Why Teach About Human Rights?  What can a human rights education do for people?

“Human rights should be part of every American’s education!  You can’t graduate from high school without a course that covers American History, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  But although the words “human rights” appear daily in the newspaper, most Americans don’t even know the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) exists. That’s the task for Human Rights USA---to make the UDHR a living document for Americans.”   (Nancy Flowers, Amnesty International USA Human Rights Educators’ Network)

“The global cry for democracy is an expression of the universal human desire to construct a value system, expressed politically, that protects human rights.   Human rights education is values education.  It forms the very core of social education for civic responsibility.  The vitality of our democracy rests on the ability of Americans to exercise the responsibilities of citizenship in the light of moral and intellectual integrity.”  (Loretta Ross, Executive Director, Center for Human Rights Education)

“Incorporating human rights education throughout the U.S. will help educators teach students that human rights values can build individual character and transform communities.  Students will also learn how the economic and social issues the U.S. faces today, such as inadequate health care and education, poor race relations, economic disparities and crime all involve human rights.  Such human rights education supports and enhances local community action.  School programs which incorporate service learning will discover the relevance Human Rights Education for students, educators, and other members of the communities….Human Rights USA calls for a new human rights movement in the United States, a movement that challenges diverse Americans to rethink their attitudes about human rights and a movement that challenges organizations to discuss ways to use a human rights framework to further their missions and promote unity.

Together as individuals and organizations, we can build a human rights culture.!”  (The 4^th R, Creating a Human Rights Culture: The Role of Service Learning,vol.8 No. 1, Spring 1997, Human Rights USA: Education and Action)

A Human Rights Education:  (Human Rights Educators’ Network)

 …asserts the responsibility to respect, protect, and promote the rights of all people

 …promotes democratic principles

 …encourages the communication skills and informed critical thinking essential to a democracy

 …engages the heart as well as the mind

 …affirms the interdependence of the human family