Human Rights Education A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions • Non-formal education involves organized educational activity, usually outside the formal education system. It is designed for specific learning groups, with particular learning objectives. Non-formal education can include work-based education and training, as well as adult and community education, advocacy for human rights, networking and community development. • Informal education is an unorganized and often unintentional lifelong process where individuals acquire attitudes, values, skills and knowledge from their experiences and the educative influences and resources in their environment. 2.1.4. Principles that guide human rights education Human rights education principles apply across all levels of human rights education activity, whether in formal or non-formal settings. While specific settings will influence how the educator approaches and delivers human rights education, the following six principles have been developed as a guide for this Manual. Human rights education: • is participant-centred and relevant • is enhanced by partnerships and collaborations • acknowledges participants as educators • deepens knowledge and experience • recognizes that societal change comes from thoughtful action • is empowering, guided by human rights principles of non-discrimination, equality and inclusion. Chapter 4 addresses these principles in more detail. 2.1.5. The practice of human rights education The practice of human rights education is consistent with, and guided by, human rights and education principles. As a result, the activity of human rights education focuses on strengthening respect for the human rights and dignity of participants and enabling their full and active participation in the learning process. Good human rights education practice: • demonstrates human rights principles of equality, human dignity, inclusion and non-discrimination • uses facilitative and participatory methods, processes and techniques • is participant-centred • engages ‘hearts, minds and hands’ • is innovative and adaptable to a wide range of learning environments • is relevant to the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual and cultural contexts of participants • respects and is enriched by the diversity of participants • aims at reflecting on lived experience through a human rights viewpoint • prioritizes the specific challenges and barriers faced by, and the needs and expectations of, people who experience human rights violations because of the situations they live in or how they identify, or how they are identified. • encourages critical thinking and problem solving • takes into account wider national and international human rights circumstances, while promoting local initiatives. 12