HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
IJEGBAI, ROBERT UWAIFO ([email protected])
Department of Social Studies
Collegeof Education Ekiadolor-Benin
Abstract
The decade for Human Rights Education declared by the United Nationsunderscores the concern of the international community on the subject ofHuman Rights education. The paper posits the need for the United Nationsand other regional organizations to alliance with the Americas, Asia,Middle East and non-governmental organizations to improve on theuniversal awareness of human rights, employing both formal and informalteaching strategies. Education here will promote the understanding,tolerance, peace, and friendly relations between nations and all racial orreligious groups and encourage the development of the United Nationsactivities in pursuance of literacy programmes and the dissemination ofhuman rights information. In conclusion the paper adds that boththeoretical and practical inclinations play important roles in the promotionand respect for human rights with regards to individual differences withoutdistinction of any kind such as race, sex, language or religion. Hence, theneed for human rights education policies should be entrenched in schoolcurriculum and at all levels in the academia. Despicably, in Nigeria, fewpeople are knowledgeable about matters relating to human rights andhow important such rights are to the very existence of mankind.
Introduction
The need to entrench human rights education in the
curriculum of Nigerian universities is of great
importance and relevance to the human race. There is no
field of law which is not connected in one way to the
other with duties, privileges, immunities and rights of
man. Such legal fields include: constitutional law,
administrative law, international law, company and
commercial law, property law, law of torts among
others. The teaching of human rights as an independent
course will further stimulate the awareness, in our
youth, of these rights. This process is capable of
enhancing the development and expression of ‘human
personality’ which is sin qua non to the building of an
effective opposition and possible extermination of all
forms of social and economic oppression, political
victimization and marginalization in the Nigerian
society ( Derbey et al 1979).
The wheel of society moves freely and smoothly when the
atmosphere of human rights exist. Victims of denials
are constantly struggling to regain their rights; the
perpetrators are forever struggling to safeguard their
positions which are eternally threatened by their wrong
doing. These parties stand poised to condemn atrocities
or even give material or moral supports to the victims
of human rights violations. Basically, the widespread
denial of human rights causes insecurity, instability,
and the loss of the gains made in nation building. The
human rights guarantee in the constitution are
sacrosanct that nullifies affront to the philosophy of
human rights. In this era of globalization when the
world is undergoing a drastic change in all aspect of
human endeavour-political, social economical,
ecological, science and technological. Education is
seen as the foundation of sustainable human
development. The chief dictate of human development is
investment in human capital or potential that is,
development of human faculties and capacities (Farrant,
1984).
In the content of literacy, human is seen as a movement
of struggle dedicated to improving people’s lives with
their initiatives and meaningful participation using
their initiatives. There is however, one variable with
greater influence on our world (UNESCO, 2004).
The resources of the three (3) tiers of government that
is Federal, State and Local Government in Nigeria
today, is sufficient to meet the need of education of
this country. Very often a given proportion of the
annual budgets of the various tiers of government are
allocated to education for the benefit of the formal
school system, leaving the non-formal system with
little and insufficient amount to meet the needs of the
programme. The increasing rate of school dropout and
multitude of adults who missed the formal school system
or education lead to an ever growing rate of illiteracy
in our society. In seeking to redress this situation,
the involvement of Non-Government Organization has been
advocated. Today the NGOs have been involved in
promoting literacy education National Policy on
Education 2004).
What are rights?
According to Dowrick (1995) rights are wants, desires
aspirations that people have and express. The claims
are supported by or in accord with some objective,
standard or some general theory, whether those of a
code of morality, ethical theory, legal, political,
moral, any of the two or three. It is legal when it can
be legally implemented. Human rights relate for human
beings.
The paper adds that human rights lend themselves to
specific variations and different interpretations in
certain contexts. The right to life is the most
important of these rights, and it is absolute in some
jurisdictions and no death sentence may be imposed for
any offence. Nevertheless, in other jurisdiction,
serious offences such as murder or treason attract the
death sentence.
Basically, human rights as the rights of man was first
evolved as a specific tradition of political philosophy
in the writings of Spinoza and Hobbes, which later
matured into the writing of Locke, Montesquieu,
Rousseau and Kant, among others. These philosophers
were of the view that all legitimate government derives
its authority solely from the consent of the governed.
Thus, every individual in the society possesses certain
claims and rights that cannot be taken away and which
he cannot surrender to any human authority. Nowadays,
it has been generally recognized and accepted that
individuals possess certain definite political,
economic, social and civil rights which governments
must protect. As a result, different societies have
struggled to enshrine human rights in their
constitutions and political traditions. Examples of
this, which influenced constitutional and legal
development all over the world, can be found in the
Magna Charta of England (1215), the Unite States
Declaration of Independence(1776) and the French
Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen (1789).
The world community also recognized and enshrined human
rights provisions in numerous international
conventions, the most important of which is the
international Bill of Human Rights proclaimed and
adopted at various times by the United Nations General
Assembly. The various Nigerian constitution as since
independence have provided for the protection and
observance of rights of its citizens.
