For Teachers

Human rights education

‘Human rights education is about acquiring not only knowledge but also skills and the ability to apply them; it is about developing values, attitudes and behaviour that uphold human rights but also about taking action to defend and promote them. It involves learning about human rights through the practice of human rights.’ (Excerpt from speech made by Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of Human Rights Day, 10 December 2004.)

For Victorian government schools, human rights education is broadly defined so that a range of human rights related activities and programs could be included in all aspects of school life. 

See the following pages for information about resources and support for human rights education.

• Victorian human rights charter and its implications for schools
• Human rights education and Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS)
• Resources for human rights education
• Key human rights organisations