Margaret Reynolds　　
It is not possible to separate human rights education from the overall respect for human rights by government. Many countries have ignored the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education and those countries’ human rights standards are often most open to improvement. Governments do not always want their citizens to be well informed about human rights so we should not be surprised that the Decade for Human Rights Education has not achieved universal acceptance or reform.
However, it has been important for educators and members of civil society to look at ways in which people can become better informed about their fundamental human rights and to progress greater respect for all humankind.


Human Rights Education in Australia


Education in Australia is primarily the responsibility of State Governments. While there are some national approaches to certain subjects, the curriculum is determined by state government.


In recent years the Australian Government has initiated a major national education project-”Discovering Democracy”-which includes a human rights component as it is focused on preparing young people as future citizens. These materials are available on: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/democracy/ddunits.htm.


Throughout Australia, many people are involved in both formal and informal human rights education-universities and schools, media outlets and community-based organizations are providing a diverse range of opportunities focusing on human rights. Lawyers, journalists, teachers, academics, NGO advocates, politicians, students and activists are involved in a broad-ranging discourse, which is informing community understanding.


The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission itself has developed, over many years, excellent resources which can be used by educators and students. As an independent organization it has been very proactive in initiating creative projects, seminars, schools visits, conferences and multi-media resource materials to inform the Australian community.


In September 2002, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission welcomed National Literacy and Numeracy Week (2-8 September) with the message that literacy and numeracy should be harnessed to develop stronger understandings of human rights among school students.


The Commission encouraged teachers and curriculum developers across the country to consider the importance of literacy and numeracy to human rights. The Commission’s human rights education program for schools reflects the importance of linking learning skills, such as literacy, numeracy and problem solving to the social context of human rights.


Critical literacy and numeracy skills are also invaluable to human rights and media education. Many students learn of human rights issues for the first time from the media. While the role of our media is vital, it comes with its own limitations. Teachers should be encouraged to build on this role, promoting critical analysis, discussion and dialogue around human rights.


Professor Alice Tay, President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, said: “The right to quality education is one of the most fundamental human rights-literacy and numeracy form a vital part of our education standards”.


The Commission’s Information for teaching portal includes education modules, current-issue focused activities and links to human rights education resources, available on http://www.humanrights. gov.au/info_for_teachers/index.html.


Human Rights Education at University of Queensland


I teach “Human Rights and International Politics’, a course offered by the Department of Political Science and International Relations since 1999. It is a single semester course which originally was developed for second and third year Political Science students, but which now attracts students from Law, Journalism, Social Sciences, Medicine and Education. Class size has been increasing and current enrolment is 163.


The course consists of two weekly lectures and one tutorial with assessment combining a written and oral case study, a written country report, tutorial participation and a two-hour examination. The reading lists and lecture material are updated each year to respond to changing international politics and human rights violations as well as specific reforms in international law.


The structure combines a balance of historical, theoretical and current analysis which enables students to familiarize themselves with broad principles of international human rights law and practice, together with its relationship with foreign policy.


The current course for 2002 has included study of United Nations mechanisms for protecting human rights and monitoring standards of compliance with international conventions, the impact of terrorism on human rights, the International Criminal Court, the rights of specific groups-women, refugees, children, indigenous peoples, Australian human rights policy and the role of transnational civil society.


In 2002, students studied and simulated a Model United Nations Committee on Human Rights with three countries-Indonesia, Afghanistan and Australia-being considered for reporting, questioning and discussion. In 2001, to coincide with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Brisbane, students conducted a Model Student CHOGM debating the impact of the Commonwealth’s 1991 Harare Declaration on standards of human rights compliance in Commonwealth countries.


Integrating Human Rights


Education in the Secondary School Curriculum


Planning is underway to introduce a short course for secondary school teachers interested in updating their skills in human rights education strategies which can be incorporated in the secondary school curriculum. It is envisaged the initial course will be a pilot aimed at working in partnership with teachers to develop a fully accredited course recognised by the Queensland Education Department. Key topics for this 2003 course will be:


What are human rights?


Australia’s role in developing international human rights standards;


The structure of the United Nations human rights system for protecting and monitoring human rights globally;


Respecting human rights in the Australian community;


Contributing to the protection of human rights globally.


During the course teachers will develop resources for experiential learning and simulated role-playing in the classroom.

The author is a Professor, University of Queensland,
Australia; National President, United Nations Association
of Australia.