OSCE Office promotes human rights education in Armenia

VANADZOR, Armenia, 26 July 2011 – Thirty secondary school teachers from many regions of Armenia are participating in a three-week intensive course on human rights that started today in Vanadzor in the Lori region.

The course organized by the regional non-governmental organization Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre (ACRPC) with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, aims to enhance the human rights knowledge and practical skills of the social science teachers.

“The OSCE pays particular attention to human rights education as it is essential for democratic reforms in the country,” said Vladimir Tchountoulov, Human Rights Officer at the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “Teachers have an important role in promoting human rights values to the next generation, and this course will help them improve their knowledge as well as their capacity to teach young people about human rights challenges.”

The programme includes lectures and discussions on human rights in accordance with the state educational programme with particular focus on the rights of the child. Experts from international organizations including the OSCE, the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the International Committee of the Red Cross are scheduled to teach sessions.

ACRPC Chairman Gevork Manoukian said: “Our organization’s motto is, ‘Not to know one’s rights is not to possess them at all’. This programme is very relevant and important in this regard as it provides an opportunity for teachers to enhance their understanding of human rights as well as learn new teaching methods and skills in order to transfer this knowledge to their students.”

The three-week course will be followed by a one-year distance-learning process which will support the teachers in assimilating new information and applying it in practice. Representatives of the ACRPC are to monitor and evaluate the teaching process later in the year.

The project is implemented as part of a Memorandum signed in December 2010 by the OSCE Office and the Education and Science Ministry which aims to advance human rights education at all levels.