For immediate release
Ithaca, New York (December 10, 2012) – Human Rights Educators USA (HRE USA), a newly established network, is officially open for membership as of today, International Human Rights Day. Inspired by the 2011 UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, which emphasizes the importance of human rights to every child’s education, HRE USA joins the global movement to use research-based methods to build a culture of respect for human rights though education.
Human rights education (HRE) is a lifelong process of teaching and learning that helps individuals develop the knowledge, skills, and values to fully exercise and protect the human rights of themselves and others; to fulfill their responsibilities in the context of universal human rights principles; and to achieve justice and peace in their communities and the world.
The Human Rights Educators USA network facilitates its members’ collaboration and supports their efforts to:
• integrate HRE into formal and non-formal educational settings, such as schools, universities, and organizations working with youth;
• foster education that promotes respect for every child’s dignity, provides opportunities for meaningful participation, and upholds freedom from discrimination and all forms of violence;
• advocate for the inclusion of HRE in national and state education policies, standards, curricula, and pedagogy;
• provide pre-service and in-service teacher training programs and HRE resources;
• contribute to global research and scholarship on HRE; and
• empower educators and learners to enjoy and exercise their rights and to respect and uphold the rights of others.
Through its website, www.hreusa.net, the network offers educators, activists, scholars, and organizations working with youth a wealth of information, curriculum resources, and current research. The network also provides members with opportunities for direct engagement through its working groups on topics of interest such as policy and advocacy, higher education, after-school and community-based programs, K-12 curriculum, and early childhood education.
HREA is a founding member of the Human Rights Educators USA network.
For more information, please contact: info@hreusa.net
HREA is one of the leading organisations worldwide dedicated to education and training in and for human rights. Each year HREA trains thousands of development and humanitarian workers, educators, human rights defenders, staff of (inter)governmental agencies, law enforcement, legal and media professionals around the world.
For further information, please contact:
Felisa Tibbitts
Director, Human Rights in Education Program, Carr Center for Human Rights
Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Founder and Senior Advisor, HREA
689 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-3302 USA
Tel: +1 617 301-4379