Mapping of human rights education in Danish Schools

This study reveals the need to strengthen human rights education in Danish primary and lower secondary schools and at teacher university colleges. The preamble to the Act on Danish primary and lower secondary schools states that: "The school shall prepare the pupils for active participation, co-responsibility, rights and duties in a society based on freedom and democracy. The teaching of the school and its daily life must therefore build on intellectual freedom, equality and democracy." But although respect for human rights is central to all democratic societies, human rights education has weak status within Danish schools.

Human rights education is essential in enabling children, adolescents and adults to understand and act on their rights and obligations. This entails knowledge of the human rights obligations Denmark has assumed nationally and internationally.

Human rights have bearing on a number of the topics currently addressed in the Danish schools debate, such as inclusion, pupil co-determination and a learning environment that promotes wellbeing and equal opportunities.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights has launched a schools service (this takes you to our Danish website) which compiles knowledge and resources to support teachers and managers in compulsory education, upper secondary education and training and at university colleges in fulfilling their obligation to strengthen human rights education at the local level.

This is a condensed version of the study. The full study is available here.