On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This animation brings all 30 articles to life using different techniques, from pen and ink to digital animation.

Gambia: The National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), in collaboration with Action-Aid The Gambia, on Monday ended a two-week nationwide sensitization of schools on basic human rights.

The tour took NCCE officials to various schools across the length and breadth of the country.

The sensitization that targeted thirty schools was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

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August 9, 2013

Washington – On occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) urges Member States to guarantee full respect for the human rights of indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact in the Americas because they are in a situation of high vulnerability. The lack of protection of their human rights entails a grave risk to their life and physical, cultural and spiritual integrity.

Indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact in the Americas inhabit regions of the Amazonian jungle and the Gran Chaco in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. Their territories are often zones in which legal and illegal extractive activities take place in search of natural resources, primarily wood, hydrocarbons and minerals, as well as commercial agriculture and cattle raising in some countries. These activities in general constitute a threat to the life and integrity of these peoples, since they can lead to contact and all the consequence it entails for their health and physical and cultural survival. Since peoples in voluntary isolation do not have immunological defenses against common illnesses, contact can cause not only the loss of their worldview and cultural identity, but also epidemics that may lead to the disappearance of entire peoples.

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Crime, poverty, war, lack of healthcare and education, and other injustices are all symptoms of society’s deep-rooted lack of respect for basic human rights.

The document which embodies the ideology of respect for individual human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR was signed by the United Nations 60 years ago and, unfortunately, less than 1% of the world’s population is aware that it exists.

Now it is time to stop treating the symptoms and begin educating the masses. Now it is time to focus on the UDHR and empower the world’s population to make changes.

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Egyptian Human Rights Attorney Ragia Omran Selected for 30th Annual RFK Award

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 2, 2013) – Ms. Ragia Omran, a leading Egyptian human rights lawyer and women’s rights activist, has been selected as the honoree for the 2013 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, now in its 30th year. The award recognizes her extraordinary work, and initiates a partnership to support her efforts to advance the women’s rights, the rule of law, and democracy in Egypt through human rights legal advocacy.

“With dedication and courage, Ms. Omran is often the first to arrive on the scene at jails, police stations, court houses, and military and civilian prosecution offices. Hundreds of peaceful activists have her to thank for successfully securing their release and protecting their rights to freedom of speech and association,” said Kerry Kennedy, President of the RFK Center. “She is a beacon of hope for the woman of Egypt and a champion in the global human rights movement. We are proud to honor her with our 30th annual award.”

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Curriculum resources for teaching Human Rights:  The Speak Truth to Power curriculum introduces general human rights issues through the stories of some remarkable people working in the field, and urges students to become personally involved in the protection of human rights.

Speak Truth To Power, a project of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, is a multi-faceted global initiative that uses the experiences of courageous defenders from around the world to educate students and others about human rights, and urge them to take action. Issues range from slavery and environmental activism to religious self-determination and political participation. 

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Bullying is wrong and hurtful:  Bullying is a form of abuse at the hands of peers that can take different forms at different ages. It is targeted and repeated. It involves power, aggression, intimidation and shame.  PrevNet:  Canada' authority on research and resources for bullying prevention.   View the full site here

53 Videos on Bullying:  The end of bullying begins with you!  From Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center

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Announcing the Fourth Annual Freedom Award Winners:  Three amazing women are being honored as the latest recipients of the Free the Slaves Freedom Awards. Two are former slaves who have dedicated their lives to helping others to freedom. One is a former governmental official who has shown the world how to combat slavery at a national level.  View the site here

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center provides creative and interactive resources that are designed to benefit all students, including students with disabilities.

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Cyberbullying:  Videos, fact sheets, tools, programs, and links to help educate and support victims of cyberbulling. 

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Cyberbulling Parent Resources:  Parents learn about the social media networks and applications (apps) your children are using everyday. Get great tips on the latest trends, everything you need to know. Access the documentary here

Florida Dept of Education Task Force on Holocaust Education:  The mission of the Commissioner's Task Force on Holocaust Education is to assist school district professionals and support staff in preparation for teaching the history of the Holocaust.

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Task Force on Holocaust Education

Mission

The mission of the Commissioner's Task Force on Holocaust Education is to assist school district professionals and support staff in preparation for teaching the history of the Holocaust which will lead to:

• An investigation of human behavior
• An understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism, and stereotyping
• An examination of what it means to be a responsible and respectful person for the purposes of encouraging tolerance of diversity in a pluralistic society and for nurturing and protecting democratic values and institutions by offering intensive training programs, curriculum materials, resources, and sustained support.

From Free The Slaves, research and documents:  Here you’ll find documents, links, and other resources to help you learn more about the modern anti-slavery movement.

This manual provides practical suggestions for all aspects of helping former slaves to recover.  It is written as a simple tool for frontline anti-slavery workers who want to start new programs for freed slaves, improve their existing work, or show funders the types of assistance that are needed.  The manual was written for Free the Slaves by Helen Armstrong, drawing on the experience of rehabilitation programs around the world.

