Human Rights Education A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions
Figure 5.2: The “4-A” framework for human rights education
Human rights
education is
equitably available
to all
Sufficient
appropriately
skilled,
qualified
human rights
educators
available
Human rights
education
promotes the
achievement
of full human
potential
Availability
Barriers to human
rights education are
eliminated
Steps are
taken to
include the
most
marginalized
Accessibility
“4-A”
framework
for
human rights
education
Adaptability
The provision of
human rights
education takes into
account the diversity
of human experience
The provision of
human rights
education meets
quality
standards
Acceptability
Human rights
educators
experience
good working
conditions
Human rights
education content
and settings
reflect human
rights standards
In the formal sector, the “4-A” framework recognizes that the Government is the primary duty bearer.
However, it also places duties on others in the education process; “the child as the privileged subject of
the right to education and the bearer of the duty to comply with compulsory-education requirements;
the child’s parents who are the ‘first educators’; and professional educators, namely teachers”.90 NHRIs
also have a role to support the State and others in the provision of quality and effective human rights
education.
The approach emphasizes human rights in education, which recognizes the right to access quality
human rights education. It also emphasizes human rights through education, which identifies the role of
human rights education as a means of achieving broader human rights.
The first level of the “4-A” framework provides clear, simple but effective standards that have a high
level of transferability and application. They may be used by the human rights educator to develop a
programme just as easily as they may be used to develop a human rights education method, tool or
resource.
The second level indicators are aimed more at the total human rights education programme. However
individual indicators – such as the elimination of barriers, meeting quality standards, reflecting human
rights content and taking diversity into account – have utility for the design of activities.
90
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See the Right to Education Project. Available online at www.right-to-education.org.