On December 5-6, 2022, on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Samarkand hosted the Global Forum on Human Rights Education. We interviewed the director of the National Human Rights Center A. Kh....
On December 5-6, 2022, on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Samarkand hosted the Global Forum on Human Rights Education. We interviewed the director of the National Human Rights Center A. Kh. Saidov about the goals and objectives of this prestigious international event. – Akmal Kholmatovich, what does education in the field of human rights provide for? – Human rights education is fundamental to the promotion of universal respect and universal observance of human rights. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims that everyone has the right to education and that “education shall be directed towards the full development of the human personality and towards increasing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Education should promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all peoples, racial and religious groups, and should contribute to the peacekeeping activities of the United Nations.” In 2011, the UN adopted the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. The Declaration states that everyone has the right to know, to seek and receive information about all human rights and fundamental freedoms and must have access to education and training in the field of human rights. And human rights education and training are essential to the promotion of universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons, in accordance with the principles of the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights. Provisions regarding human rights education are also included in many international instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against racial discrimination. Human rights education includes three aspects: first, gaining knowledge about human rights, what they are, how they are guaranteed or protected; second, education through human rights, recognizing that the context and mode of human rights education must be organized and aligned with human rights values (e.g. participation, freedom of thought and expression, etc.), and that in human rights education, the process of learning is as important as its content; third, learning human rights by students to develop their skills, attitudes and values that enable them to apply the values of human rights in their lives and, alone or with others, to take action to promote and protect human rights. As the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, noted, “Human rights are the common language of mankind. We need a system of human rights that resonates with everyone's voice. In everything that concerns human rights, we must act as a united front.” – How is human rights education implemented? – In 1993, the World Conference on Human Rights stated that human rights education is "essential for the development and achievement of stable and harmonious relations among nations and for the promotion of mutual understanding, tolerance and peace." In 1994, the General Assembly proclaimed the period from 1995 to 2004 as the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education and called on all UN Member States to promote "teaching, dissemination and information in order to create a universal culture of human rights". And in 2004, the UN General Assembly, to promote the implementation of human rights education programs in all sectors, adopted a special World Program for Human Rights Education. It defines human rights education as education, training and information to create a shared culture of human rights. Comprehensive human rights education not only provides knowledge about human rights and mechanisms for their protection, but also instills the skills necessary to promote, protect and apply human rights to everyday life. Human rights education promotes the development of attitudes and behaviors necessary for the protection of human rights by all members of society. The adoption of this program has led governments to make significant efforts to develop human rights education, mainly through public education programs. The world community sees human rights education as a means of strengthening peace, democracy and social progress. The World Program is designed to promote the implementation of educational programs in the field of human rights in all government bodies, non-profit non-governmental organizations and the business sector, a common understanding of the basic principles and methods of educational activities in the field of human rights, the creation of mechanisms for the implementation of practical work and the strengthening of partnerships and cooperation at all levels, from the international to the grassroots. Every individual and every member of society must promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms through education and training. Comprehensive human rights education not only serves as a source of knowledge about human rights and mechanisms for their protection, but also provides the skills needed to promote, protect and apply human rights to everyday life. Three phases of the World Program have already been implemented. They covered educational processes in schools, in higher education systems, and are also held for teachers, teachers and civil servants and representatives of the media. From 2020 to 2024, the fourth phase of the World Program is being implemented, which is aimed at empowerment. It identifies young people as the target group of the fourth stage. At this stage, the following are provided: teaching and educating young people in the spirit of equality, respect for human rights and non-discrimination, this will create an inclusive and peaceful society; focusing on women and children, in line with the “leaving no o...