Providing a solid educational foundation for human
rights
The paper posits that human rights education should be
carried out at all levels of education-primary,
secondary, and tertiary. This will ensure a wide
coverage-reaching many of our youths, even those who
cannot afford higher education. Also, teaching those at
the primary and secondary schools will provide a good
foundation for the introduction, appreciation and
facilitation of human rights education in Nigerian
Higher Education Institutions. Opting for this approach
will be necessary to structure the curriculum and
teaching at the various levels to meet the needs and
levels of the students.
Within the curriculum
Human rights education could be carried out within the
“mainstream” of the school academic work. This involves
having lectures and examinations, this can be carried
out as compulsory or elective courses- the examination
scores of the human rights courses will be used in the
computation of the students’ final grades and must be
passed before students are graduated.
It suffices to say that separate courses or topics
within courses can be combined at any given time using
different combinations that may be adopted by different
faculties or schools or departments for students at
different academic levels. For instance, Year I and II
may have human rights topics within a broad course (e.
g under General Studies). The course may be compulsory
and without credit load. Year III and IV students may
have it as topics within a compulsory course with
credit units under constitutional Law Course. The Year
V students may have it as a separate elective course
with credit units. These may be a need to carry out
refresher courses on human rights for lecturers. Each
tertiary institution may be asked to nominate a
representative to develop ways of reaching curriculum
development for public law courses to advocate for the
introduction of human rights courses and topics in the
various higher education institutions.
Outside the curriculum
The Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) will help to
create more awareness among students especially those
from other facilities that may not have had the
opportunity of having human rights education in their
curriculum. Aina, (1982) stipulates that the approach
may take the form of establishing a human right club to
educate and sensitize the members and the community
about on human rights issues. Human rights festivals
could also be organized to deliver lectures, present
drama and do some music. Other activities may include
the donation of books on human rights education to
Faculties and Departments as well as the libraries.
Prizes could also be given to best scoring students in
human rights courses sustained annually. Researches in
human rights could also be encouraged (Ogundele, 1978).
Case studies of human rights violations
Human rights are very practical issues rather than pure
ethical ones. The history of the internationalization
of human rights can be analyzed and understood in the
background of the expansion of international commerce
and globalization. It has become an essential feature
of the preservation of international peace and security
which are necessary for the continuous growth of
national economy and commerce (Lawal, 2004).
The adequate consideration of both national and
international crisis especially in Africa portrays for
instance Liberia under Samuel Doe’s administration
threatened the peace and economic growth of the abuse
of human rights. Also, the Nazi holocaust and the
devastating effect of the Second World War made it
clear that the abuse of human rights in one part of the
world is a potential threat to international peace and
security (Makinde, 1977).
In Nigeria, the landmark of sort in the Abacha
administration’s ceaseless violation of the fundamental
rights included the commencement of the trial of Ken-
Saro Wiwa, Nigeria leading minority rights advocate and
President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni
People (MOSSOP), his deputy Ledum Mitee and scores of
Ogoni activists who were eventually executed. Of
recent, the state Governor-elect Ayodele Fayose, of
Ekiti State in Nigeria have been dragged by the Senior
Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to the National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC), over alleged violation of their
rights to practice as lawyers. These are just a few to
mention among others in Nigeria.
Conclusion
In the light of the discussion, the paper is by no
means an exhaustive study of human right education that
would require enormous effort and detailed analysis
indicators that is largely concerned with the
effectiveness of methodologies in use for communicating
human rights education among others. Most probably, it
will take years before the transition from the
pretence of human rights educators in saying some words
and which of the methods recommended for use in
teaching human rights education for the human factor-
dominated discourse. But the transition has already
begun and there is no turning back.
RECOMMENDATION
For a rapid development within the field of human
rights education research development in the recent
years both conceptually and methodologically, the
following recommendations are made:
i. The government should encourage a systematic
academic research often seems to be distant from
the immediate concern of human rights education.
ii. The people should be encouraged to dig into a
historical construction of human value, desires
and practices across different periods in their
history.
iii.A social, cultural and economic globalization in
such a way that community leaders could be
carried along to help shape the contemporary
human rights matters should be encouraged.
iv. There should be working templates to monitor all
programmes being implemented on human rights
education.
v. Human rights education issues should be infused
into the in-service training programmes for
educators.
vi. A streamlined data collection and utilization
format for tracking implementation on human
rights education programmes should be introduced
in the higher institutions.
REFERENCE
Aina N.F et al (1982) Social Studies, a book on methodology
Nigeria Evans brother limited
Debey et al (1979) The sociology of Nigeria education London,
Macmillan press Limited.
Farrant J.S (1964) Principles and practice of education
Longman press.
Lawal, M. B. Et al (2004) A pedagogy handbook for pre-service
and in-service teachers Lagos, Turbans print and publishers
Makinde M.A (1977) Integrated social studies handbook. Oxford
University Press
Ogunsanya (1984) Introduction to methodology of social studies
Nigeria Evans brothers
Publishers Limited
Ogundele A. (1978) A hand book of Social Studies for college
Nigeria, Macmillan publisher limited.
Institute of Education, University of Ibadan (1989)
Social Studies Method Nigeria Heinemann educational
books
Nigeria education research council (1980) Social
Studies teaching issues and problems Benin- City
Ethiopia publishing corporation.
Top Related