Promoting Awareness Amongst Youth

Human rights can only be achieved through an informed and continued demand by people for their protection. Human rights education promotes values, beliefs and attitudes that encourage all individuals to uphold their own rights and those of others. It develops an understanding of everyone’s common responsibility to make human rights a reality in each community.

Human rights education constitutes an essential contribution to the long-term prevention of human rights abuses and represents an important investment in the endeavor to achieve a just society in which all human rights of all persons are valued and respected. Access to human rights education during youth, at a time when individuals develop their values and begin to explore the meaning of being members of a community and society, can have a significant impact in shaping and strengthening young people’s engagement in their communities and society.

The fourth phase (2020-2024) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education – a global initiative to strengthen implementation of human rights education – focuses on youth, with special emphasis on education and training in equality, human rights and non-discrimination, and inclusion and respect for diversity with the aim of building inclusive and peaceful societies. The related Plan of Action, adopted by States at the Human Rights Council, can serve as a tool to advocate for strengthened human rights education for youth at the national level. It also provides methodological guidance to achieve effective human rights education for, with and by youth.

A wealth of existing resources on human rights education for youth can help you embark on, or enrich your own journey as a young human rights educator.

Where can I learn more?

For more information, visit the UN Human Rights website on Human Rights Education and Training.