[hr-education] Re: First phase of the World Programme for HRE

Tena koutou katoa, Greetings Everyone 

It has been excellent to have had this discussion circulating around the
world over the past couple of weeks. Thank you for initiating it, Kazunari
Fujii.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Human Rights Commission has worked with
Katarina Tomasevski's 4 A framework and developed further indicators that
drop from it and are appropriate for this country. An assessment of the
RTE was undertaken against these during 2004/2005 and this contributed to
a Status Report of human rights in Aotearoa New Zealand published in 2005
(http://www.hrc.co.nz/report/downloads.html#maincontent for those who
would like to access it). The NZ Action Plan for Human Rights was
developed from this and included a concept posed by NZ Amnesty
International ... to build human rights communities in schools and early
childhood centres.

As a result a coalition of organisations in New Zealand -- Amnesty
International, the Peace Foundation, Global Education, Office of the
Children's Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission -- have been
working with the WPHRE as part of an initiave, Building Human Rights
Communities in Education. We have completed the an update of the research
duirng 2006 -- scoping HRE in NZ -- and are now working on finalisation
and dissemination of the report. Although the Ministry of Education is
aware of this work it hasn't to date taken the lead coordinating role as
suggested by the WP. Getting national traction (across all sectors) for
the programme and for the embedding of right to education approach to
education in this country is our biggest challenge.

(A further piece of work was completed for the Advisory Council of Jurists
of the Asia Pacific Forum for human rights institutions in 2006 - RTE had
been highlighted by the ACJ for particular focus. Some of you may also
have been involved in that.)

So - to respond briefly to each of your emails: 

Kazunari Fujii, NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education & Learning,
Geneva (08.02.07). Agree with you about timing and to update you on New
Zealand's progress, we won't be at the end of the First Phase of the WP by
the end of 2007.

Abdul waheed Hamidi, Managing Director Fundraising and Donor Relation -
CHA-Network (09.02.07). You are so right about the length of time the
magnitude of this movement will take - and how absolutely crucial it is to
the realisation of human rights for all - totally connected to other
economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights. For the WP to have
an effect each country will also have to adapt it to their own
circumstances ... but international coalition and support of each other is
so important.

Pablo Zavala Sarrio, Peruvian Institute for Human Rights Education and
Peace, (10.02.07). Vernor Muñoz' statement in May 2006 was great
but this level of international encouragement and advocacy must be
continued. I was in Ireland in October 2006 at the "Lift Off" conference
and spoke with Cosette Thomspon from the International Secretariat of
Amnesty International. It appears that they are planning to support this
process and to work with the OHCHR to monitor developments. Someone else
out there may have a more up-to-date and accurate picture of this.

Patrick Karanja, Youth Rights Forum International - Nairobi, Kenya
(10.02.07) and (20.02.07). Thank you for these emails!!! Such a reminder
of who we are working with and why. As we say in New Zealand ... "not
about us without us". To this end we are supporting a group of young
people undertake a piece of national research in order to ensure children
and young people's voices are heard. This is also in tandem with this
country's preparation to report against UNCROC. Another aspect you raise
about the 'how' is pertinent ... no end of content or resources if
delivered in such a way that groups are marginalised, are going to be of
any use! This is one of the strengths of the WP ... and why we have some
difficulty here with the term - human rights education. HRE can imply
merely curriculum and delivery. It is the education system itself at all
levels from legislation to practice that must reflect a human rights
approach. An excellent and pertinent question - "How does the World
Programme put food on my table? or pay schools fees for my children or my
siblings?" ... what are your answers?

Khlok Dara, Project Management Unit of the Council of Legal and Judicial
Reform - Cambodia (14.02.07). I would be interested in more information
about the improvements you have seen as a result iof the implementation of
HRE. Would you be able to send information to my email (below). Thanks.

Abraham Magendzo, Coordinator of the UNESCO Chair in HRE Universidad
Academia de Humanismo Cristiano, Chile (14.02.07). Absolutely agree with
your comment that "NGOs should commit to challenge the government to be
accountable with their compromise with HRE and with the World Program. It
is my opinion that the main responsible to make the World Program work is
the State. The NGOs should be responsible to demand the State to fulfill
its promise" In fact it is written into the WP. Again I reiterate that a
high level of international encouragement and advocacy must be continued!!

Bernadette Iyodu, Refugee Law Project, Makerere University, Kampala,
Uganda (15.02.07). You could find some useful information about the
following programmes - LIFT OFF! in Ireland
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=748 and also the Rights
Resect and Responsibility programme in Hampshire, England
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/education/childrensrights

Dr. Elizabeth Tamajong, Director National Centre for Education, Cameroon
(16.02.07). Yes - we do need to work together across the world on this!

Dr Hugh Starkey, University of London Institute of Education (19.02.07).
Yes - support your comments!!

Yousry Moustafa, Women and Memory Forum, Egypt (20.02.07). Well done the
Egyptian Association for Enhancement of Community Participation!! I would
appreciate more information about the conference and developments since if
you could send to my email address - or put me in touch with the best
person to discuss this with.

So - thanks to HREA for this list. It is excellent. Let's keep talking
with each other, developing strategies and supporting our individual &
joint implementation of the WP. Are any of you involved in this world with
your country's human rights commissions (or equivalent)? I would like also
to link up with them. We are in an interesting situation being not 'of
government' or of 'non-government' and I would like to discuss strategies.

Nga mihi nunui ki a koutou, best wishes 

Jill Chrisp 

_______________ 
Dr Jill Chrisp 
Senior Advisor Human Rights and Race Relations 
Kaitohutohu Matua Tika Tangata Whakawhanaunga-a-Iwi 
Human Rights Commission, Te Kahui Tika Tangata 
PO Box 6751 
Auckland 
Aotearoa New Zealand 
DDI: 64-09 306 2656 
Website: http://www.hrc.co.nz 
InfoLine: 0800 4 YOUR RIGHTS / 0800 496 877 






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