Global coalition will monitor progress in implementation of human rights education
For immediate release
19 December 2013
HREA, Amnesty International, Soka Gakkai International and nine other organisations today launched “Human Rights Education 2020”. HRE 2020 is a global coalition of civil society organisations that aims to promote human rights education by supporting and strengthening the implementation of existing international standards and commitments.
HRE 2020 is launched on the second anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training by the United Nations General Assembly on 19 December 2011. This landmark document recognises the right of every person to have access to human rights education.
“With the UN Declaration and the World Programme for Human Rights Education there exist clear standards and commitments for human rights education. HRE 2020 aims to systematically monitor these standards and commitments in order to ensure effective implementation”, says Adele Poskitt, Program Associate at HREA and coordinator of HRE 2020. “We call for greater accountability by governments because a comprehensive education in, through and for human rights provides knowledge, imparts skills and empowers individuals to promote, defend and apply human rights in daily life.”
“One of the aims of HRE 2020 is to support and strengthen the capacity of civil society to use international human rights mechanisms, instruments, standards and policies to hold governments accountable”, adds Sneh Aurora, International Human Rights Education Manager at Amnesty International.
“HRE 2020 is a growing global coalition and we look forward to working together to ensure the implementation of human rights education”, affirms Kazunari Fujii, Director, Soka Gakkai International UN Liaison Office in Geneva.
The growing global coalition works with organisations internationally. The current coalition members of HRE 2020 are: Amnesty International, Arab Institute of Human Rights, Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe (DARE Network), Forum Asia, Human Rights Education Associates (HREA), Human Rights Educators USA (HRE USA), Hurights Osaka, Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), People’s Watch, Peruvian Institute for Human Rights and Peace (IPEDEHP), Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, and Soka Gakkai International.
For further information about HRE 2020, please visit www.hre2020.org or contact Adele Poskitt, e-mail: info@hre2020.org.