One of the participants receiving his certificate
An often more rewarding way of learning about human rights is by visiting places of rights violations, visiting homes of survivors, victim’s families, places such as prisons, displaced persons camps, observing court trials, etc
I would like to congratulate Law and Human Rights Centre for continuing to organize this important course on human rights and all those who will be awarded certificates after having completed the course. I will share some thoughts about the what, how, where, who and why of Human Rights Education (HRE).
What should be the contents of Human Rights Education?
Firstly, HRE must include study about concepts and philosophy about human rights and especially what do we understand by human rights. For me, human rights means things human beings need to live in dignity and without fear. This must also include recognizing the equal importance and inter-dependence of economic, social and cultural rights with civil and political rights and universality of rights, which means to recognize all rights of all peoples.
Secondly, HRE must include learning about laws and policies (national and international) related to human rights. Thirdly, there must be learning about institutions, both domestic and international, that are there to protect human rights. These can include the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), specialized institutions such as the National Child Protection Authority and Office of Missing Persons and the judiciary as well as mechanisms and institutions of international bodies such as the United Nations. These must be critical analysis, which includes looking at both strong points and weaknesses and extent to which they have contributed towards promotion and protection of human rights or led to covering up or legitimizing violations.
Fourthly, HRE must include learning about past and ongoing rights violations. Looking at the themes of assignments completed by you during the course, such as rights of people with disabilities, children, women, domestic violence, problems faced by war widows, workers of the municipal council, enforced disappearances and land grabbing, I feel that you have tried to learn about variety of rights violations.
Fifthly and very importantly, HRE must include learning about past and ongoing struggles for rights, especially those wages by survivors, victim’s families and affected communities. Struggles includes those on the streets, in courts, through media and in the international arena.
How and Where should we learn about Human Rights Education?
Like it is for many other learnings, a class room is an important, but inadequate space for learning about human rights. A second way is desk research, or online research. Unlike in the past, much can be learnt about human rights through a computer, laptop, tab or even a phone, from the comforts of your home. A third, and more challenging, but often more rewarding way of learning about human rights is by visiting places of rights violations, visiting homes of survivors, victim’s families, places such as prisons, displaced persons camps, observing court trials, etc. Fourth, is by proactively engaging with institutions, such as by filing complaints with the HRCSL, filing requests and appeals based on the Right to Information Act, filing court cases, making complaints to the UN bodies, engaging in dialogues with officials, politicians, diplomats etc. Fifthly, a very important way to learn about human rights is by joining and supporting struggles for rights, whether they are in the streets, through media, in courts and other institutions or international.
Who can do Human Rights Education?
The traditional and conventional teachers of human rights are academics, lawyers, other professionals and experts such as those working with state institutions and international bodies. However, most important teachers of human rights are survivors of rights violations, families of victims and affected communities. Unless we recognize them as teachers and involve them in our learning process, HRE can never be meaningful and holistic. They often have much to offer in terms of information, analysis, practical challenges including fears, weariness and importantly, they offer hope and inspiration by their courage, determination and passion.
Why should we promote Human Rights Education?
An important reason that is often given is to know our rights and rights of all peoples. While this is very much true and important, this should not be the only reason. HRE must be a means to expose rights violations, of any person or community, however remote or distant from well-connected urban centres. HRE must also contribute towards preventing rights violations and obtaining remedies for violations that have occurred, including truth, reparations and criminal accountability. It must also contribute towards strengthening and expanding institutions, laws and policies related to human rights. And the most important role for doing HRE must be to contribute to strengthen struggles for human rights, especially those waged by survivors, victim’s families and affected communities.
Concluding thoughts
Receiving a certificate and medal, like what you will get today, must not be the aim of learning about human rights. There is no point in keeping these on a pedestal or lighting a lamp and praying over these.
The most important indicator of success of human rights education is how much the process has contributed towards strengthening struggles for rights, and empowering survivors, victim’s families and affected communities. If HRE attempts to fulfill these essential and fundamental tasks, it maybe frowned upon and lead to persecution and reprisals from state, from your own community, colleagues, friends and families.
I have met you during the course as an educator and today at the award ceremony marking the conclusion of the course. In the future, I hope to meet you in the streets, in courts and other sites of resistance and defiance, as partners in struggles for all human rights for all peoples.
The article is a revised version of remarks at the certificate award ceremony of the Human Rights Education course conducted by Law and Human Rights Centre, Jaffna, on January 16
