human rights violation.

AI also hosts an HRE online library which contains a wealth of resources for educators and students. AI can provide a catalogue of materials (such as monographs, pamphlets, games and videos) which deal with women and children's rights, economic, cultural and social rights, police, minorities, discrimination, the exploration of human rights in the classroom environment, education in general and other such topics.

Anyone interested in learning more about AI's HRE programme and resources can contact AI (Malta Group) at info@aimalta.org or at P.O. Box 12, Valletta.

Dr Frendo is campaigns and appeals coordinator, Amnesty International (Malta Group).