Guided by the fundamental and universal principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

Reaffirming article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, according to which education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recalling the provisions of other international human rights instruments, such as those of article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and article 20 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, that reflect the aims of the aforementioned article,

Convinced that human rights education is a universal priority in that it contributes to a concept of development consistent with the dignity of the human person, which must include consideration of the diversity of groups such as children, women, youths, persons with disabilities, the ageing, indigenous people, minorities and other groups,

Aware that human rights education involves more than providing information but rather is a comprehensive life-long process by which people at all levels of development and in all strata of society learn respect for the dignity of others and the means and methods of ensuring that respect within a democratic society,

Taking into account the efforts made by educators and non-governmental organizations in all parts of the world, as well as by intergovernmental organizations, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Children's Fund, to promote education in accordance with the aforementioned principles,

Considering the World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy, adopted by the International Congress on Education for Human Rights and Democracy, convened by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at Montreal from 8 to 11 March 1993, and the statement by the Congress that education for human rights and democracy is itself a human right, and a prerequisite for the realization of human rights, democracy and social justice,

Aware of the experience in human rights education of United Nations peace-building operations, including the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador and the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia,

Taking into account Commission on Human Rights resolution 1993/56 of 9 March 1993, in which the Commission recommended that knowledge of human rights, both in its theoretical dimension and in its practical application, should be established as a priority in educational policies,

Bearing in mind the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights at Vienna on 25 June 1993, in particular section II, paragraphs 78 to 82,

1. Appeals to all Governments to step up their efforts to eradicate illiteracy and to direct education towards the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;

2. Urges governmental and non-governmental educational agencies to intensify their efforts to establish and implement programmes of human rights education, as recommended in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action;

3. Takes note of the World Plan of Action on Education for Human Rights and Democracy adopted by the International Congress on Education for Human Rights and Democracy, and recommends that Governments and non-governmental organizations consider it in preparing national plans for human rights education;

4. Requests the Commission on Human Rights, in cooperation with Member States, human rights treaty-monitoring bodies, other appropriate bodies and competent non-governmental organizations, to consider proposals for a United Nations decade for human rights education, which should be incorporated by the Secretary-General into a plan of action for such a decade and submitted, through the Economic and Social Council, to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session, with a view to the proclamation of a decade for human rights education;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to consider the establishment of a voluntary fund for human rights education, with special provision for the support of the human rights education activities of non-governmental organizations, to be administered by the Centre for Human Rights of the Secretariat;

6. Invites the specialized agencies and United Nations programmes to develop suitable activities in their respective fields of competence to further the objectives of human rights education;

7. Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of all members of the international community and to intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned with human rights and education;

8. Calls upon international, regional and national non-governmental organizations, in particular those concerned with women, labour, development and the environment, as well as all other social justice groups, human rights advocates, educators, religious organizations and the media, to increase their involvement in formal and non-formal education in human rights and to cooperate with the Centre for Human Rights in preparing for a United Nations decade for human rights education;

9. Urges the existing human rights monitoring bodies to place particular emphasis on the implementation by Member States of their international obligation to promote human rights education;

10.Decides to consider this matter at its forty-ninth session under the item entitled Human rights questions.

85th plenary meeting
20 December 1993