Part II Human rights education theory, principles and approach 5.2.2. The human rights-based approach The human rights-based approach was adopted by the international development community in the early 2000s. It is made up of an agreed set of standards developed from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments.91 These standards include: • • • • • • • universality and inalienability indivisibility interdependence and interrelatedness equality and non-discrimination participation and inclusion empowerment accountability and the rule of law. While the origins of the human rights-based approach are in international development work, the approach is now used more broadly. The following figure links six elements of a human rights-based approach with human rights education.92 Figure 5.3: Six principles of a human rights-based approach Decision-making and human rights standards Participation Are decisions that are made through the human rights education activity process in-line with international human rights standards? Are those involved in the human rights education activity able to actively and meaningfully participate in, and contribute to, its planning, implementation and evaluation? Non-discrimination and equality Empowerment Does the human rights education activity ensure that: Does the human rights education activity strengthen the capability of individuals and communities to: • everyone involved is treated equally and is entitled to their rights without discrimination? • demand and use their human rights? • priority is given to the most marginalized? • hold those responsible to account? • power imbalances are addressed? • change their own lives, improve their own communities and influence their own destinies? Does the content of the human rights education activity address issues of discrimination and equality? Accountability Balance of rights Does the human rights education activity build the capacities of duty bearers to meet their obligations and of rights holders to claim their rights? Does the human rights education activity: • balance individual and collective rights? • try to balance conflicting rights so that everyone’s rights are respected? • give priority to the rights of the most vulnerable? The SPC Regional Rights Resource Team has produced a very useful video on the human rights-based approach. This is available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYCdV-iAo18&list=PLCq-WnF3Hdrg dkRt3VENLqFl0RwFDQf7U&index=2.93 91 The “Statement of Common Understanding” of the human rights-based approach was developed in 2003 by a meeting of agencies and organizations. The UN Practitioners’ Portal on Human Rights-Based Approaches to Programming is available online at http://hrbaportal.org. 92 This figure has been informed by A Human Rights-Based Approach to Education for All; United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; 2007. 93 SPC RRRT (2019). A Human Rights Based Approach PANEL. A second version adding ‘T’ (Transforming social norms) to the approach (acronym PLANET) has also been produced and is available online at https://rrrt.spc.int/resources/videos/a-humanrights-based-approach. Chapter 5: A human rights education approach | 45