Mapping of human rights education provides international inspiration

The Danish Institute for Human Rights has conducted a study of human rights education in primary and lower secondary schools and teacher education programmes in Denmark.

The study shows that it is arbitrary whether pupils in primary and lower secondary schools in Denmark learn about rights of the child.

It also shows that human rights education must be strengthened significantly in order to be more than good intentions and to provide education on a professional and informed basis.

- The mapping process has already resulted in strategic dialogues with government officials, civil society organizations and university colleges on implementing the core recommendations of the mapping, author Cecilia Decara explains.

International inspiration

Among the seven key recommendations in the study, the mostprominent is thatthe Danish State draws up a national action plan for human rights education.

And although this could be seen as a strictly Danish problem, many of the findings can be put to use and serve as inspiration in other countries.

- We hope that the approach to mapping of human rights education developed by us can provide inspiration in other countries. Already, our partnersand other national human rights institutions has shown explicit interest in the methodology and effect of the mapping, Cecilia Decara says.

The study consists of a questionnaire survey, prepared in collaboration with the Danish Union of Teachers, and 16 focus-group interviews of teachers and teacher trainers representing schools and university colleges all over Denmark. Moreover, the study reviews Danish legislation in this area, the Common Objectives as well as relevant EU and human rights obligations and recommendations for Denmark related to human rights education. The study presents a number of recommendations and a catalogue of ideas containing initiatives to support the implementation of the recommendations.