We all talk and are concerned about sustainable development. Sustainable development will never take place unless and until human rights are promoted and protected. Human Rights can be made a universal fact if human rights education is stressed. This proposition can be demonstrated through a logical viewpoint.   

Human beings are full of enormous potential and unutilized capacities. Unfortunately, many of them do not realize the truth. It is because of ignorance, lack of education, extreme poverty, adverse situations, violation of human rights and so on. Although human rights are something you need to buy them, apply for them or ask permission to have them. They are just yours. It does not matter who you are, where you are from, what you do, how old you are or anything else. It is just that simple. Human rights education would certainly help people build an invisible shield. They would feel powerful since knowledge is power. Acquaintance makes a person unfit to be vulnerable. Human rights education will also make people feel more responsible about themselves and others. They will feel the guts to seriously take part in the sustainable development process once they are well informed and taught about the core issues of human rights. Awareness is the DNA of transformation. If people are awake, they take appropriate actions and make things happen. So, what are human Rights? While some dictionaries define the word right as “a privilege,” when used in the context of “human rights,” Probably it would be wise to talk about something more basic. Every person is entitled to certain fundamental rights, simply by the fact of being human.

These are called “human rights” instead of an advantage (which can be taken away at somebody’s caprice). Many people know something about their rights. Generally, they know they have the right to food and a safe place to stay. They know they have a right to be paid for the work they do. But there are many other rights. When human rights are not well known by people, abuses such as discrimination, intolerance, injustice, oppression and slavery can arise. Born out of the mayhems and massive damage of life during World War II, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was contracted in 1948 to offer a shared understanding of what everybody’s rights are. It formulates the foundation for a world constructed on liberty, fairness and concord. What is Human Rights Education? Human rights education is fundamental for addressing the underlying causes of human rights violations, preventing human rights abuses, combating discrimination, promoting equality, and enhancing people’s participation in democratic decision-making processes. Amnesty International defines Human Rights Education in the following ways: ‘Human rights education is a thoughtful, partaking practice intended to empowering individuals, groups and communities through nurturing knowledge, skills and attitudes consistent with internationally recognized human rights principles.’ Human rights education is the schooling of the history, theory, and law of human rights in schools and educational institutions, as well as outreach to the wide-ranging public. As a matter of fact, Human rights education is an internationally recognized method for promoting human rights on a local, national and global level among many levels of stakeholders. Human rights education can also play a vigorous role in creating social structures that aid sharing consensuses and the steadfastness of struggle, and can offer a common understanding of how to address political and social differences justifiably and rejoice cultural diversity. Human rights can only be attained through an up-to-date and sustained demand by people for their safety. Human rights education encourages morals, principles and attitudes that inspire all individuals to defend their own rights and those of others. It advances an understanding of everybody’s shared responsibility to make human rights a reality in each community indeed. 

Human rights education establishes an indispensable influence to the long-term deterrence of human rights abuses and denotes a vital investment in the attempt to attain a just society in which all human rights of all persons are appreciated, treasured and hence sustainable development takes place. Former UN General Secretary late Kofi Annan once stated “Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.” While human rights education would be an ideal tool in making human rights a global reality. What makes people sensible, responsible and proactive? One of the reasons is that certainly they are educated; they are motivated, they are aware. Moreover, Alertness is the DNA of change. Knowledge makes people feel encouraged to take actions in building a just society and above all a better world while children are at the forefront of the fact that they need to get educated on human rights. It would help them feel empowered. They would feel confident, as they grow; it does not matter how much challenges and difficulties they encounter, as long as time passes by, they can sense the fact that they have certain human rights. At times there might be people who ignore and violate their rights or pretend they do not exist. But they can change the fact that those rights are just theirs. People from all over the world can be especially taught on the 30 rights of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) apart from other crucial declarations, treaties, international laws, covenants, and conventions and so on. Government, civil society and private sectors can take joint initiatives in investing in human rights education which would be indeed one of the best investments ever made. The return on investment would be overwhelming. It will not only improve someone’s life; it will improve the lives of all those around a person. Human rights education would inspire people to push themselves to do more and to experience more. They would be stimulated to harness their energy to start expanding their dreams, ideas and good initiatives. Human rights education would help think outside of the box and give a message that when you hold such human rights and infinite potential you can dare to tap into your greatness.

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