Shining Light into Dark Corners
with the statement: "Everyone has the right to know,
seek and receive information about all human
World Programme for Human
Rights Education
rights and fundamental freedoms and should have
access to human rights education and training." In
other words, receiving human rights education, on
its own, is a human right.
For this reason, the NHRC observed Article 2 of
"Organic Act of the Control Yuan National Human
Rights Commission" as well as the rationale and
practices of United Nation's "World Programme
for Human Rights Education," and took the initiative
to collaborate with the Examination Yuan and the
Ministry of Education on promoting human rights
education. Case studies and terms of human
rights conventions have been incorporated into
training materials and courses to help build respect
On November 20, 2020, the NHRC visited the National Academy for Educational Research to learn about current status of the Ministry of
Education's promotion for national human rights.
Human
Rights
Issue
6
and awareness for human rights among civil
servants and educators, through whom the nation
may enforce human rights protection in people's
related investigations or corrections of the Control
everyday life.
Yuan that can be used by the National Academy
of Civil Service as human rights course materials.
Implementing Human Rights Education
Collaborating with Civil Service and
Education System
B
Asserting Human Rights into the DNA of Civil
Servants in Collaboration with the Examination
Yuan
In November 2020, the commission compiled
Civil servants are the driver behind a nation's
material for civil servants with elementary rank
progress; they exercise authorities on behalf of
seeking promotion to junior rank. The commission
a nation and have the most direct impact on
contributed 7 additional cases later in March
people's rights through planning and enforcement
2021 that were used as training material for civil
of regulations and policies. The NHRC has been
servants with junior rank seeking promotion to
senior rank.
ased on an overview of key human rights-
United Nations "Paris Principles" (1993) stipulates
actively engaging the National Academy of Civil
11 cases that were included in the basic training
of new civil ser vants and used as training
related conventions of the United Nations, it
that National Human Rights Institutions have the
Service, Examination Yuan, in raising human rights
has been stated in the "International Covenant on
obligations to promote human rights education and
awareness and promoting human rights education
For each case, the commission provides
Civil and Political Rights," "International Covenant
increasing the public's awareness towards human
among civil servants since it was first founded. To
clear explanation on the point of dispute, the
on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights,"
rights.
date, the commission has engaged the national
investigation outcome or cause of correction by
academy on many forms of collaboration including:
the Control Yuan, and association with UN human
enhancement of course materials, referral of human
rights conventions. By compiling cases and making
the Rights of the Child," and "Convention on the
Connecting the World and Complying with
International Human Rights Guidelines
rights instructors, and convention of human rights
associations with relevant international human rights
Rights of Persons with Disabilities" that it is the
The "United Nations Declaration on Human Rights
seminars.
conventions, the commission hopes to materialize
obligation of a country to ensure that everyone
Education and Training" in 2011 also outlined the
has fair entitlement to the rights mentioned in the
importance of human rights education and training
With respect to the enhancement of course
human rights awareness and mission among civil
conventions, and government agencies and public
to the enhancement, protection, and enforcement
materials, the NHRC contributes by selecting
servants, which in turn helps realize human rights
institutions cannot act against these obligations. The
of human rights. Article 1 of the declaration opens
appropriate cases from previous human rights-
protection.
"Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women," "Convention on
44
During the General Assembly held in December
2004, the United Nations announced its "World
Programme for Human Rights Education" - a
stage-by-stage action plan to provide human
rights education for different groups of people.
Based on the programme, the United Nations
Human Rights Council
proposed a 4-phase
action plan in 2004,
2010, 2014, and
2019 that targeted
the primary and
secondary education,
tertiary education,
and civil servants,
military personnel,
media, and youths.
the concept of human rights in ways that raise
45