Human Rights Education Through the Lens
of Loglocal Pedagogy – A Case Study
Munir Moosa SadruddinIn recent times, the growing turmoil within academia brought about
by global crises, including human rights violations, has underscored thenecessity of advocating for peace, supporting social justice, and promoting human rights values through multiple avenues. The emergence of intolerance, hatred, and challenges associated with well-being among youth further underlines the pressing need to guide young individuals toward making
meaningful and constructive contributions to society. Youth are disengaged,
and their involvement in addressing global challenges is restricted to sharing their viewpoints, which frequently leads to heated arguments rather
than generating valuable intellectual output. Shifting from passivity to actively contributing to the world’s problems remains an idea that demands
willingness, ownership, acceptance, tolerance, resilience, and skills such as“ethrical thinking” and digital literacy to address local and global challenges
through conscious and in-depth analysis, and communities of practice.
The practice of human rights within academia commences with institutional policies, including educational policies, which shape the curriculum, teaching, and societal values, and provide a foundation for respecting and upholding human rights. In Pakistan, the lack of a clear stance on
this subject has hindered their effectiveness, resulting in limited productive
outcomes across academia. One possibility to promote human rights is byintroducing the subject of human rights education through which positive
values can be instilled in students. However, before that, it is crucial to trainteachers so that they possess the knowledge and skills needed to impartthese positive values to their students.
In Pakistan, elements of human rights are infused in subjects like social
studies, humanities, and civic education. However, there is currently no formal subject dedicated to human rights education at the school or university
level. The primary reasons are the shortage of experts in the field of human
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rights education and a lack of awareness about its significance. Assumingthat experienced teachers can automatically serve as effective human rights
educators is a misconception. Becoming competent human rights educators
requires a combination of experience and exposure. Furthermore, there isa prevailing belief that human rights education is a Western concept andshould be avoided in discussions to prevent potential ideological clashes.
At the teacher education level, this subject has not garnered much attention from the policymakers as it is often assumed that the role of teachers is
to deliver lessons as provided in the courses, focusing more on their pedagogical skills rather than on supporting students to become value-driven
individuals.
I successfully piloted a course on human rights education for futureteachers at the Sindh Madressatul Islam University (smiu) (Sadruddin,2017). The student-participants’ recommendations on additional elementsthat were missing in the first pilot session of the course were taken into consideration including counseling skills, teaching internship, etc. in the subsequent version of the course.
This reflective article explores the introduction and application of theloglocal teaching pedagogy for human rights education, delving into the elements that were piloted within this framework.
Development of Human Rights Education
Our understanding of human rights and their significance continues to
evolve. As societies progress, new perspectives, challenges, and issues arise,requiring us to adapt and expand our approach to human rights education.
As I wrote in 2019, human rights education
is a conscious incessant socio-cognitive and eco-ethical learning process that gradually empowers individuals about the rightsof self and others. It involves a readiness to make rational andcivilized decisions through the conscious filtration of [humanrights] ideologies, sociocultural context, and political will. It is a
critical component to achieving sustainable development, maintaining human dignity, and applying social justice. It permeatesa sense of openness towards embracing multiculturalism, pluralism, and diversity. (Sadruddin, 2019)

