Human Rights Education
Shri Virendra Dayal, Member of the Commission, said that the responsibility for human rights education in the country could not be left to a few institutions alone. It must be broad-based and drawn upon the talents not only of all the governmental bodies concerned, but also of scholars, intellectuals and leading non-governmental organisations and human rights activists. He was speaking at a national workshop on `Human Rights Education’ at the Indian Social Institute on 27 August 1999. It had been organised on the suggestion of the human rights activist, Dr. R.M. Pal.
Shri Dayal referred to the efforts made over the past years by the Commission to stimulate human rights education in the country from the primary-school level to the university level and to involve all elements of society, including political parties, in the task. He also stressed the importance that the Commission gave to the full and speedy implementation of free and compulsory education for all of the children of India up to the age of 14 years and stated that this was central to the future of the country and the test of good governance.
Delivering the keynote address, eminent political scientist and human rights activist, Prof. Rajni Kothari said that the real school of human rights education is the school of life itself. This is particularly true in a democracy. In recent years, trends indicated that more and more women, dalits and tribals were realising the importance of casting their votes as an assertion of their rights. He also observed that confrontation is a necessary ingredient in the struggle for human rights. An "ivory tower" approach to human rights is not enough.
In his presidential address, Prof. Jean Dreze emphasised that the denial of primary education must be viewed as a human rights violation. Though primary education was not an enforceable right, the State could not shy away from this responsibility. Efforts must continue at the level of civil society to insist upon this right. He referred, in this connection, to the valuable role of civil society in Kerala, to spread education among girls, and contrasted that with the inertia in other parts of the country, where civil society had remained uninvolved.
The workshop was attended by more than a hundred academics, researchers, human rights activists and representatives of the Central and State Governments.
Shri Dayal referred to the efforts made over the past years by the Commission to stimulate human rights education in the country from the primary-school level to the university level and to involve all elements of society, including political parties, in the task. He also stressed the importance that the Commission gave to the full and speedy implementation of free and compulsory education for all of the children of India up to the age of 14 years and stated that this was central to the future of the country and the test of good governance.
Delivering the keynote address, eminent political scientist and human rights activist, Prof. Rajni Kothari said that the real school of human rights education is the school of life itself. This is particularly true in a democracy. In recent years, trends indicated that more and more women, dalits and tribals were realising the importance of casting their votes as an assertion of their rights. He also observed that confrontation is a necessary ingredient in the struggle for human rights. An "ivory tower" approach to human rights is not enough.
In his presidential address, Prof. Jean Dreze emphasised that the denial of primary education must be viewed as a human rights violation. Though primary education was not an enforceable right, the State could not shy away from this responsibility. Efforts must continue at the level of civil society to insist upon this right. He referred, in this connection, to the valuable role of civil society in Kerala, to spread education among girls, and contrasted that with the inertia in other parts of the country, where civil society had remained uninvolved.
The workshop was attended by more than a hundred academics, researchers, human rights activists and representatives of the Central and State Governments.