GE.11-12478
Human Rights Council
Sixteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council*
16/1
United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and
Training
The Human Rights Council,
Acknowledging the work of the Human Rights Council Advisory Committee in
preparing a draft declaration on human rights education and training as requested by the
Human Rights Council in its resolution 6/10 of 28 September 2007,
Recalling Council resolution 13/15 of 25 March 2010, in which it established an
open-ended intergovernmental working group with the mandate of negotiating, finalizing
and submitting to the Council the draft United Nations declaration on human rights
education and training on the basis of the draft submitted by the Advisory Committee,
Welcoming the report of the Open-ended Working Group on the draft United
Nations declaration on human rights education and training (A/HRC/WG.9/1/3) and the
decision to transmit the draft United Nations declaration on human rights education and
training to the Council for its consideration,
1. Adopts the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and
Training as contained in the annex to the present resolution;
2. Recommends that the General Assembly, in accordance with paragraph 5 (c)
of its resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, adopt the following draft resolution:
“The General Assembly,
* The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of
the Council on its sixteenth session (A/HRC/16/2), chap. I.
United Nations A/HRC/RES/16/1
General Assembly Distr.: General
8 April 2011
Original: English
A/HRC/RES/16/1
2
Welcoming the adoption by the Human Rights Council, through its resolution
16/1 of 23 March 2011, of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights
Education and Training,
1. Adopts the United Nations declaration on human rights education and
training as contained in the annex to the present resolution;
2. Invites Governments, agencies and organizations of the United
Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to
intensify their efforts to disseminate the Declaration and to promote universal
respect and understanding thereof, and requests the Secretary-General to include the
text of the Declaration in the next edition of Human Rights: A Compilation of
International Instruments.”.
44th meeting
23 March 2011
[Adopted without a vote.]
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Annex
United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and
Training
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations with
regard to the promotion and encouragement of respect for all human rights and fundamental
freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion,
Reaffirming also that every individual and every organ of society shall strive by
teaching and education to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Reaffirming further that everyone has the right to education, and that education shall
be directed to the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity,
and enable all persons to participate effectively in a free society and promote
understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious
groups, and further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace,
security and the promotion of development and human rights,
Reaffirming that States are duty-bound, as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and in
other human rights instruments, to ensure that education is aimed at strengthening respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Acknowledging the fundamental importance of human rights education and training
in contributing to the promotion, protection and effective realization of all human rights,
Reaffirming the call of the World Conference on Human Rights,1 held in Vienna in
1993, on all States and institutions to include human rights, humanitarian law, democracy
and rule of law in the curricula of all learning institutions, and stating that human rights
education should include peace, democracy, development and social justice, as set forth in
international and regional human rights instruments, in order to achieve common
understanding and awareness with a view to strengthening universal commitment to human
rights,
Recalling the 2005 World Summit Outcome,2 in which Heads of State and
Government supported the promotion of human rights education and learning at all levels,
including through the implementation of the World Programme for Human Rights
Education, and encouraged all States to develop initiatives in this regard,
Motivated by the desire to send a strong signal to the international community to
strengthen all efforts in human rights education and training through a collective
commitment by all stakeholders,
1 A/CONF.157/24 (Part I), chap. II, para. 79.
2 General Assembly resolution 60/1.
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Declares the following:
Article 1
1. Everyone has the right to know, seek and receive information about all human rights
and fundamental freedoms and should have access to human rights education and training.
2. Human rights education and training is essential for the promotion of universal
respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, in
accordance with the principles of universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human
rights.
3. The effective enjoyment of all human rights, in particular the right to education and
access to information, enables access to human rights education and training.
Article 2
1. Human rights education and training comprises all educational, training,
information, awareness-raising and learning activities aimed at promoting universal respect
for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and thus contributing to,
inter alia, the prevention of human rights violations and abuses by providing persons with
knowledge, skills and understanding and developing their attitudes and behaviours, to
empower them to contribute to the building and promotion of a universal culture of human
rights.
2. Human rights education and training encompasses education:
(a) About human rights, which includes providing knowledge and understanding
of human rights norms and principles, the values that underpin them and the mechanisms
for their protection;
(b) Through human rights, which includes learning and teaching in a way that
respects the rights of both educators and learners;
(c) For human rights, which includes empowering persons to enjoy and exercise
their rights and to respect and uphold the rights of others.
Article 3
1. Human rights education and training is a lifelong process that concerns all ages.
2. Human rights education and training concerns all parts of society, at all levels,
including preschool, primary, secondary and higher education, taking into account
academic freedom where applicable, and all forms of education, training and learning,
whether in a public or private, formal, informal or non-formal setting. It includes, inter alia,
vocational training, particularly the training of trainers, teachers and State officials,
continuing education, popular education, and public information and awareness activities.
3. Human rights education and training should use languages and methods suited to
target groups, taking into account their specific needs and conditions.