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The definition encompasses four main purposes of human rights education: identity, ownership, consciousness, and acceptance.
Human rights education can promote rationale-based thinking which
can lead to a more inclusive and equitable society where human rights arerespected and protected. More significantly, it can lead to conscious ownership and decision-making skills, based on ethical leadership. I coined theterm “ethrical thinking” that fits into this situation. It refers to valuing critical thinking in personal ethics to make clear and better decisions.
By educating individuals on human rights and values, they can develop
an understanding of self-dignity and of all individuals, as well as recognize
the importance of respecting diversity. This can lead to increased empathy,
compassion, and a deeper appreciation for differences, ultimately reducing
the likelihood of violence and intolerance. It also can foster social and adversity quotient, placing less emphasis on intellectual quotient.
Social Quotient (SQ) refers to one’s ability to understand self and others’ actions and manage interpersonal relationships. It is developed throughexperience and exposure. Interaction is a key to developing SQ. Whereas
Adversity Quotient (AQ) is one’s ability to perceive and manage challenges,
traumas, crises, and setbacks with resilience. Both help in understanding
self and others through human interaction, foster resilience in navigating
challenges, and promote human rights in diverse and adverse contexts.
The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (udhr) catalyzed thedevelopment and promotion of education that promotes tolerance, respectfor human rights, and fundamental freedom. In 1953, the unesco Associated
Schools Program initially attempted to teach human rights in formal school
settings. In 1974, unesco adopted the “Recommendation concerning
Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and
Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.”1 This is
the “first international document that brings together and articulates education’s role in contributing to peace, international understanding, humanrights, and fundamental freedoms.”2 The unesco General Assembly adopted a revision of this document on 9 November 2023.3 In 1993, the representatives of one hundred seventy-one United Nations (UN) member-states
adopted the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of the World
Conference on Human Rights, which highlighted the significance of humanrights education to foster peace, unity, and tolerance among communities
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rights education in formal and non-formal learning settings. In 1995, theUN declared the UN Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004), urging all member-states to promote human rights education through the planof action for the decade. In 2005, the UN General Assembly proclaimed
the World Programme for Human Rights Education to advance the implementation of human rights education programs in all sectors. This program
has progressed through four distinct phases. The initial phase concentrated
on primary and secondary school systems. Subsequently, the second phaseextended its reach to higher education, civil servants, law enforcement officials, and the military. In the third phase, efforts were directed toward
strengthening the implementation of the first two phases and promoting
human rights training for media professionals and journalists. Finally, thefourth phase focuses on empowering youth through human rights education, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and specifically targeting sdg 4.7. In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted theUnited Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training as aframework for human rights education. It aims to promote respect for human rights and values through education at all levels and in various areas. In
2014, different non-governmental organizations (ngos) formed the Global
Coalition for Human Rights Education.4 The Coalition raises awareness of
integrating human rights education and serves as a pressure group to implement, monitor, and assess the achievements of countries in the process of
implementing human rights education.
Despite these initiatives, questions persist regarding the establishmentof a consensus on the definition and scope of human rights education, as
well as the assessment of the current status of human rights education invarious countries. Much of the published work on human rights education is set in the Western context leaving other regions more susceptible
to ideological clashes within the realm of human rights education. Theseissues in human rights education have remained unresolved largely due tothe absence of a sequential hierarchy5 and the lack of thorough field analysis
before introducing it in various contexts. For instance, the phases of theWorld Programme for Human Rights Education did not incorporate theinsights gained from previous phases and failed to outline a sustainability
plan. Consequently, it remains uncertain whether it was effectively incorporated at all levels of education and professional development. Teachers were
not given due consideration at any stage, leading to insufficient justification

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for the claim of implementing human rights education on a global scale atthe same pace and capacity.
While some academic institutions have introduced programs in human rights education, encompassing degree courses, and non-formal andinformal training, the efficacy of many of these programs remains undocumented. Additionally, intergovernmental organizations have played a vitalrole in researching and implementing human rights education programs,
but their efforts are often constrained by their reliance on project-based
funding grants, which may not fully align with instilling positive values on asustainable basis. There is still much work to be done to realize the desired,fruitful outcomes in this field.
Human Rights Education in Pakistan
In Pakistan, human rights education is not on the agenda of its national education policy. An exception is the National Education Policy of 1998-2010,
which promised the inclusion of issues such as population and the environment. However, it lacked a clear definition of how to introduce humanrights education or how to integrate these issues into multidisciplinary subjects. In 2002, for the first time, a national plan of action for human rights
education was made to build an infrastructure for human rights education(Government of Pakistan & unesco, 2002). But this initiative has remained
unrealized and has largely remained an idea on paper. At the school level,
elements of human rights are integrated into subjects like social studies.
However, there is no dedicated subject for human rights. Moreover, the coverage of these elements is quite limited, and they are typically taught by subject teachers who lack the specialized pedagogical skills required for effective human rights education. Parvez Ahmed Pirzado’s (2019) study identified
several key issues, including a lack of commitment among decision-makers,
unclear implementation guidelines for human rights education, a shortageof professional development opportunities for teachers in this field, and an
absence of supporting materials for teaching human rights education in theclassrooms. The same is the case at the higher education level.
At the teacher education level, courses on Global Citizenship Education(gced) and human rights education are not integrated, thus a lack of opportunity for future teachers to learn and apply human rights values among
the teaching community and learners (Sadruddin 2017). To address this gap,

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I introduced a Human Rights Education course at Sindh Madressatul Islam
University, one of Pakistan’s oldest public-sector universities, aiming to prepare future teachers for global competencies.
The following sections define the different components of the courseand discuss their implementation during 2022.
Research-based Course
The human rights education course is implemented using a participatory
action research method. Loglocal pedagogy is piloted to manage various
activities within the course. The research results are considered in further
developing the course.
Background of the prospective teachers
Initially, when the course was first launched, it consisted entirely of female students. However, in subsequent iterations, it was introduced to bothmale and female students. Forty students participated in this study. The
majority of the student-participants had previously attended private sector
schools and aspired to become school-level educators in the future.

Student-participants in a group case-study activity.

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Student-participants discussing human rights issues.

