The Oxford Forum for International Development - in partnership with United Nations Human Rights, UNESCO and the UN Youth Envoy - is organizing a global challenge on human rights education. Young people aged 18-30 from around the world can apply to the challenge, which focuses on how human rights education can be implemented and enhanced by, for, and with youth and young people.
Background
Human rights education and training is essential for the promotion of universal respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It contributes to the prevention of human rights violations by providing persons with knowledge and skills and developing their attitudes and behaviors to building a culture of human rights.
Human rights education for youth is part of the UN's growing focus on the contributions of young people to the realization of human rights. In 2018, the UN Secretary-General's youth strategy makes the entire UN system responsible for stepping up human rights education and training for youth. In 2019, the Human Rights Council dedicated the fourth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, running from 2020 to 2024, to human rights education by, for, and with youth. The plan of action, which contains guidance to develop a comprehensive human rights education strategy for youth at the national level, can be accessed here.
The objectives of the World Programme, particularly in its fourth phase, include:
- expand human rights education to include all youths, with priority for young people in vulnerable and marginalised conditions;
- facilitate young people’s participation and leadership in human rights education programming;
- outline key components and actions for human rights education for youth in order to assess national progress;
- encourage cooperation on local, national, regional, and international levels regarding human rights, youth, education, sustainable development, and the 2030 Agenda.
At the end of each phase of the World Programme, States submit a national evaluation report, which OHCHR compiles into a final report on the implementation of the phase. The reports of the first three phases can be found here: (2005-2009), (2010-2014), and (2015-2019).
The Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, together with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), have been tasked by Member States to support the implementation of this programme at country-level.
Background Documents
- World Programme for Human Rights Education, General Assembly resolution 59/113A (2004)
- United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, General Assembly resolution 66/137 (2011)
- Youth 2030: Working With and For Young People (2018)
- Plan of action for the fourth phase (2020-2024) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education, A/HRC/42/23 (2019)
- World Programme for Human Rights Education: adoption of the plan of action for the fourth phase, Human Rights Council resolution 42/7 (2019)
Submission Guidelines
The Global Youth Challenge is overseen by the Oxford Forum for International Development 2022, in partnership with the three UN partners, the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, UNESCO, and OHCHR.
Participants are challenged to provide solutions to support or strengthen the implementation of the World Programme for Human Rights Education.
The focus of the challenge is how human rights education can be implemented and enhanced by, for, and with youth and young people.
The Global Youth Challenge is designed to take into account any accessibility needs and/or mitigating circumstances of all participants. Relevant information can be provided in the above submission form.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.