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HRE USA

A network dedicated to building a culture of human rights

Category: News and Updates

Sign Up for a Must-See Webinar on Trends in Civic Education

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Register here

Dec 11, 2025 12:00 PM  in  Central Time (US and Canada)


Do you want to better understand the history and purpose of civics education and what the movement for ‘patriotic education’ could mean for civics ed programs today? Are you running a civics education program, or perhaps thinking to start one, and looking to connect and learn from national civics ed leaders on ways to strengthen or scale it?

Civics Ed and Patriot Education: Implications for Our Schools The first call in this two-part series explores what is happening in civics education in the U.S. today. We’ll revisit the purpose and role of civics education in the U.S. historically and then we will lift the hood on key developments at the federal level, including the America 250 Civics Education Coalition and efforts by the administration to advance ‘patriotic education’. We’ll elevate ways to push for civics education that advances democratic action, critical thinking, and cultural competency and against one-sided approaches to teaching civics and related efforts to undermine state and local control of curricula.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Human Rights Here and Now Bulletin 11 is now available

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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.

Bulletin 11: Linkages: Connection of Human Rights Education to Initiatives Affecting People and Their Communities

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

American Agitators Film Screening and Reception: new location

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Note: American Agitators Film Screening and Reception are moved to a new location:

National Union Building, 4th Floor North

Address: 918 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004
When: Friday December 5th 5:30 pm-8:30 pm

The event is being held at the same time of the NCSS conference.

Please register using the link:  American Agitators Screening, Fri, Dec 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM | Eventbrite

There is no fee to attend.

Learn more

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Register now: UN Dubai Immersion Programme 2026

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Applications are now open for the UN Dubai Immersion Programme, a 5-day experiential training delivered by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The programme will take place in person in Dubai. Limited scholarships are available.

The UN Dubai Immersion Programme serves to provide an overview of the United Nations. It will help participants build knowledge of the UN’s work in Humanitarian Action, Emergency Response and international relations, preparing you for effective engagement in these fields with Dubai-based agencies.

At the end of this UN Immersion Programme, participants should be able to:

Explain key components of the United Nations system and its agencies

Familiarize oneself with Dubai as a hub of Humanitarian Action and Innovation

Apply core skills and techniques of common diplomatic practice

Develop critical knowledge for careers in international organizations

Adapt values and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

Explore

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

2025 UCCHRE Human Rights in Higher Education Award Nominations – Last Day!

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Deadline for the 2025 UCCHRE Human Rights in Higher Education Award Nominations is Monday, December 1, 2025: Nomination form

The UCCHRE Human Rights in Higher Education Award recognizes an outstanding contribution to human rights education by an individual, organization, initiative, or publication. As the first international award in human rights education, it celebrates human rights teaching, learning, research, and practice. The University and College Consortium for Human Rights Education (UCCHRE) is a global network of higher education community members and works to further human rights education through collaboration.

Learn more and see all past recipients at ucchre.org/awards

Episodes 68 & 69 with Dr. Feliece I. Yeban are available on Human Rights Education Now!

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Dr. Feliece I. Yeban is a human rights educator, scholar, and advocate whose work spans more than three decades across community organizations, universities, and state institutions in the Philippines. Grounded in the writings of Paolo Freire and Antonio Gramsci, her scholarship centers on decolonial pedagogy, community-based human rights work, and the uplift of Indigenous Filipino knowledge systems. Feliece has taught widely in both the private and public sectors, including work with law enforcement institutions, and has contributed extensively to the development of human rights cultures across Asia.

Episode 68

In this episode of Human Rights Education Now!, hosts Bill Fernekes speak with Feliece Yeban and Ava Kreutziger about the origins of her human rights education work. She reflects on teaching during the 1980s and 1990s, the aftermath of the Marcos dictatorship, and the transformative role of the People Power Revolution. Feliece discusses the influence of Freire and Gramsci, the challenges facing HRE in both private and public institutions, and the ongoing impact of U.S. support for authoritarian practices in the Philippines.

She highlights the importance of understanding both international human rights frameworks and community-rooted approaches, emphasizing that effective HRE requires careful attention to context and audience. Feliece also speaks about confronting discomfort, navigating trauma, and engaging directly with those impacted by rights violations.

Topics discussed:

  • Historical context of HRE during and after the Marcos era
  • Freire, Gramsci, and critical pedagogy in the Philippines
  • U.S. influence on authoritarian policies
  • Barriers to HRE across public and private institutions
  • Community-based approaches vs. formal frameworks
  • Educational inequities and elite influence
  • Delivering HRE to police and state actors
  • “Civilianizing” law enforcement through rights-based training

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.

Episode 69

In part two of the conversation, Ava Kreutziger and Bill Fernekes continue their dialogue with Feliece, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches, Indigenous rights, and the ongoing challenge of colonial legacies. Feliece discusses her research with Indigenous Filipino communities and the need to challenge collective amnesia surrounding Indigenous knowledge and histories. She explores how systems produce both victims and violators, reframing human rights as a universal grounding for dignity and humanity.

Feliece also analyzes the current landscape of HRE in Asia, including the effects of polarization and authoritarianism under leaders like Rodrigo Duterte. She speaks about the role of digital misinformation, media accountability, and the need for institutions to embed human rights across all aspects of their work.

Topics discussed:

  • Indigenous cultures, colonialism, and historical memory
  • Seeing oppressors as shaped by harmful systems
  • Progress and setbacks for HRE in Asia
  • Human rights, social media, and digital misinformation
  • Responsibilities of major tech companies
  • Freire, Gramsci, and Filipino mass movements as role models
  • “Human rights is rice”- daily struggles for dignity and survival
  • Embedding human rights in institutions and creating accountability metrics
  • Balancing standardized curricula with student-centered learning

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.

All episodes of Human Rights Education Now! are available on:

Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Deezer, PlayerFM, Pocket Casts, and the HRE USA website,

Thank you for supporting the Human Rights Education NOW! podcast!

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Mapping Deportations Curriculum Workshop

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Monday, December 15

7pm – 8:15pm ET

Mapping Deportations is a new classroom-friendly digital resource that uses maps, data, and timelines to unmask the relationship between race and U.S. immigration enforcement. On December 15, site co-creator and award-winning historian Kelly Lytle Hernandez will introduce the purpose and design of Mapping Deportations, including how the history of anti-immigrant legislation and racism are intertwined.Teachers will meet in small groups to brainstorm ways to integrate the site in curriculum, followed by time to ask Hernandez questions and discuss ideas. Professional development certification provided. 

Learn More & Sign Up

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

We the People: National Symposium on Civic Education

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Registration is open for the We the People: National Symposium on Civic Education in Washington, D.C., March 6-7, 2026. This inspiring event will bring together educators, policymakers, researchers, nonprofit leaders, and advocates to examine new outcomes from innovative civic education programs. Join the Center for Civic Education, the Civic Education Research Lab at Georgetown University, and colleagues from across the country. Together, we will amplify our efforts to expand high-quality, evidence-based civic education.Public registration is on a first-come, first-served basis as long as space is available.

Register!

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

We are grateful for the generous support of our members, individual donors, and The Puffin Foundation Ltd
The core values of HRE USA and its partner organizations include transparency and critical thinking skills. We believe that human rights--and human rights education--belong to everyone, and that the full realization of human rights means that access to human rights education materials must never be conditioned upon the subscription to any particular religious faith, ideology, political affiliation, or membership in any particular organization and that any organizational connections should be openly acknowledged.