The Course
This course was initially developed in 2016 and subsequently revised in
2022, incorporating recommendations from the student-participants, andrelaunched in 2022, marking the first implementation of the loglocal pedagogy within the course.
This course was a requirement for a Bachelor of Science and spanned
one semester (four months), comprising forty-eight contact hours, divided
into two sections and eight units. The first section covered topics including
introduction to human rights; historical development of human rights; areas of human rights; rights and responsibilities; laws and policies about human rights in Pakistan and world; state of human rights in Pakistan and theworld; state of human rights across academia. The second section focusedon the historical development of human rights education; themes of humanrights education; good practices in human rights education; human rights
education models; challenges and opportunities of teaching human rights
education; skills to become competent human rights educators; pedagogicalskills; curriculum planning; human rights education resource development,
lesson planning, field visits, and teaching internship. See Annex A for thecourse syllabus.
In the Class of 2022, students from the Bachelor of Science in Education
program were chosen to participate in the course. Data was gathered
through focus group interviews and a reflective diary. The course equipped
future teachers with the knowledge and skills essential to become humanrights educators. They acquired a range of strategies for teaching Human

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Rights Education, such as case studies, theater, music, storytelling, andmore. They gained skills like ethrical thinking, resilience, mental healthfirst-aid, decision-making, and self-identity skills. Student-participants took
ownership and collaborated in developing localized human rights teaching resources. Furthermore, their involvement in community development
work allowed them to closely observe human rights challenges and suggest
remedial measures.
Teaching methodologies
Not all available methodologies for teaching human rights education
can be universally applied since sensitivities vary significantly across countries and regions. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of the context andconsider any limitations that may be present when teaching human rights
education. This may require adapting or selecting teaching methodologies
and learning resources that are suitable for the specific context. It may also
involve focusing on widely accepted aspects of human rights or emphasizing the shared values that form the foundation of human rights.
Human rights education is sometimes seen as a Western concept bysome in the East, which has impeded the adoption of global practices within
academia. In reality, subjects like human rights education and gced begin
with the local context before expanding to the global context. There is resistance to accepting global values when the local values are disregarded.
While local and global values may align at some point, it is essential to design a contextual course that can accommodate both.
In education, the term “global” can evoke resistance in various contexts,
primarily because it is frequently misunderstood. Local problems sometimes turn out to be global problems, and vice versa. Also, certain local educational approaches may bear a resemblance to global practices.
With this approach in mind, I introduced loglocal pedagogical approachto teaching human rights education. This pedagogy uses a minimally invasive intellectual approach to avoid unnecessary complexity while achieving
the desired result. It aims to promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of local practices by first building on students’ existing knowledge
and experiences parallel with understanding local policies and practices on
the subject matter. This is done to ensure that the content being taught isrelevant and meaningful. Once we have a solid grasp of the local context,
the approach then involves evaluating global knowledge, perspectives, poli-

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cies, and practices within the framework of multicultural and social contexts. Subsequently, global content is filtered, scrutinized, and adapted tosuit local contexts. This is turned into reality by encouraging students tocritically examine global perspectives and identify ways in which they canbe applied to the local context. This ensures that the content being taught is
not only relevant but also culturally sensitive and respectful. Loglocal pedagogy is thus participatory and takes a fluid approach to teaching humanrights education.

The learning approach taken in loglocal pedagogy is heutagogy- a
self-determined learning method, and connectivism.6 Here, the role of theteacher is that of a facilitator and the student is the co-creator of knowledge.
Further, the focus of this pedagogy lies on developing the social and adversity quotient of students.
I utilized a variety of pedagogical activities to actively engage the students in reflective discussions. Throughout these activities, which included
case studies and readings, a loglocal approach formed the foundation.
In all the activities, student-participants were given open access not
only to share their viewpoints but also to engage in designing activities, ultimately leading them to take ownership.

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Activities
Phase 1: Co-creator of knowledge
To gather input for improvements from the current student-participants, a preliminary survey was conducted to comprehend their expectations. It helped to refine the existing course outline. Once the course draft
was finalized, it was shared with the student-participants for input. This approach empowered them to take ownership of the entire learning process,granting them a significant role as co-creators of knowledge. A notable aspect of this activity was allowing student-participants to express their views
regarding what to include or omit, with justifications. For example, in thecourse, I added a topic on human rights challenges, but the rights of refugees
and persons with disabilities were not taken into consideration. Studentparticipants stressed incorporating them into the course. Additionally, a
few student-participants suggested including storytelling as one of the activities. It was also suggested that I arrange guest speaking sessions to hear
experts’ perspectives on human rights education. This activity played a significant role in fostering resilience among the student-participants. It also
equipped them with self-motivation, as their voices were included in thecourse through mutual sharing.
Phase 2: Ground Realities
Comprehending the practical aspects of human rights is vital for educators. Rather than teaching students about human rights challenges fromglobal documents, I decided to take a shift and ask student-participants to
explore the possible challenges and solutions. To facilitate this, I suggested
that the student-participants conduct a field analysis through podcasting,recognized as one of the most effective methods for learning about humanrights issues. Student-participants were tasked with exploring their surroundings and collecting narratives concerning the human rights challenges
faced by university students. Beforehand, I guided the discussion regarding
what to avoid and what to include, making them more cognizant of humanrights education during the preparation of the script and podcast recording.
These podcasts were later shared with the group. They were then asked toform a group and discuss the issues gathered through survey activity, andsuggest remedial measures for the challenges. They were also encouraged
to share their narratives to gain a deeper understanding of these challenges.

