Felisa Tibbitts: A Primer for Selecting Democratic and Human Rights Education Teaching Materials
| Human Rights For All is a textbook published by the National
Institute for Citizen Education in the Law (U.S.) for use in a full-year curriculum.
There is both a student textbook and an accompanying teacher's
manual. The book was developed by a South African NGO in cooperation with a U.S. one, and
is intended to be adapted for use in different national settings. Human Rights For All was
modeled on another successful NICEL curriculum, Democracy for All, designed for
citizenship and law education. NICEL works with local partners in adapting both texts to
local conditions; their publications are being used in Romania, Hungary, Russia, Bolivia,
Chile and Ecuador. The textbook is intended for use in middle and secondary schools (ages 12-18), but might also be used with adult populations. Human Rights For All focuses on the nature of human rights as codified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related International Covenants. Lessons proceed logically from the origins and classification of human rights to the content of political, social and economic rights, and procedures for dealing with human rights abuses. There are five chapters, each consisting of text and related questions that can be addressed through whole class discussion, team work, or written exercises. The questions place a heavy emphasis on critical thinking, challenging students to express and defend their opinions. The text also contains other activities, such as role plays and debates. A core strength of this publication is its comprehensiveness in dealing with human rights in the law. Human Rights For All "de-mystifies" and de-constructs complex legal and political ideas, with great attention to definitions and the use of international as well as national examples. The last chapter concerning redress of human rights violations is rarely found in student texts, and is written in highly accessible language.Another key feature of the text is the format and graphics. Textbooks in Central and Eastern Europe typically do not include multiple cartoons, and students have found these to be very appealing. The first section of Chapter 2, which is attached, introduces political rights in a democracy. Approximately one lesson can be devised from each 'problem'. This excerpt represents the approach of the rest of the text, with chapter objectives clearly outlined, sidebars and boxes with 'key ideas' and "words to know," and many activities for students.Title: Human Rights For AllAuthor(s): Edward O'Brien, Eleanor Greene, and David McQuoid-Mason Publisher: National Institute for Citizenship Education in the Law (NICEL) Place and date of publication: Minneapolis/St.Paul, Minnesota, USA, 1996 Languages: English, Russian, Romanian, Hungarian, Spanish Total pages: 162 Form: student and teacher textbooks Address: West Publishing Company, 610 Opperman Drive, P.O. Box 64526, St. Paul, MN 55164-0526 USA |
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