Assesment of the regional development of Human Rights Education

in the last decade

An applied research study:The Inter-American Report on HRE

Inter-American Institute of Human Rights

• The IIHR is developing a methodology oriented to measure progresses (or absence of them) in the fullfillment of human rights, using as reference the main international instruments which consagrate human rights and define the State obligations to make them effective.

• We are constructing a system to assist in an objective and continous human rights monitoring, which would facilitate the elaboration of periodic reports –complementary to those produced by other specialized organizations.

• Our approach is neither to report violations, nor to describe a “situation state” of human rights at a given moment.

• We focus on processes of change and improvement in the respect of human rights. To do so, we construct and apply a system of progress indicators.

First experience (2000-2002):

•Trial of an initial system about 3 rights or groups of rights which constitute IIHR´s institutional strategy:

•Access to justice•Political participation•Human rights education

•Elaboration of “progress maps” for 6 pilot countries.

Ongoing experience (from 2002 on):

Elaboration of a study on the progress of HRE in the region: the Inter-American Report on Human Rights Education

Goals:

• To provide inputs to the Inter-American organs for human rights promotion and protection in the manner of an independent, friendly report.

Its progressive nature coincides with the progessive reports which States that are parts of the San Salvador Protocol are obliged to submit (Art. 19).

• To offer objective elements of judgement to the competent national public institutions, civic society organizations, and the international human rights community, in order to promote a debate on the progresses on HRE, its successes and limitations, and the pending tasks.

• To develop and provide local organizations a working tool for the research and assessment of human rights progress in their countries.

The Report explores the variations produced during the period 1990-2002(03/04) concerning the incorporation of HRE in formal and non formal education, in the 19 countries that signed the “Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”, or “Protocol of San Salvador” (1988).

They are: ARGENTINA – BOLIVIA – BRASIL – COLOMBIACOSTA RICA – CHILE - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - ECUADOR - EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA – HAITI MEXICO - NICARAGUA - PANAMA - PARAGUAY – PERU – SURINAM - URUGUAY - VENEZUELA

The Report is legally supported on the commitmment of the States Parties of the “Protocolo of San Salvador”.

Art. 13 of the Protocol states:

1. Everyone has the right to education.

2. The States Parties to this Protocol agree that education should be directed towards the full development of the human personality and human dignity and should strengthen respect for human rights, ideological pluralism, fundamental freedoms, justice and peace. They further agree that education ought to enable everyone to participate effectively in a democratic and pluralistic society and achieve a decent existence and should foster understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious groups and promote activities for the maintenance of peace.

It is a mid-term project in 4 stages:

I Report (2002): Examines the variations in the norms, both national and international, in educational public policies, and in the process of educational reform.

II Report (2003): Examines the variations in the guidelines of the educational curriculum, in the contents of study plans and programs at the elementary and high school level, and in the contents and presentation of school texts.

III Reports (2004): Examines the variations in teachers training, both in-service (current) teachers, and in-training (future) teachers.

IV Report (2005): Examines the variations in the adoption and implementation of “National Plans for HRE” –as part of the internationally proclaimed “HRE Decade” (1995-2004).

Methodologically, within the thematic field of HRE, this research defines:

• Research domains• Variables• Indicators• Means of verification (information sources)

These cathegories conform a matrix to gather and organize information, which is later processed and analized.

Information is collected by local researchers in the countries under study. Processing and analysis is in charge of the Applied Research Unit and the Pedagogical Unit at IIHD-IIHR.

Matrixof

I Inter-American Report on HRE:

Normative Development

2002

Domain: EDUCATIONAL NORMATIVE

Variables Indicators

Adoption of norms

about HRE

Ratification of international instruments

Incorporation of HRE in national laws

Adoption of public

policies

Incorporation of HRE in Decrees, Resolutions and other instruments of public administration.

Incorporation of HRE in official documents (e.g., Educational Reform) and National Education Plans.

InstitutionalDevelopment

Existence of government offices specialized on HRE.

Existence of specialized government programs on HRE.