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At some point during the discussions, certain student-participants sharedpersonal grievances and experienced strong emotions, including frustration, concern, and a sense of uncertainty. They channeled these emotions
into productive outcomes when they took the initiative to represent diverse perspectives and proposed innovative solutions. I expressed my appreciation and encouraged them to continue exploring constructive paths
toward solutions. We also organized a brief activity of compiling a list of
global challenges from internet sources and compared them with the issues
collected from our immediate surroundings. This exercise helped us identify the commonalities among these challenges. This strategy proved to bea potent tool for amplifying human rights narratives and enhancing theirpresentation and communication skills. Additionally, it served as a means toraise consciousness and enhance their digital literacy, ethrical thinking, anddecision-making abilities.
Other Activities
There were other activities undertaken during the course that were intended
to make the student-participants understand human rights in a practical andcontextualized manner as well as learn how to effectively promote humanrights to society in general including to the particular sections of society.
Policy drafting
In the process of teaching human rights education, decision-making andtaking ownership are crucial aspects. To achieve this, we initiated a studyof both local and global human rights education policies and conventions.
The process commenced by comprehending the local policies regarding human rights and their integration into educational policies before transitioning to the exploration of global policies. The student-participants crafted adocument outlining the essential elements of human rights that should betaught, and they compared this with the elements integrated into the policy
documents or identified any missing components. This comparative analysis was instrumental in identifying gaps and providing a rationale for thenecessary improvements. Later, they were asked to prepare a revised udhr,
adding more articles that they wished to be included in the document. Many
new ideas emerged like the right to technology, the right to parenting, therights of widow, the right to hijab, the right to expression, the right to learn

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a language, etc. Finally, all the student-participants were provided with aguideline for creating a policy document and were tasked with crafting a
15-point policy on human rights practices for the university, encouraging
mutual sharing. This activity instilled a sense of ownership, confidence, andexpression, enabling student-participants to document their perspectives.

Examples of proposed rights to be added to the UDHR.

Situation-based Case Studies
I developed local case studies that could be applied in a global context.
All case studies were adapted from real-life situations, making them more
relatable and relevant to the student-participants. I also invited studentparticipants, if they wished, to contribute to the development of case studies
based on social and educational challenges highlighted in the local newspapers. These case studies were distributed among the student-participants toread individually, and then discuss in groups and suggest solutions to theprovided questions. Involving student-participants in creating case studies
from newspaper-highlighted challenges fostered active learning and problem-solving skills, empowering them to make a real-world impact. Anothervaluable aspect of this activity was that it encouraged student-participants
to put themselves in the shoes of others, fostering a sense of connectedness
and empathy.

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Examples of ideas of student-participants on how to solve issues.

Unconference
To transition student-participants from dependency to independence7
and involve them in critical discussions and dialogues on human rights, they
were tasked with organizing an unconference on human rights education. In
this unconference, they were responsible for making decisions on topics for
keynote speeches, panel discussions, and so on. They acted as speakers andpanelists. It was fascinating to observe how this activity prompted them to202

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conduct research in preparation for planning and selecting discussion topics. The activity helped develop leadership skills, communication skills, andcritical discussion skills among student-participants. They also took part ina mock press conference, which provided training on adopting a civil andresponsive approach to challenges, with the use of concrete examples anddocumentary evidence.
Introducing Open Educational Resources (oer)According to unesco, “oer are learning, teaching and research materials in any format and medium that reside in the public domain or are under
the copyright that has been released under an open license, that permits
no-cost access, re-use, re-purpose, adaptation and redistribution by others.”8 In the realm of human rights education, oer is an underutilized but
promising resource. Oer has the potential to facilitate the development ofcontextual educational materials in local contexts and their sharing with abroader audience. It can also be used to remix or adapt resources, be it textual or visual. A notable gap exists in the availability of books, stories, folklore, and narratives from local perspectives on human rights. To transformstudent-participants into active learners, I guided them on how to create
oer and introduced them to platforms where they could share their work.
As a result, a few student-participants decided to write stories on the issueof corporal punishment9 and later published them as Creative Commonslicensed resources. See Annex A for the course syllabus. This initiative not
only enhanced their creative thinking skills but also provided them with themeans to express their ideas through storytelling. It helped develop digital literacy, digital consciousness, and ownership skills. This activity further
helped them learn how sensitive issues (that could not be expressed generally to others ) could be shared through storytelling among the masses.

