Cairo, – The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) participated in a forum on the future of education in the Arab region, organized by the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions in Cairo, Egypt. This forum was held in collaboration with the Arab Institute for Human Rights, the National Council for Human Rights in Egypt, the Arab League, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
During the forum, Hamad Salim Al Hajri, who is the Director of Programs and Education at the NHRC, presented a working paper on the role of the committee in integrating human rights education into educational curricula and the lessons learned from this experience.
Al Hajri emphasized the importance of the committee’s role in ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in 2018. He also noted that the committee signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in 2019 to implement activities related to human rights education in schools. This includes the inclusion of human rights in the general objectives of educational legislation, as well as in the standards and specifications adopted for curriculum development and training programs, in accordance with the global education program endorsed by the United Nations in its three phases.
He said that the NHRC monitors the implementation of final recommendations issued by human rights treaty bodies, special rapporteurs, and the United Nations Human Rights Council. These recommendations aim to enhance the state’s commitment to human rights education and raise public awareness of the rights guaranteed by these instruments.
Al Hajri also mentioned that the committee is committed to promoting a culture of human rights among students, teachers, and administrative bodies in the education sector, whether at the primary or university level. The committee organizes annual training courses, seminars, lectures, competitions, and theatrical performances to instill human rights culture in schools and universities.
Furthermore, Al Hajri explained the research and investigations conducted by the committee to ensure the realization of the right to education in line with human rights principles. He pointed out that the committee organized its first dialogue session directed at officials from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and teachers in 2005. The session focused on integrating human rights into educational curricula.
In conclusion, Al Hajri presented the committee’s’ recommendation to harness new and emerging digital technologies for human rights education and to establish a regional observatory for human rights education in collaboration with regional and international entities concerned with education and human rights.
Source: Qatar News Agency