Twelve
Promotion of Human Rights
Literacy and Awareness
MOBILISING THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
12.1 Respect for he human rights of all, and the realization of such rights, requires
a continuous efTor' to evolve a culture that is sensitive to the basic needs of every human
being, in a society that ensures equity and justice to every individual and every group.
Human rights education is essential to the creation of such a culture and society. The
Commission has, : ince its inception, been deeply involved with the eflbrt to introduce
human rights edi cation in the curriculum of school going children and also at the
university level in irder to promote a deeper understanding of human rights. It has also
continuously encoaraged the endeavours ofa large number of NGOs that have been doing
significant work i» the area of human rights education. A full account of the steps taken
by the Ministry "f Human Resource Development, the NCERT and the NOTE to
introduce humanjights education at the school level are contained in earlier reports of
the Commission.
12.2 In respect Df human rights education at the university level, by the end of March
2000, degree courses had been introduced in the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh; the
Cochin Univers ty of Science and Technology, Cochin; the Aiidhra University,
Visakhapainam; he MS University of Baroda, Vadodara; the Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi; and the Shri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati. Diploma courses on Human
Rights had been introduced in the University of Mumbai; the Nagpur University; the
Jamia Millia IsUmia University. New Delhi; the Saurashtra University, Rajkot; the
University of Mtdras, Chennai; the University ofjammu; the Pondicherry University;
and the Universty of Mysore. Certificate courses had been introduced in the Saurashtra
University, RajkDt; the University of Madras, Chennai; the University of jammu; the
Pondicherry Uriversity; the University of Mysore; the Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya,
Indore; the Nafconal Law School of India University, Bangalore; and the Berhampur
University, Berfampur.