Launch of book on stories about corporal punishment

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Inclusive Language
Human rights education makes a significant contribution not only topromoting awareness of the rights of self and others but also to recognizing
and valuing languages that are often overlooked or marginalized. With thisgoal in mind, I asked student-participants if they wished to learn any inclusive language. Based on their suggestion, a hands-on workshop on Braille
was arranged for the student-participants. This activity served a dual purpose: it equipped them to become inclusive educators and underscored theimportance of not only learning global languages but also languages thatcater to the diverse needs of learners in the classroom.

Glimpse of hands-on workshop on Braille.

Global Exposure through Workshop
The student-participants were given the choice to select a topic foran online workshop, and after discussion, they decided to focus on drug
education. From a local perspective, I conducted a six-hour workshop on
this topic. Later, Mr. Rogers Kasirye, Ph.D., in collaboration with the World
Federation Against Drugs (wfad) in Sweden conducted a workshop via video link to educate the student-participants about drug literacy. The workshop covered topics such as drugs commonly used by teenage students, diagnostic symptoms of drug users, consequences of drug usage, treatment
options, and preventive measures to avoid drug use and address drug addiction through strategies like socialization and counseling skills, which plays

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a vital role in reducing children’s exposure to drugs. Mr. Rogers also introduced teaching strategies for drug education. In the end, case studies fromteaching perspectives were discussed in groups.

Student-participants in the webinar on Drug Education.

Interaction with Global Participants
The gap among human rights educators worldwide has widened because
they tend to work in isolation within their contexts, without making connections with human rights educators from different continents. I guided
the student-participants in building online networks with teachers worldwide, sharing human rights practices, and learning through collaboration.
Initially, some student-participants were hesitant and skeptical, but a few
successfully connected with students and teachers in different countries,
learning not only about their courses on human rights education but also
about diversity and pluralism. Many student-participants expressed that

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they had misconceptions about other people and stressed the importanceof communication for understanding. They also suggested arranging global
exchange programs for real exposure to different cultures. This activity has
also facilitated a shift from dependency to independence, enabling them torealize the potential of establishing online connections to share resources
and learn from each other’s teaching practices.
Participation in International Courses
I introduced them to a course titled “Socioecoethical Model of Human
Rights Education” (Sadruddin, 2019). The purpose of this activity was to acquaint them with the intellectual resources available on digital platforms
at no cost. They gained knowledge about the history of human rights education and the human rights education model. They wrote reflections onwhat they appreciated about the course and provided feedback on areas that
could be improved, allowing their voices to be documented. As a result, all
the student-participants received a certificate and an invitation to become amember of the Global Forum for Teacher Educators.10 This activity served asa stepping stone for their future studies in education, enabling them to pursue their professional development as human rights practitioners throughonline avenues.

Certificate distribution to student-participants.

Mental Health Education
This aspect is among the most crucial when teaching human rights education, yet it remains one of the most overlooked areas. Sharing mental healthconditions is often viewed as shameful and taboo in many cultural settings. I

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chose to educate student-participants about strategies for coping with mental health challenges including art and music therapy, and also guided counseling and meditation skills that are crucial for teachers involved in humanrights education. In practical terms, we engaged with school-going children
to gain insight into their fears and concerns. Student-participants were allowed to apply their knowledge by counseling these students and assistingthem in enhancing their overall well-being. This practical approach allowed
student-participants to put their learning into action and make a positive
impact on the students they interacted with.
Video as an Instructional Tool
Using video as an instructional tool is a potent strategy for teaching humanrights education. However, it can be challenging to find videos that are directly relevant to the context of Pakistan, which may lead to frustration andanger among student-participants. To address this issue, I curated a selectionof videos from sima Academy and YouTube and asked student-participants
to watch three videos, engage in discussions, and share their feedback on thefollowing questions: (1) What did you like in the video? (2) What message
did you learn? (3) How will you apply this to teaching practice? Most of thestudent-participants viewed the following videos: “Heal Paradise,” “Marie’s
Dictionary,” “Wolf Dog Workshop,” “Tuning the Students’ Minds,” “Motherof All Rivers” and “Out of Plastic.” These videos were chosen to align withthe context and themes relevant to human rights education, fostering discussion and awareness among the student-participants. This activity developed a sense of realization and connectivity among student-participants.
The impact of this activity extended beyond watching the selected videos; it
ignited curiosity among the student-participants to create videos addressing
various human rights topics in the local context. They expressed their desire
to produce content that could shed light on local issues and share them withthe world, fostering broader discussions and awareness about these specificconcerns.
Community Development
The student-participants decided to visit special children in an institution
and spend time with them to learn about the challenges they face and toHuman Rights Education Through the Lens of Loglocal Pedagogy

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develop any plans that can improve their well-being. The community visit
was instrumental in helping the student-participants gain insight into theneeds of the special children. This adversity experience instilled a sense of
responsibility and social consciousness in future teachers, preparing them
to be compassionate educators who are committed to promoting humanrights education.

