Human Rights in Education | Importance and international conventions

Human rights education empowers people to respect human rights and fight for their protection. Human rights education contributes to people’s awareness of human rights, their defense of their rights and the development of human rights understanding. Therefore, setting standards for human rights in education is of great importance for the protection of human rights.

In this article, we will talk about international documents and conventions that set standards for human rights education, how human rights education can be delivered, and suggestions for raising awareness about human rights. You will also be informed about the importance of human rights and human rights violations.

Why are human rights important in education?

Education is one of the most fundamental rights of every human being and plays an important role in the protection and promotion of human rights. The concept of human rights in education aims to educate individuals to respect and defend human rights. Human rights education is the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the learning and application of human rights.

Human rights education empowers individuals to learn the right to express themselves, share their thoughts freely, demand justice and equality. At the same time, raising individuals equipped with the awareness of respecting and protecting human rights serves the purpose of creating a more just and equal world for humanity.

Human rights in education ensure that children, young people and adults respect the right to education and understand that everyone has an equal right to education. Human rights in education encourage the prevention of discrimination, the coexistence of different cultures, languages ​​and beliefs, tolerance and respect for diversity.

Human rights education teaches individuals the responsibility to respect and protect the rights of others while enhancing their ability to protect their own. In this way it contributes to building a tolerant and peaceful society that respects human rights.

What are human rights in education?

Education is one of the most fundamental human rights and a right to which everyone should have equal access. The concept of human rights in education means providing educational services in accordance with human rights principles. For this reason, Human Rights in Education accepts that people have the right to receive an equal and fair education and works for the protection and dissemination of these rights.

Human rights in education means providing educational services in a way that respects and protects human rights. Education services must respect everyone’s right to education and ensure that everyone has equal access to educational opportunities. Human Rights in Education also emphasizes that educational services should be provided in accordance with basic human rights principles such as equality, justice, tolerance and respect for human rights.

Human rights in education also means respecting the rights of students. These rights include the protection of the right to education, the protection of freedoms, the implementation of a fair disciplinary system and the prevention of discrimination. Human rights education also includes educating students in human rights principles, democracy, tolerance and other basic human rights issues.

Human rights in education are supported by international documents, conventions and laws for the provision of educational services in accordance with human rights. These include international documents such as the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Human Rights of the European Union.

How should human rights education be provided in education?

Knowledge and awareness of human rights in education empowers individuals to respect human rights and fight for the protection of human rights. That is why human rights education in education is very important. However, how this training is delivered is also extremely important. Here are some suggestions on how human rights education should be delivered in schools:

• Basic information on human rights must first be provided. Human rights are a universal concept, so awareness and knowledge about fundamental human rights is the starting point of human rights education.
• Sharing human rights examples and stories contributes to the development of human rights understanding. For example, stories of people who have experienced human rights violations or success stories of human rights defenders raise awareness of human rights.
• Human rights education in education should be provided in an interactive way. Creating an environment where students can share their thoughts, opinions and questions on this topic makes human rights education productive.
• Educational materials must be prepared in accordance with human rights. For example, books, notes and presentations must be written in human rights language. The cultural differences of the materials must also be taken into account.
• Human rights education should take place throughout the entire educational process, not just one lesson. This allows students to become aware of and think about human rights.

Finally, students should also be taught practical human rights skills. For example, they must be informed about how to act in the event of human rights violations, how to report human rights violations and how to access information about human rights.

International documents and conventions on human rights in education

Education is extremely important in terms of human rights and many international documents and conventions around the world strive for the protection and promotion of human rights in education. Here are the main international documents and treaties on human rights in education:

United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

This document was adopted on December 10, 1948 and is considered an important step in the universal recognition and protection of human rights. Article 26 of the Declaration states that everyone has the right to education and that education contributes to the full development of the human personality.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

This convention was adopted on November 20, 1989 and is intended to protect the rights of children around the world. Article 28 of the Convention states that every child has the right to education and that education plays an important role in the development of every child.

European Convention on Human Rights

This Convention was drawn up by the Council of Europe and signed in 1953. Article 2 of the Convention states that everyone has the right to education and that education must be provided in accordance with its objectives.

Charter of Human Rights of the European Union

This condition has been accepted in order to protect and promote human rights in the countries of the European Union. Article 14 of the Charter states that everyone has the right to education and that education is an important tool for the protection of human rights.

Why are human rights important in education?

Human rights education empowers individuals to respect human rights and fight for the protection of human rights. Therefore, human rights education is extremely important for developing a culture of democracy and human rights in a society.

Which international documents set the standard for human rights in education?

Many international human rights documents have set the standard for human rights in education. Among the most important are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights.

How should human rights education be provided in schools?

Human rights education in education should be provided in an interactive manner and an environment should be created where students can share their thoughts, opinions and questions on this topic. Sharing human rights examples and stories contributes to the development of human rights understanding. In addition, students should be taught practical human rights skills.

From what age should human rights education be taught in schools?

Human rights education in education should start as early as possible. Children can become aware of human rights as early as kindergarten. Human rights education should also be provided at the primary, middle and high school level.

Does providing human rights education raise awareness of human rights in society?

Yes, providing human rights education raises awareness of human rights in society. The development of an understanding of human rights increases the number of individuals willing to fight for the protection of human rights. In addition, individuals with knowledge and awareness of human rights become more sensitive to human rights violations and fight to prevent these violations.