Right to education

(as context for the study of HRE)

Constitutional norms

Constitutional percentage of national budget destined to education

Whether education is mandatory or not

School enrollment

Matrix of

II Inter-American Report on HRE:

Development of School Curricula and Textbooks

2003

Domain 1: CURRICULAR REGIME

Incorporation of HRE into the official

document that sets the

objectives and content of the

curriculum

Contents which refer explicitly to human rights and constitutional guarantees

Contents which refer explicitly to justice, State institutions and the rule of law

Contents which refer explicitly to democracy, voting rights, elections, political and ideological pluralism

Contents which refer explicitly to values education (solidarity, human dignity, peace, tolerance and understanding among nations)

Incorporation of HRE

contents into the official

course programs for 5th, 8th and 11th grades

Contents which refer explicitly to human rights and constitutional guarantees

Contents which refer explicitly to justice, State institutions and the rule of law

Contents which refer explicitly to democracy, voting rights, elections, political and ideological pluralism

Contents which refer explicitly to values education (solidarity, human dignity, peace, tolerance and understanding among nations)

Domain 2: SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS

Incorporation of HRE contents

into educational textbooks for 5th, 8th and 11th grades

Contents which refer explicitly to human rights and constitutional guarantees

Contents which refer explicitly to justice, State institutions and the rule of law

Contents which refer explicitly to democracy, voting rights, elections, political and ideological pluralism

Contents which refer explicitly to values education (solidarity, human dignity, peace, tolerance and understanding among nations)

Domain 3: CROSS-CUTTING PERSPECTIVES

Gender Equity

Contents addressing gender equity in: 1) Official document setting the objectives and contents of the curriculum 2) Course programs 3) Textbooks

Language used in textbooks

Roles in which women are depicted in textbook illustrations

Number of women in relation to men in textbook illustrations

Ethnic Diversity

Contents addressing ethnic diversity in: 1) Official document setting the objectives and contents of the curriculum 2) Course programs 3) Textbooks

Roles in which indigenous and afro-descendant peoples are depicted in textbooks illustrations.

Number of indigenous and afro-descendant peoples in textbook illustrations

Existence of auxiliary or complementary bibliography on intercultural issues and bilingualism

Interaction between civil society and the State

Role of civil society in the process of designing the school curriculum

Contents of course programs and textbooks that promote knowledge and/or participation of civil society in different governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Matrix of

III Inter-American Reporton HRE:

Development in Teachers Training

2004

Domain 1: TEACHERS FORMATION AND TRAINING IN THE NORMS AND INSTITUTIONS

Contents of the laws in relation

to teachers formation and

training

Chapter or section about teachers formation and training

Norms establishing teaching-learning of skills and knowledge for HRE

Contents of National

Education Plans

Chapter or section about teachers formation and training

Guidelines about teaching-learning of knowledge and skills for HRE

Structure of the Ministry of Education in relation to HRE training

Department/Unit in charge of teachers training in HRE

Department/Unit which provides pedagogical guidelines for teachers training in Normal Schools and Terciary Institutes

Pedagogical guidelines for HRE in Normal Schools and Terciary Institutes

Domain 2: BASIC or INITIAL TRAINING  

Contents in the study plans of

Normal Schools

Course on Human RightsCourse on the methodology of HRE

Research studies, thesis, and papers on HRE

Contents in the study plans of other higher education

institutions which form teachers

Course on Human Rights

Course on the methodology of HRE

Research studies, thesis, and papers on HRE

Domain 3: IN-SERVICE TEACHERS TRAINING

Courses, workshops and other activities

for teachers organized by the

Ministry of Education

Courses, workshops or seminars on HRE

Cooperation agreements between the Ministry and other institutions

Didactic materials for HRE

Courses, workshops and other activities

for teachers organized by the

Ombudsman Office

Courses, workshops or seminars on HRE

Cooperation agreements between the Ministry and other institutions

Didactic materials for HRE

Domain 4: CROSS-CUTTING PERSPECTIVES

Gender equity

Norms establishing the learning of skills and knowledge for teaching gender equity.

Guidelines about learning of skills and knowledge for teaching gender equity.

Course with contents or pedagogical guidelines about gender equity in the Study Program

Research studies, thesis and papers about teaching gender equity.

Extra-curricular activities within teacher training institutions related to the teaching of gender equity.

In-service training courses about gender equity.

Didactic materials about teaching gender equity.

Domain 4: CROSS-CUTTING PERSPECTIVES

Ethnic and

cultural diversity

Norms establishing the learning of skills and knowledge for teaching ethnic and cultural diversity.

Guidelines about learning of skills and knowledge for teaching ethnic and cultural diversity.

Course with contents or pedagogical guidelines about ethnic and cultural diversity in the Study Program.

Research studies, thesis and papers about teaching ethnic and cultural diversity.

Extra-curricular activities within teacher training institutions related to the teaching of ethnic and cultural diversity.

In-service training courses about ethnic and cultural diversity.

Didactic materials about teaching ethnic and cultural diversity.