Student-participants with special children

Edupreneurship
Edupreneurship is an idea to introduce educational product by the educator through a business mindset. Student-participants were encouraged todesign, develop, and pitch products that could be used by school-going students for teaching human rights education using innovative approaches. A
variety of ideas emerged, such as creating a human rights-themed versionof board games or a human rights scrabble game. Student-participants developed prototypes and engaged in discussions with one another during thisactivity. One of the remarkable games was an ethical version of the classic“Snake and Ladder” game. In this game, a variety of ethical practices, suchas respecting parents and taking care of the environment, were incorporated, with positive points awarded for these actions and negative points forbehaviors like littering or throwing garbage on the street. We also created a208

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fish-catching game that utilized a magnetic rod to collect examples of good
ethical practices.
The activity enabled student-participants to think inventively about
how to convey human rights concepts to school-going students throughinnovative products. Through the development of products, student-participants explored engaging and interactive methods of teaching humanrights. The activity encouraged teamwork and collaboration as student-participants shared their ideas, discussed prototypes, and provided constructive feedback to one another. It emphasized the importance of adaptability and responsiveness to the evolving needs of students and the changing
educational landscape. Further, it promoted entrepreneurial skills that are
valuable for future teachers, allowing them to create educational tools andresources tailored to their specific teaching environments. By pitching theirproduct ideas, student-participants developed presentation and communication skills, which are essential in conveying complex human rights topics
to young learners effectively. The activity also fostered creativity and innovation, and encouraged student-participants to consider accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity when designing their educational products, aligningwith the principles of human rights education.
Advocacy through Writing
One of the most civil and effective ways to address human rights issues
is by writing. I organized a workshop to guide student-participants on how
to craft such letters. Subsequently, a significant number of student-participants reached out to local newspapers and had their letters to the editor
published. After the publication, they received guidance on how to write
even more impactful letters with improvements and refinements. This activity served a dual purpose: it not only taught them how to articulate andaddress human rights concerns through intellectual discourse rather thanstreet demonstrations but also enabled them to convey their messages to abroader community, allowing them to take ownership of their teaching andadvocacy efforts through a more civilized and constructive medium.

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Examples of published letters to the editor sent by student-participants.

Teaching InternshipStudent-participants were tasked with applying their knowledge to marginalized communities and educating them about human rights. They discussed themes and activities with fellows and later spent a week in the field
conducting a teaching internship. Most of the student-participants chose toserve public schools, whereas a few decided to visit orphanages and elderly
homes. The primary focus was on imparting fundamental knowledge, values, and practical skills through the use of videos, storytelling, coloring activities, and case studies. Before fieldwork, I discussed ethical guidelines andprovided guidance on maintaining a reflective diary and conducting action
research. The community members valued the commitment and dedication
displayed by the student-participants.
Interacting with these communities helped future teachers develop empathy and cultural sensitivity. Teaching in the field required adaptability andthe ability to tailor educational approaches to specific community needs,
honing their teaching skills. The teaching internship encouraged studentparticipants to reflect on their methods and refine their approaches for better engagement and understanding. Engaging with marginalized communities allowed them to build relationships and trust, fostering community
involvement and collaboration. This experience instilled a sense of advocacy

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in future teachers. Teaching in the field also prompted student-participants
to consider the broader societal impact of human rights education. Overall,this activity equipped future teachers with the practical skills, capable ofadvocating the educational rights of individuals, especially those in marginalized communities.
Human Rights Education Course: A New ApproachThis course has adopted an innovative and integrative approach by prioritizing the needs of the student-participants. Their active involvement throughout the course has helped them understand how human rights education
can be taught using a variety of approaches, taking a shift from the traditional approach of teaching and learning. All the activities were designed
to encourage student-participants to take ownership, resulting in more engaging outcomes. Numerous new ideas and activities emerged during thecourse discussions, which will be considered for implementation in the next
iteration of the course.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the loglocal approach has demonstrated its immense potential as a pedagogy that can be effectively applied in various contexts whenteaching human rights education to future teachers. Through its emphasis
on localized content, community engagement, and practical application,
this approach equips educators to not only impart theoretical knowledge
but also cultivate empathy, cultural sensitivity, and advocacy skills, which
are essential for promoting human rights and social justice. By fostering a
deep understanding of human rights issues within specific communities andenabling future teachers to adapt their teaching methods, the loglocal approach empowers them to become compassionate, adaptable, and effective
educators, ready to inspire and advocate for the rights and well-being of all
individuals.

