The 35th Anniversary of the The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is coming up on November 20, 2024!
In preparation, we’ve updated our booklets, available at our online shop!
hreusa
Salem as a Child Friendly Community
Nov 20, 2024 08:00 AM in Central Time (US and Canada)
The City of Salem and the Center for Childhood & Youth Studies at Salem State University will be holding a set of celebration events on November 20, which is Universal Children’s Day. The day events will include presentations from UNICEF and speakers from around the world on how a city like Salem could become designated as a Child Friendly Community, followed by in person workshops on what we together can do to make that happen.
November 20th, 2024 at 9am–3pm
- Morning 9am–12pm: Introducing Salem as a Child-Friendly Community | SSU Central Campus Forten Hall
- Afternoon 1pm–3pm: Making It Happen Working Groups | SSU Central Campus Forten Hall
- 6pm–8pm: Presentations, music, and performances by children of all ages throughout Salem | Salem Visitors Center Auditorium
For registration and more information
>> Sarah Roy – sroy@salem.com
>> Yvonne Vissing – yvissing@salemstate.edu
2025 International Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy Now Open for Applications
Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights, the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race and the Program of International and Comparative Education of Teachers College are now accepting applications for the 2025 International Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy. This program is presented in partnership with the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and the University of British Columbia (Canada).
The deadline for submitting applications is November 10, 2024. We are accepting applications from professionals, researchers, practitioners and advanced students who wish to participate in an intensive program at Columbia University on Indigenous Peoples’ rights and policy. This program is an in-person two-week course from 27 May to 6 June, 2025.
With a central focus on human rights, this intensive immersion program provides an overview and analysis of the major questions in Indigenous affairs today, as they have emerged globally in the last decades. The program has an interdisciplinary approach and incorporates lectures and workshops on the most recent and innovative academic research and policy debates on Indigenous Peoples’ issues. It is complemented by visits to the United Nations and to a Native American Nation, discussions with United Nations officials, officials of a Native American Nation and other relevant parties.
For more information on the program, its methodology, and the application process – please download our flyer here.
>> Learn more
2024 US elections: Make a plan to vote!
Use the links below to confirm and update your voter registration, request an absentee ballot, sign our pledge to be a pro–public school voter, and more.
- CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS
- REGISTER TO VOTE
- REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT
- PREVIEW YOUR BALLOT
- SUPPORT PRO–PUBLIC EDUCATION CANDIDATES
>> Take action
ISHR Human Rights Research Award
The ISHR Human Rights Research Award will provide students with an opportunity to gain valuable research experience, while supporting the work of Columbia faculty conducting human rights-related research. The research opportunities selected for the 2024-2025 academic year are enclosed (each opportunity includes distinct contact information for applying). Students who receive the Fellowship are expected to complete at least 80 hours of research assistance during the academic year. ISHR will award one research stipend per opportunity in the amount of $1,500. Priority will be given to HRSMA and UHRP students.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with preference given to applications received by Friday, November 8, 2024
>> Learn more
Episodes 42 & 43 with Hugh Starkey are available on Human Rights Education NOW!
We are pleased to announce the availability of our latest installment of podcast episodes in Human Rights Education NOW! Episodes 42 & 43 feature conversations with Hugh Starkey. Hugh Starkey is an Emeritus Professor of Citizenship and Human Rights Education at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society. His research focuses on education for democratic citizenship and human rights education (EDC/HRE) from an intercultural perspective. From 2019 to 2024, he co-convened the World Educational Research Association’s International Research Network on Human Rights Education, which evolved into the International Association for Human Rights Education. Hugh’s latest book, co-authored with Lee Jerome, is Children’s Rights Education in Diverse Classrooms: Pedagogy, Principles and Practice (2021). He has led major European-funded projects on citizenship and human rights education and served as a consultant for numerous governments, as well as for organizations such as the Council of Europe, UNESCO, the European Commission, and the British Council. Hugh has supervised 25 successful doctoral students who have conducted research in regions including East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Europe. For more information, visit his UCL profile and access his lectures, articles, and materials on children’s rights at his publisher’s website.
