Assesment of the regional development of Human Rights Education in the last decade

1. Assesment of the regional development of Human Rights Education in the last decade An applied research study: The Inter-American Report on HRE Inter-American Institute of Human Rights

2. The IIHR is developing a methodology oriented to measure progresses (or absence of them) in the fullfillment of human rights, using as reference the main international instruments which consagrate human rights and define the State obligations to make them effective. • We are constructing a system to assist in an objective and continous human rights monitoring, which would facilitate the elaboration of periodic reports –complementary to those produced by other specialized organizations. • Our approach is neither to report violations, nor to describe a “situation state” of human rights at a given moment. • We focus on processes of change and improvement in the respect of human rights. To do so, we construct and apply a system of progress indicators.

3. First experience (2000-2002): • Trial of an initial system about 3 rights or groups of rights which constitute IIHR´s institutional strategy: • Access to justice • Political participation • Human rights education • Elaboration of “progress maps” for 6 pilot countries. • Ongoing experience (from 2002 on): • Elaboration of a study on the progress of HRE in the region: the Inter-American Report on Human Rights Education

4. Goals: To provide inputs to the Inter-American organs for human rights promotion and protection in the manner of an independent, friendly report. Its progressive nature coincides with the progessive reports which States that are parts of the San Salvador Protocol are obliged to submit (Art. 19). To offer objective elements of judgement to the competent national public institutions, civic society organizations, and the international human rights community, in order to promote a debate on the progresses on HRE, its successes and limitations, and the pending tasks. To develop and provide local organizations a working tool for the research and assessment of human rights progress in their countries.

5. The Report explores the variations produced during the period 1990-2002(03/04) concerning the incorporation of HRE in formal and non formal education, in the 19 countries that signed the “Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”, or “Protocol of San Salvador”(1988). They are: ARGENTINA – BOLIVIA – BRASIL – COLOMBIA COSTA RICA – CHILE - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - ECUADOR - EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA – HAITI MEXICO - NICARAGUA - PANAMA - PARAGUAY – PERU – SURINAM - URUGUAY - VENEZUELA

6. The Report is legally supported on the commitmment of the States Parties of the “Protocolo of San Salvador”. • Art. 13 of the Protocol states: • Everyone has the right to education. • The States Parties to this Protocol agree that education should be directed towards the full development of the human personality and human dignity and should strengthen respect for human rights, ideological pluralism, fundamental freedoms, justice and peace. They further agree that education ought to enable everyone to participate effectively in a democratic and pluralistic society and achieve a decent existence and should foster understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious groups and promote activities for the maintenance of peace.

7. It is a mid-term project in 4 stages: I Report (2002): Examines the variations in the norms, both national and international, in educational public policies, and in the process of educational reform. II Report (2003): Examines the variations in the guidelines of the educational curriculum, in the contents of study plans and programs at the elementary and high school level, and in the contents and presentation of school texts. III Reports (2004): Examines the variations in teachers training, both in-service (current) teachers, and in-training (future) teachers. IV Report (2005): Examines the variations in the adoption and implementation of “National Plans for HRE” –as part of the internationally proclaimed “HRE Decade” (1995-2004).

8. Methodologically, within the thematic field of HRE, this research defines: Research domains Variables Indicators Means of verification (information sources) These cathegories conform a matrix to gather and organize information, which is later processed and analized. Information is collected by local researchers in the countries under study. Processing and analysis is in charge of the Applied Research Unit and the Pedagogical Unit at IIHD-IIHR.

9. MatrixofI Inter-American Report on HRE:Normative Development2002

12. Matrix of II Inter-American Report on HRE: Development of School Curricula and Textbooks 2003

19. Matrix of III Inter-American Report on HRE: Development in Teachers Training 2004