Human Rights Education

The Human Rights Education program is an initiative in India and Bangladesh aimed at providing young adults with a basic understanding and awareness of human rights, with a particular focus on religious freedom and preventing discrimination. The program, which has been running since 2005, primarily targets college students and young professionals, teaching them about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (DEIDRB), among other documents.

The program is particularly crucial in India due to its diverse religious and cultural landscape, where religious intolerance and discrimination continue to pose significant challenges. Despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, issues like religious fundamentalism, caste discrimination, and violations of minority rights persist, especially in rural areas.

The HRE program typically runs as a two-day workshop using participatory learning approaches, including group discussions, role-plays, video documentaries, and creative presentations. Sessions cover topics such as human rights history, current social issues, and practical solutions to human rights violations. The program is conducted in local languages to ensure better understanding and participation.

Key issues addressed include caste discrimination, religious intolerance, gender discrimination, child rights, workers’ rights, and religious freedom. Participants share personal experiences and discuss solutions to these challenges in their communities.

The program’s importance lies in its ability to:

• Create awareness about human rights among youth and foster active engagement in rights-based initiatives
• Build a culture of tolerance and religious harmony through education and dialogue
• Empower participants to become human rights advocates in their local communities
• Address discrimination at grassroots levels through practical intervention strategies
• Promote interfaith understanding and peaceful coexistence among different religious groups

The program has shown significant impact, with participants pledging to work for human rights, religious freedom, and communal harmony in their communities. It serves as a crucial step in building a civil society that respects human rights and religious freedom, particularly important in a diverse nation like India with its complex social fabric.

For 2025, ten sessions are planned with five colleges and universities in India. The sessions are conducted by prominent IARF members in India who have gained experience with Human Rights training over the past ten years.