Episode 42: Hugh Starkey, Part One
In Episode 42, Dr. Hugh Starkey discusses the origins of his interest in human rights and human rights education, highlighting his transformative experiences working in Algeria. He describes how the World Studies curriculum and pedagogy influenced his approach, along with his work with the Council of Europe, which deepened his awareness of human rights issues. Hugh connects his background in language and intercultural education to human rights education, emphasizing the importance of integrating controversial issues within language education to enable democratic participation among learners. He then explores the relationships between nationalism and cosmopolitanism, arguing that cosmopolitanism can coexist with patriotism while addressing the challenges of nationalism in undermining universal human rights claims. Hugh advocates for incorporating human rights within multicultural education, envisioning a reimagined nation as a multicultural entity that confronts the legacy of colonialism. He later outlines steps for enhancing children’s rights, discussing the significance of participation rights in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and encouraging educators and children to familiarize themselves with the CRC, supported by organizations like Amnesty International and UNICEF.
Topics discussed:
- Transformative experiences from working in Algeria.
- Influence of the World Studies curriculum and pedagogy
- Increased awareness of human rights through work with the Council of Europe
- Connections between language education and human rights issues
- Importance of democratic focus in enabling learners to speak
- Role of global citizenship education in promoting human rights
- The relationship between nationalism and cosmopolitanism
- Incorporation of human rights in multicultural education and children’s rights initiatives
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE
Episode 43: Hugh Starkey, Part Two
In Episode 42, Dr. Hugh Starkey discusses the crucial role of school leaders in promoting human rights education (HRE) despite facing political constraints. He explores the connections between social justice, global citizenship, and HRE, highlighting the influence of Malcolm X on advocacy efforts. Hugh emphasizes the importance of building a culture of human rights both locally and globally, positioning social justice as a core aim achieved through HRE initiatives. He addresses the rights of migrants and the dehumanization strategies employed against them, recommending Council of Europe resources for educators. Hugh then argues that expanding knowledge about human rights is vital in countering authoritarianism and stresses the importance of popular education and community involvement in advancing these efforts. He reflects on influential figures like John Dewey, René Cassin, and Eleanor Roosevelt, citing a key quote from the Preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that encapsulates essential principles. Lastly, Hugh advocates for integrating human rights education into teacher training programs and underscores the necessity for government action in the United Kingdom to ensure educators are well-prepared to teach HRE in their classrooms.
Topics discussed:
- School leaders’ role in human rights education
- Social justice and global citizenship connections
- Malcolm X’s influence on human rights
- Building a culture of human rights
- Migrant rights in human rights education
- Dehumanization tactics against migrants
- Knowledge expansion on human rights and authoritarianism
- Popular education and community organizations’ role
- Human rights education in UK teacher training programs
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.
Thank you for supporting the Human Rights Education NOW! podcast!
Teach Voting Rights
Recent elections have brought forth the old problem of voter suppression in a new guise — voter ID laws, voter roll purges, polling places shuttered. As activists combat these restrictive, antidemocratic measures, we must provide students historical context to understand these struggles. The Zinn Education Project has put together a cluster of lessons on the history of voting rights in the United States.
This lesson, and the other materials provided by the Zinn Education Project, really helped me move our discussion on voting rights forward. Many students reconsidered their preconceived notions that voting should have qualifications, especially around education and literacy, and that voting is a fundamental right in our democratic system. — Andrew Duden, high school social studies teacher, Oregon
As with all lessons at the Zinn Education Project, Who Gets to Vote? Teaching About the Struggle for Voting Rights in the United States by Ursula Wolfe-Rocca, is free to download for classroom use, thanks to donations.
How to Bring We the People to Your School
You are invited to attend the Center’s virtual information session on November 12, 2024 (06:00 PM CT) to learn how you can bring the We the People program to your school or district.
Join the Center for Civic Education in a virtual open house to learn how you can bring the We the People program to your school or district. Learn more about the curriculum and connect with Center staff, program coordinators in your region, and even expert teachers who can help you launch your own We the People program. We hope to see you there!
HRE USA October Newsletter is out!
Visit this page to get up to date on the latest HRE USA news.
Human Rights Here and Now Bulletin 10 is now available
HRE USA’s Human Rights Here and Now Bulletin is a periodic publication that provides background information and educational resources and lessons to address contemporary human rights issues.
HRE USA 