20 September 2013
Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) and the NGO Working Group on HREL, including ACHRE, made a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this week regarding the focus of the third phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education. The theme, focus and target of the third phase of this important global human rights education programme is due to be announced in Geneva during the current Council session.
Civil society have been following the process of defining the third phase and many of you contributed to the online consultation HREA coordinated earlier this year. These contributions had a noticeable impact on the OHCHR report (see page 14)
ACHRE calls jointly with HREA for a programme that will build upon progress made in the previous two phases of the World Programme and be guided by the principle that human rights learning influences long-term social change.
We seek Australian government commitment under the Abbot leadership to implement additional measures at our schools and universities to implement further HRE measures. International Human Rights needs to be understood as common, secular and unifying standards for any modern societies characterised by enormous cultural and religious diversity.