Link to freedom of expression
The goal of human rights education is also linked to freedom of expression and, in particular,
the right to information, as States are under an obligation to inform citizens about human
rights. The ICCPR and CRC discuss the components of the right to information. These
Conventions affirm the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all
kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through
any other media of the person’s choice.416
Substantive content of the obligation
Human rights education should involve more than the provision of information and should
take place within the family, schools and communities. In addition to obtaining information
on the content of human rights treaties, children should learn about human rights by seeing
human rights standards implemented in practice. Thus, human rights education should start
with the reflection of human rights values in the daily life and experiences of children.417
Human rights education should constitute a life-long, integrated and holistic process by which
people at all levels of development and in all strata of society learn respect for the dignity of
others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect in all societies.418 Human rights
education contributes to a concept of development consistent with the dignity of women and
men of all ages that takes into account the diverse segments of society such as children,
indigenous peoples, minorities and disabled persons.419
Despite ongoing efforts, including a UN decade on human rights education, this dimension of
the right to education continues to pose challenges. Katarina Tomasevski has observed that
“[w]ithout a clear vision of the inter-relationship between the right to education and rights in
education, promoting human rights education or human rights through education remains
impossible.”420
416
See article 19(2) of the ICCPR and article 13(1) of the CRC.
Children’s Committee General Comment No. 1: The Aims of Education CRC/GC/2001/1 17 April
2001 at paras 13 and 15.
418
General Assembly Resolution United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education A/RES/49/184 6
March 1995 and Children’s Committee General Comment No. 1: The Aims of Education
CRC/GC/2001/1 17 April 2001 at paras 13 and 15.
419
General Assembly Resolution United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education
A/RES/49/184 6 March 1995.
420
Tomasevski Right to Education Primer No 3: Human Rights Obligations: Making Education
Available, Accessible, Acceptable and Adaptable (Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and
417
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