[hre-asiapacific] Plan of Action for the first phase of the World Programme for HRE adopted!

Dear human rights educators,

On 14 July 2005, by resolution 59/113B, the General Assembly adopted by 
consensus the revised Plan of Action for the first phase (2005-2007) of the 
World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005-ongoing); you may remember 
that such first phase is focussing on the integration of human rights 
education within the primary and secondary school systems. The full text of 
the resolution in English, French and Spanish is below, and the Plan of 
Action is available in all UN languages on the website of the Office of the 
High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at 
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/education/training/programme.htm

This is an important step for all of us. As you may know, the Plan of 
Action proposes a comprehensive implementation strategy for the national 
level. The main responsibility for implementation rests with the Ministry 
of Education in each country, which should assign or strengthen a relevant 
department or unit responsible for coordinating the elaboration, 
implementation and monitoring of the national implementation strategy, in 
close collaboration with all relevant actors. Member States are also 
encouraged to identify and support a resource centre for collecting and 
disseminating initiatives and information (good practices from diverse 
contexts and countries, educational materials, events) on human rights 
education at the national level.

The adoption of the Plan of Action provides all of us with a further 
opportunity to encourage national implementation of human rights education 
and with a platform for cooperation based on internationally-agreed 
standards and principles. According to the Plan of Action, human rights 
education in the school system includes not only the integration of human 
rights issues in the curriculum and textbooks but involves also the 
educational processes and the environment within which education takes place.

OHCHR and UNESCO are taking steps to disseminate the Plan of Action and 
will assist States to implement it; we will keep you informed of relevant 
developments.

Kind regards.

Elena Ippoliti, OHCHR Headquarters (Geneva)
Myriam Karela, UNESCO Headquarters (Paris)


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59/113B. World Programme for Human Rights Education

The General Assembly,

Recalling the relevant resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the 
Commission on Human Rights concerning the United Nations Decade for Human 
Rights Education, 1995=962004,

Convinced that human rights education is a long-term and lifelong process 
through which everyone learns tolerance and respect for the dignity of 
others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect in all societies,

Believing that human rights education is essential to the realization of 
human rights and fundamental freedoms and contributes significantly to 
promoting equality, preventing conflict and human rights violations and 
enhancing participation and democratic processes, with a view to developing 
societies in which all human beings are valued and respected,

Welcoming the proclamation by the General Assembly on 10 December 2004 of 
the World Programme for Human Rights Education, structured in consecutive 
phases, which began on 1 January 2005,

1. Adopts the revised draft plan of action for the first phase 
(2005=962007) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, which 
focuses on primary and secondary school systems;

2. Encourages all States to develop initiatives within the World Programme 
and, in particular, to implement, within their capabilities, the plan of 
action;

3. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human 
Rights, in close cooperation with the United Nations Educational, 
Scientific and Cultural Organization, to promote the national 
implementation of the plan of action, provide relevant technical assistance 
when requested and coordinate related international efforts;

4. Appeals to relevant organs, bodies or agencies of the United Nations 
system, as well as all other international and regional intergovernmental 
and nongovernmental organizations, within their respective mandates, to 
promote and technically assist, when requested, the national implementation 
of the plan of action;

5. Calls upon all existing national human rights institutions to assist in 
the implementation of human rights education programmes consistent with the 
plan of action;

6. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human 
Rights and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 
Organization to widely disseminate the plan of action among States and 
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.

113th plenary meeting
14 July 2005



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