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Endnotes
1 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding,
Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental
Freedoms, www.unesco.org/en/legal-affairs/recommendation-concerning-education-international-understanding-co-operation-and-peace-and-education.
2 Unesco,
What
you
need
to
know
about
unesco’s
1974
Recommendation,www.unesco.org/en/articles/
what-you-need-know-about-unescos-1974-recommendation
3 The revised document entitled “Recommendation on Education for Peace andHuman Rights, International Understanding, Cooperation, Fundamental Freedoms,
Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development” was adopted on 9 November 2023
during the Education Commission Meetings on the occasion of unesco General
Conference - 42nd session which was held in Paris, France. This document is available at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386924?posInSet=1&queryId=88262d97-74b6-4100-bd33-8cc96a779989.
4 Global Coalition for Human Rights Education. http://www.hre2020.org/.
5 Sequential hierarchy refers to understanding the local context in terms ofperceptions, attitudes, values and practices.
6 Connectivism means learning effectively through digital networking.
7 Instead of being passive students, they become actively engaged in creating
resources and participating in decision-making.
8 OpenEducational
Resources,
unesco,www.unesco.org/en/
open-educational-resources.
9 Aftermaths of Punishment, Merlot, https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=773417533
10 Visit gfte account on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GlobalTeacherForum.

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Annex A. COURSE OUTLINEHUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATIONCOURSE DESCRIPTIONThis interdisciplinary course is designed based on a human-centric approach,aiming to nurture knowledge and skills among participants while fostering a
dedication to human values applicable in teaching, research, and the design ofteacher training programs and curricula. The course focuses on a series of casestudies and activities intricately linked to human rights issues within an educational
context, encompassing human rights education policies, practices, and pedagogies.

COURSE GOALS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Acquire knowledge of the historical, conceptual, and philosophicalfoundations of human rights.
Develop awareness of local and global issues related to human rights.
Comprehend documents relevant to human rights, both within local andglobal contexts.
Deepen understanding of key concepts and frameworks in human rights
education.
Explore the application of models in human rights education.
Engage in discussions about experiences, challenges, and opportunities
in the field of Human Rights Education (HRE).
Empower participants with essential competencies, skills, and pedagogies
crucial for promoting HRE.
Learn to develop activities and course materials aligned with HRE policies,
curriculum, and manuals.

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COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
After studying the course, the participants will be able to:• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the historical, conceptual,and philosophical foundations of human rights.
• Exhibit increased awareness of diverse local and global issues abouthuman rights, demonstrating the ability to identify connections andinterdependencies.
• Interpret and apply documents related to human rights, showcasing theability to analyze and evaluate their significance.
• Demonstrate a deepened understanding of key concepts and frameworks inhuman rights education, and the ability to integrate them into educational
practices.
• Apply various models in human rights education to real-world scenarios,
showcasing proficiency in selecting and adapting appropriate models fordifferent contexts.
• Participate actively in discussions on experiences, challenges, andopportunities in the field of human rights education.
• Exhibit essential competencies, skills, and pedagogies necessary forpromoting human rights education.
• Demonstrate the ability to create and adapt activities and course materials
aligned with human rights education policies, curriculum guidelines, andmanuals.

COURSE CONTENTS AND TOPICS
Course Plan
Wk

Unit

Session Topic

Suggested Readings & Learning Activities

1

Unit 1:Introduction to
Human Rights

1.1 Fundamental
Concepts ofRights andHuman Rights
1.2 Historical
Development of
Human Rights

https://www.humanrights.com/what-are-human-rights/brief-history/
the-united-nations.html
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/
sites/134/2018/06/Marks-and-Henson-Human-Rights-andDevelopment_July-5-2018.pdf
http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/hreduseries/hereandnow/Part-1/
short-history.htm
Activity:
Situation-based Case Study

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Unit 1:Introduction to
Human Rights

Unit 2: Human
Rights Policies

Unit 2: Human
Rights Policies

1.3 Generationsof Human Rights
1.4 Principles of
Human Rights
1.5 Need andSignificance of
Human Rights

https://carrcenter.hks.harvard.edu/files/cchr/files/risse_fourthgeneration.pdf

2.1 Cairo
Declaration of
Human Rights
2.2 Constitutionof Pakistan
2.3 National
Policy Frameworkon Human Rights
2.4 Universal
Declaration of
Human Rights

http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/instree/cairodeclaration.html

2.5 National
Commission forChild Welfare andDevelopment
2.6 Convention
on the Rights of
the Child
2.7 The Domestic
Violence(Prevention andProtection) Bill,2021
2.8 The Domestic
Violence(Prevention andProtection) Bill,
2021
2.9 Sustainable
Development
Goals

https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2016/12/
cedaw-for-youth#:~:text=The%20Convention%20on%20the%20
Elimination,women’s%20and%20girls’%20equal%20rights
https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention

https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/other_publications/section1/pdf/
Principles%2C%20Rights%2C%20Duty%20and%20Pedagogy.pdf
Activity:
Situation-based Case Study

https://mohr.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/NPFW%20on%20
HR%2022-27.pdf
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-humanrights
Activity: Local policies on human rights and their integration into
educational policies

https://senate.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1623998886_516.pdf
https://mohr.gov.pk/Detail/MzFjMTM5ODctODkwYS00NTUyLTk2NjQtMmNjZjEwNzJlN2Fk
https://www.sdgpakistan.pk/uploads/pub/Lead_Pakistan_Briefing_
Note_SDGs.pdf
https://sdgs.un.org/goals
https://www.hec.gov.pk/english/services/universities/Documents/
HEC%20-%20POLICY%20FOR%20STUDENTS%20WITH%20
DISABILITIES%20AT%20HEIs%20IN%20PAKISTAN.pdf
Activities:
Revision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Comparative Analysis