Article 4
Human rights education and training should be based on the principles of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant treaties and instruments, with a view
to:
(a) Raising awareness, understanding and acceptance of universal human rights
standards and principles, as well as guarantees at the international, regional and national
levels for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
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(b) Developing a universal culture of human rights, in which everyone is aware
of their own rights and responsibilities in respect of the rights of others, and promoting the
development of the individual as a responsible member of a free, peaceful, pluralist and
inclusive society;
(c) Pursuing the effective realization of all human rights and promoting
tolerance, non-discrimination and equality;
(d) Ensuring equal opportunities for all through access to quality human rights
education and training, without any discrimination;
(e) Contributing to the prevention of human rights violations and abuses and to
the combating and eradication of all forms of discrimination, racism, stereotyping and
incitement to hatred, and the harmful attitudes and prejudices that underlie them.
Article 5
1. Human rights education and training, whether provided by public or private actors,
should be based on the principles of equality, human dignity, inclusion and nondiscrimination,
particularly equality between girls and boys and between women and men.
2. Human rights education and training should be accessible and available to all
persons, and should take into account the particular challenges and barriers faced by, and
the needs and expectations of, persons in vulnerable and disadvantaged situations and
groups, including persons with disabilities, in order to promote empowerment and human
development and to contribute to the elimination of the causes of exclusion or
marginalization, as well as enable everyone to exercise all their rights.
3. Human rights education and training should embrace and enrich, as well as draw
inspiration from, the diversity of civilizations, religions, cultures and traditions of different
countries, as it is reflected in the universality of human rights.
4. Human rights education and training should take into account different economic,
social and cultural circumstances while promoting local initiatives in order to encourage
ownership of the common goal of the fulfilment of all human rights for all.
Article 6
1. Human rights education and training should capitalize on and make use of new
information and communication technologies, as well as the media, to promote all human
rights and fundamental freedoms.
2. The arts should be encouraged as a means of training and raising awareness in the
field of human rights.
Article 7
1. States, and where applicable relevant governmental authorities, have the primary
responsibility to promote and ensure human rights education and training, developed and
implemented in a spirit of participation, inclusion and responsibility.
2. States should create a safe and enabling environment for the engagement of civil
society, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders in human rights education and
training, in which the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, including of those
engaged in the process, are fully protected.
3. States should take steps, individually and through international assistance and
cooperation, to ensure, to the maximum of their available resources, the progressive
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implementation of human rights education and training by appropriate means, including the
adoption of legislative and administrative measures and policies.
4. States, and where applicable relevant governmental authorities, should ensure
adequate training in human rights and, where appropriate, international humanitarian law
and international criminal law, of State officials, civil servants, judges, law enforcement
officials and military personnel, as well as promote adequate training in human rights for
teachers, trainers and other educators and private personnel acting on behalf of the State.
Article 8
l. States should develop, or promote the development of, at the appropriate level,
strategies and policies and, where appropriate, action plans and programmes to implement
human rights education and training, such as through its integration into school and training
curricula. In so doing, they should take into account the World Programme for Human
Rights Education and specific national and local needs and priorities.
2. The conception, implementation and evaluation of and follow-up to such strategies,
action plans, policies and programmes should involve all relevant stakeholders, including
the private sector, civil society and national human rights institutions, by promoting, where
appropriate, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
Article 9
States should promote the establishment, development and strengthening of effective
and independent national human rights institutions, in compliance with the Paris Principles,
recognizing that national human rights institutions can play an important role, including,
where necessary, a coordinating role, in promoting human rights education and training by,
inter alia, raising awareness and mobilizing relevant public and private actors.
Article 10
1. Various actors within society, including, inter alia, educational institutions, the
media, families, local communities, civil society institutions, including non-governmental
organizations, human rights defenders and the private sector have an important role to play
in promoting and providing human rights education and training.
2. Civil society institutions, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders are
encouraged to ensure adequate human rights education and training for their staff and
personnel.
Article 11
The United Nations and international and regional organizations should provide
human rights education and training for their civilian personnel, and military and police
personnel serving under their mandates.
Article 12
1. International cooperation at all levels should support and reinforce national efforts,
including, where applicable, at the local level, to implement human rights education and
training.
2. Complementary and coordinated efforts at the international, regional, national and
local levels can contribute to more effective implementation of human rights education and
training.
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3. Voluntary funding for projects and initiatives in the field of human rights education
and training should be encouraged.
Article 13
1. International and regional human rights mechanisms should, within their respective
mandates, take into account human rights education and training in their work.
2. States are encouraged to include, where appropriate, information on the measures
that they have adopted in the field of human rights education and training in their reports to
relevant human rights mechanisms.
Article 14
States should take appropriate measures to ensure the effective implementation of and
follow-up to the present Declaration and make the necessary resources available in this
regard.