Learn more

Task Force Developed Resource Manuals

All manuals are distributed on CD-ROM and are available online as part of the Content Area Resources or by clicking on the links below.

1. State of Florida Manual on Holocaust Education, Grades K - 3 (PDF)
   • The State of Florida Manual on Holocaust Education, Grades K-3, has been developed, produced in hard copy as well as on CD-ROM, and distributed to 4,000 public, private, and parochial schools in Florida. The manual focuses on character education, laying the foundation for the study of the Holocaust in higher grades.
2. State of Florida Resource Manual on Holocaust Education, Grades 4-6 (PDF)
   • The resource manual for Grades 4 - 6 is complete and has been distributed.
3. State of Florida Resource Manual on Holocaust Education, Grades 7-8 (PDF)
   • The resource manual for grades 7 - 8 is complete and has been distributed.
4. State of Florida Resource Manual on Holocaust Education, Grades 9 - 12 (PDF)
   • The State of Florida Resource Manual on Holocaust Education, Grades 9-12 has been distributed to every public, private, and parochial high school in Florida. The 940-page manual has been reproduced on CD-ROM and was distributed to the high schools during the 2000 - 2001 school year.

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Certificate of Advanced Studies in Human Rights Education at University of Teacher Education Central Switzerland (Luzern, January-December 2013)

Human rights are the fundament of a peaceful coexistence of a society. But only when women and men know about their human rights, they can claim them for themselves and - in solidarity - for others ("empowerment"). Human rights education is taking place in different contexts (formal, non-formal,...). To close the global gap in further training opportunities in human rights education, in the context of and linked with the new UN Declaration of Human Rights Education and Training adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2011 and because of the high interest in the "Certificate of Advanced Studies CAS in Human Rights Education", the University of Teacher Education Central Switzerland (PHZ) is running again in 2013 an international advanced qualification, the "Certificate of Advanced Studies CAS in Human Rights Education" starting in January 2013. The CAS Human Rights Education aims to qualify the participants for a role as trainer and multiplier of human rights education for their specific context. 

The participants will achieve an internationally recognized Certificate of Advanced Studies PHZ in Human Rights Education. 

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The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) announced the recipients of the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent. The 2013 laureates are: Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat, North Korean democracy activist Park Sang Hak, and Cuban civil society group the Ladies in White.

NEW YORK (May 3, 2013) - The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) today announced the recipients of the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent. The 2013 laureates are: Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat, North Korean democracy activist Park Sang Hak, and Cuban civil society group the Ladies in White—represented by their leader Berta Soler. They will be honored at a ceremony during the 2013 Oslo Freedom Forum in Norway on May 15.

An initiative of New York-based HRF, the Havel Prize for Creative Dissent was founded with the enthusiastic endorsement of Dagmar Havlová, widow of the late poet, playwright, and statesman Václav Havel. The inaugural laureates were Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, Saudi women's rights advocate Manal al-Sharif, and Burmese opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ali Ferzat is a Syrian political cartoonist known for his satirical caricatures. Ferzat's cartoons became increasingly critical of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and the brutality of the regime's crackdown. In 2011, masked gunmen detained Ferzat and broke both of his hands and his fingers, a clear message of intimidation and retaliation for his work. Ferzat recovered from the attack and continues to produce political cartoons.

Park Sang Hak, a North Korean defector and human rights activist, has worked for the democratization of his homeland since a daring escape in 1999. He is the chairman of Fighters for a Free North Korea, an organization that uses helium balloons to transmit human rights and pro-democracy literature, DVDs, USB drives, and transistor radios from South Korea into North Korea.

The Ladies in White ("Las Damas de Blanco") is a Cuban civil society organization founded by the wives, sisters, mothers, and daughters of political prisoners jailed during the Castro regime's "Black Spring" crackdown in 2003. "Las Damas de Blanco" wear white to symbolize their commitment to non-violence. Despite repeated arrests and beatings by Cuban authorities, the group marches every Sunday in Havana to protest the lack of human rights under the Castro dictatorship. Berta Soler has led the group since the death of founder Laura Pollán in 2011. Soler will accept the award on the group's behalf.

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FLA holds affiliated companies accountable for enforcing its Workplace Code of Conduct in the factories, farms and facilities they use. To verify this, FLA has instituted a rigorous system for assessing working conditions, remedying violations and verifying progress. Working with FLA staff, independent external assessors randomly visit approximately five percent of facilities supplying affiliated companies each year. Since 2002, FLA has conducted more than 1,500 assessments - the results of which are posted below. View results by company, location, or year and learn more about how these assessments uncover issues and lead to improvements for workers.

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Faisal Al Fuhaid, an inspirational and tenacious young Kuwaiti , decided to create the youth-driven organization EQUAIT in order to fight against discrimination and promote human rights awareness in his home country. Watch this latest Voice for Success video and find out more about EQUAIT's efforts to give back to society by shaping and moulding Kuwaiti youth into responsible and tolerant citizens.


Voice for Success is a program initiated by en.v in collaboration with the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) to promote Kuwaiti civil society by giving greater visibility to local social activists.