Human Rights

On the 10th of December the U.N. celebrates Human Rights Day, so designated to mark the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1984. The declaration was seen as a radical shift in society by providing clear guarantees of inalienable rights regardless of age, sex, race, political opinion, language or other status. With 500 translated versions, the UDHR is the most translated document in the world. Some of the most crucial rights enshrined in the text include the right to life, freedom from torture and inhumane treatment, the right to freedom of expression, and the right to a private life.

This year’s theme is Youth Standing up for Human Rights, and so it seems appropriate to discuss the right to education. In our domestic legislation, the right to education it is protected under Schedule 1, First Protocol, Article 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998. At an international level, Article 26, Universal Declaration on Human Rights and Article 13, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ensures that right. Both provisions have the same message: “No person shall be denied the right to education.”

However, there still remain questions around how that right should be exercised. Although the domestic legislation does not offer direction, in the international context we are told by Article 26(2) that “Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms”. One of these fundamental freedoms is reiterated in Article 7 of the UDHR. It tells us that “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.” Therefore, education is entwined with the guarantees of equal protection; you cannot be aware of an infringement of your rights if you are not aware of their existence in the first place.

This is precisely why Leducate aims to educate young people on their rights, starting at school. Schools ensure that children receive education in the sciences and arts, however legal education is a gap in the curriculum at present, despite it being fundamental to ensuring a young person grows into a responsible and active member of society. Part of Leducate’s mission is to empower young people with knowledge about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, because it is in itself an act that empowers people all over the world. Human rights are relevant to every young person and are vital in achieving the goals of equality, justice and freedom from violence and sustained peace.

The law is not always simple, and Leducate is working hard to create bespoke curriculum materials that can be taught by teachers, which explain human rights at a level accessible for students at secondary school. This goes for all subjects our curriculum explores, from human rights to how to deal with the police, and from housing rights to employment rights. As a charity, we are opening up access to information about these fundamental rights and responsibilities to those who might not have access to that information elsewhere, supporting teachers to level the playing field and offer a foundation legal education to their students that ultimately helps them to make smarter life choices.

Empowering people with knowledge of their legal rights and responsibilities can change a young person’s future. The right to education is fundamental to an equal society, and understanding legal rights is a crucial part of the education Leducate believes students deserve. The UDHR and the human rights it enshrines are a vital and central part of that education.

by Calin Moloiu