RES/31/21 Human rights education and training

Human Rights Council Thirty-first session

Agenda item 3

Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council on 24 March 2016

31/21. Human rights education and training

The Human Rights Council,

Guided by the Charter of the United Nations,

Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants

on Human Rights and other relevant international human rights instruments,

Reaffirming the call of the World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna in

1993, on all States and institutions to include human rights, humanitarian law, democracy

and rule of law in the curricula of all learning institutions, and its statement that human

rights education should include peace, democracy, development and social justice, as set

forth in international and regional human rights instruments, in order to achieve common

understanding and awareness with a view to strengthening universal commitment to human

rights,

Reaffirming also the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and

Training, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 66/137 on 19 December 2011,

and that States are duty-bound, as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to ensure that

education is aimed at strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,

and that every individual and every organ of society should strive by teaching and

education to promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 59/113A of 10 December 2004, in which the

Assembly proclaimed the World Programme for Human Rights Education as an

international effort under the auspices of the United Nations to advance the implementation

of human rights education in all sectors, and all previous resolutions of the Human Rights

Council on human rights education and training,

Recalling also the 2005 World Summit Outcome, in which Heads of State and

Government supported the promotion of human rights education and learning at all levels,

including through the implementation of the World Programme for Human Rights

Education, as appropriate, and encouraged all States to develop initiatives in that regard,

United Nations A/HRC/RES/31/21

General Assembly

Convinced that human rights education is a long-term and lifelong process by which

everyone learns tolerance and respect for the dignity of others and the means and methods

of ensuring that respect in all societies,

Recalling General Assembly resolution 70/254 of 12 February 2016,

Believing that human rights education and training is essential to the effective

realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms and contributes significantly to

promoting equality, preventing conflict and human rights violations and abuses, and

enhancing participation and democratic processes with a view to developing societies in

which all human beings are valued and respected, without discrimination or distinction of

any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political, or other opinion, national

or social origin, property, birth or other status,

Believing also that human rights education and training can play an important role in

promoting the rule of law, democracy, good governance and sustainable peace,

Recognizing that human rights education and training, especially for youth, can

contribute to the promotion of inclusive and tolerant societies, thereby favouring the

progressive realization of all human rights,

Welcoming the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,1

including Goal 4, target 7 thereof, and of the Education 2030 Framework for Action,2 and

affirming the interlinkages and integrated nature of all Sustainable Development Goals and

targets,

1. Calls upon States to take appropriate measures to ensure the effective

implementation of and follow-up to the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights

Education and Training, including by making available the necessary resources and

promoting universal respect and understanding thereof;

2. Encourages States and all other stakeholders to strengthen the

implementation of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, including its third

phase;

3. Welcomes the efforts of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner

for Human Rights and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

in advancing human rights education and training globally, including through the

promotion of national implementation of the World Programme for Human Rights

Education, methodological and training support, capacity-building and technical assistance,

and urges them to step up collaboration with States, upon request, in order to build their

capacity for human rights education and training;

4. Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner, in cooperation with the

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to support the

implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Goal 4, target 7

thereof;

5. Affirms the importance of education, including human rights education and

training, as a tool to help to prevent terrorism and violent extremism, as well as racial and

religious intolerance, genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity

worldwide, and recognizing the catalytic role of education, including human rights

1 General Assembly resolution 70/1.

2 Adopted on 4 November 2015 by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization at its thirty-eighth session.

education and training, in helping to ensure stability and sustainable peace, human rights,

social justice, diversity, gender equality and environmental sustainability;

6. Underlines the necessity to strengthen international cooperation and

coordination in order to advance human rights education and training as a necessary tool for

the promotion and protection of human rights;

7. Appreciates the work done by the Office of the High Commissioner and the

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to collect and develop

educational materials on human rights education and training, including through regional

centres, and to provide access to online educational materials, including through the

Office’s resource collection on human rights education and training and the Organization’s

clearinghouse on global citizenship education;

8. Encourages the Office of the High Commissioner and the United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to further collect and provide access to

educational materials on human rights education and training, including through the use of

online platforms and information and communications technology;

9. Welcomes the initiative by the Secretary-General on preventing violent

extremism which, inter alia, calls for education to include teaching respect for human rights

and diversity, fostering critical thinking, promoting media and digital literacy, and

developing the behavioural and socioemotional skills that can contribute to peaceful

coexistence and tolerance;

10. Appreciates the work of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization undertaken in cooperation with Member States to promote human

rights education and training through the strategy on global citizenship education, in line

with the Global Education First Initiative of the Secretary-General and Goal 4, target 7 of

the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

11. Recognizes the important role of national human rights institutions in

promoting effective policies on human rights education and training, and calls upon them to

contribute further to the implementation of human rights education programmes;

12. Also recognizes the important role of civil society, including non-

governmental organizations, in promoting and providing human rights education and

training;

13. Decides to convene at its thirty-third session a high-level panel discussion to

mark the fifth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education

and Training, on the theme “The implementation of the United Nations Declaration on

Human Rights Education and Training: good practices and challenges”, and requests the

Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a summary report of the high-level panel

discussion and to submit it to the Human Rights Council by its thirty-fifth session.

64th meeting

24 March 2016

[Adopted without a vote.]