Moral and human rights education: the contribution of the United Nations

Abstract

Moral education can take many forms. With the end of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (UNDHRE) (1995–2004), we critically review developments in human rights education (HRE) during those ten years in the context of moral education. We argue that, despite some modest successes, the decade lacked direction and a major impact and has failed to prepare a sound basis for securing HRE internationally. These outcomes largely account for the United Nations’ (UN) decision in 2005 to initiate the World Programme for Human Rights Education. Meanwhile initiatives in defining the goals and practice of HRE have happened outside the UN context. Overall the UN’s contribution to building HRE and moral education has, at best, been marginally successful due in large measure to the inherent weaknesses of the organisation as well as the UN’s inability to engage member states.