The NHRI Network on Human Rights Education
NHRIS and human rights education
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) have a key role to play in promoting human rights through human rights education (HRE).
HRE is strongly anchored in international standards and norms, and the international human rights framework provides NHRIs with a broad range of responsibilities to monitor and promote the status of human rights, hereunder in relation to education.
However, the framework gives little direction on how NHRIs can plan their work in line with their specific mandates and thereby ensure the highest quality and effect. As a result, many NHRIs face a number of challenges in their HRE work.
VIDEO: How institutions can benefit from their unique position and set winning priorities for human rights education
These challenges include a lack of a common understanding and vision among NHRIs for the role and responsibilities of NHRIs in relation to HRE. Furthermore, we as NHRIs are challenged by an absence of common guidelines and quality standards and lack knowledge about strategic approaches to HRE. As a result, NHRIs often focus on their own face-to-face activities, and HRE initiatives risk being random and scattered.
In order to strengthen a systematic and sustainable approach of the global community of NHRIs to increase their overall impact and effectiveness on HRE, the NHRI Network on Human Rights Education has been created.
The Network will allow NHRIs working on HRE to share experiences of their HRE work systematically. Likewise, by improving the strategic skills of NHRIs in applying HRE in a systematic and sustainable way, NHRIs will to a greater extent be able to create sustainable human rights change through HRE. Lastly, by creating a space for developing best practice models, NHRIs can merge their learning with other NHRIs instead of solely gaining its own experiences.
What we focus on
Competence development and knowledge-sharing
The Network functions as a platform where members can share good practices on how NHRIs can work with HRE based on their mandate areas and the Paris Principles in terms of policy, strategies, methods, concepts and tools. The knowledge-sharing and dialogue between members of the Network will enable a common understanding on how NHRIs understand and work with HRE.
NHRI Toolbox on HRE
Based on the good practices of the Network member institutions, the Network will develop tools, concept and methods for NHRIs to be more effective in their HRE work.
Agenda setting
The Network will use the unique position of NHRIs in promoting HRE at the national and global level hereby seeking to strengthen the impact and effectiveness of HRE. Key areas envisaged:
Strategic partnerships
The Network will work closely with key strategic partners in order to strengthen the effectiveness and impact of HRE. Strategic partnerships can include cooperation on joint development of HRE initiatives; coordination of HRE events; and joint agenda setting activities.
VIDEO: How can NHRIs strengthen human rights education in the formal education sector?
Partners
Members of the Network:
- Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
- German Institute for Human Rights
- Kenya National Commission on Human Rights
- Australian Human Rights Commission
- The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights
- Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights
- Defensoria del Pueblo of Ecuador
- The Danish Institute for Human Rights
- South African Human Rights Commission
- Uganda Human Rights Commission
- National Human Rights Commission of Republic of Korea
- National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia
- Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia
- Human Rights Centre (Finland)
- Ombudsman Institution of Croatia
- Independent National Commission on Human Rights (Liberia)
REPORT: The NHRI Network on Human Rights Education has published the ‘Guide to a Strategic Approach to Human Rights Education – How NHRIs can benefit from their unique position and set winning priorities ’.
Starts: 2014
Ends: Ongoing