Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

“Human rights education imperative for harmony”

— Photo: S. James.

INFORMATIVE: Rajendra Babu, Chairperson, NHRC, releasing a book in Madurai on Friday. A. Tamilarasi, Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare, receives the first copy.

MADURAI: Human rights education is essential for achieving stable and harmonious relation among communities and to foster mutual understanding, tolerance and peace, National Human Rights Commission Chairperson S. Rajendra Babu has said.

Speaking at the decennial celebration of human rights education programme of the ‘Institute of Human Rights Education’ here on Friday, he said by learning human rights as a way of life, fundamental change could be brought about to eradicate poverty, ignorance, prejudices and discrimination based on sex, caste, religion and disability.

More than being theoretical, human rights education should be relevant to human lives since it served as means of understanding and embracing principles of human equality, dignity and commitment to protect the rights of all.

Dissemination of knowledge on human rights should aim at bringing about attitudinal changes in human behaviour. When properly trained and guided, students could become instruments for ensuring social justice and development.

“Teachers have a crucial role in developing awareness among the students and to translate human rights into social and political realities.”

Mr. Rajendra Babu said the experience of the last five decades in the area of human rights had become a matter of deep concern. The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other factors had not changed ground realities qualitatively.

Having had the concern towards the issue of human rights education, the NHRC had made recommendations leading to the formulation of model curriculum for induction in the university education system, which would lead to award of various academic degrees, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Shantha Sinha, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said the Commission along with the NHRC would recommend to the Human Resources Development Ministry to consider introducing human rights education in all schools in the country.

Children with exposure to human rights would add strength to those fighting against child labour.

“Human rights education will give children the power to say ‘no’. Victims of child labour never wanted to go to work. It is possible to abolish child labour in India,” she said.

United Nations Development Programme, Country Director, Dierdre Boyd, said human rights education was recognised by the United Nations and its member countries. Human Rights were fundamental to a prosperous society and peace between two nations.

V. Vasanthi Devi, Chairperson, Institute of Human Rights Education, said assistance had been sought from the institute to introduce human rights education in Nepal. Since there were limitations to a Non-Governmental Organisation in imparting education, the Government should come forward to take up the task and make human rights education compulsory in all schools. Human Rights should become an integral part of our education system.

Minister for Adi-Draidar Welfare, A. Tamilarasi, said human rights education was introduced in all schools run by Department for Adi Dravidar Welfare. She assured the speakers that she would take up their appeal for introducing human rights education in all schools with the Chief Minister.

State Commission for Women chairperson, K.M. Ramathal, State Minorities Commission, chairperson, Vincent Chinnathurai, People’s Watch-Tamil Nadu, executive director, Henry Tiphagne among others spoke.

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