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5

Unit 3: Human
RightsPractices

3.1 Human
Rights Issues
3.1.1 Refugee
Rights
3.1.2 Climate
Crises
3.1.3 Mental
Health Issues
3.1.4 Genderbased Violence
3.1.5 Rights
of Persons with
Disabilities
3.1.6 Armed
Conflicts andHumanitarian
Issues
3.1.7 Elderly
RightsActivities:
Case Studies
Role Play
Field Analysis through Podcasting

6

Unit 3: Human
RightsPractices

3.2 State of
Human Rights inPakistan
3.3 State of
Human Rights inthe World

https://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/wp-content/
uploads/2020/09/2023-State-of-human-rights-in-2022.pdf

4.1 Personal
Identity Skills
4.2 Mental HealthFirst Aid
4.3 CrossCulturalCompetence
4.4 Negotiation
Skills
4.5 Empathy andCompassion
4.6 Networking
Skills
4.7 Digital
Literacy and
Advocacy
4.8 Community
Practicehttps://www.mind.org.uk/media/7593/mind-mental-and-physicalactivity-toolkit-guide-1.pdf

7Unit 4: Human
Rights Skills

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021
Activity:
Crafting policy on HR practices for the university

https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1112062/
FULLTEXT01.pdf
https://pce.sandiego.edu/digital-literacy/
Activity:
Visit to Elderly home/ Inclusive learners

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8Unit 4: Human
Rights Skills

4.9 Inclusive
Language
4.10
Humanitarian Aid
Skills4.11 Climate
Justice4.12 Social
Counseling Skills
4.13 Artistic Skills
4.14 Research
Skills4.15 Advocacy
through Writing
4.16 Ethrical
Thinking
Story Telling

Activities:
Workshop on Braille
Online Course
Visit to Art Gallery
Story Telling Session

9

Unit 5:Introduction to
Human Rights
Education

5.1 Human
Rights Education
5.2 Evolution of
Human Rights
Education
5.3 Goals andPrinciples of
Human Rights
Education

http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/pdf/hreh.pdf

Unit 5:Introduction to
Human Rights
Education

5.4 Challenges
andOpportunities
in Teaching
Human Rights
Education

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11125-018-9425-1

Unit 5:Introduction to
Human Rights
Education

5.5 Models of
Human Rights
Education

https://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.
cgi?article=1002&context=ijhre

1011

https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/HRTreaties2en.pdf
https://bemis.org.uk/PDF/hre_theory_and_practices.pdf

Activity: Guest Speaking Session

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3755005
Activity:Completion of online course

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Unit 6:
PedagogicalTechniques for
Human Rights
Education

6.1 Pedagogical
Strategies
6.1.1. Loglocal
Approachto Teaching
Human Rights
Education
6.1.2.
Gamification
6.1.3 Case
Studies
6.1.4 Artistic
Approachhttps://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.
cgi?article=1009&context=soe_fac

13Unit 6:
PedagogicalTechniques for
Human Rights
Education

6.1.5 Story
Telling
6.1.6 Advocacy
through Writing
6.1.7 Podcast
6.1.8
Edupreneurship

Activity:
Videos from SIMA Academy

14

Unit 7:
Resource
Development in
Human Rights
Education

7.1 Processof Course
Developmentin HRE
7.2 Human
Rights Education
Lesson Planninghttps://teaching.uncc.edu/teaching-guides/course-design/basic-steps

15

Unit 7:
Resource
Development in
Human Rights
Education

7.3 Introduction
to Open
Educational
Resources

Activities:
Workshop
Development of an Open Educational Book

Unit 7:
Resource
Development in
Human Rights
Education

7.4 Developing
resources forteaching Human
Rights Education

16

http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/hreduseries/hrhandbook/part4B.htm

https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/38654317.pdf
Activity:
Recycling resources
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GENERAL SUGGESTED READINGS
Monisha Bajaj. (2017). Human Rights Education Theory, Research, Praxis. Universityof Pennsylvania Press
Susan Roberta Katz and Andrea McEvoy Spero. (2015). Bringing Human Rights
Education to US Classrooms: Exemplary Models from Elementary Grades to University.
Palgrave.
Rolf Gollob. (2010). Educating for democracy: background materials on democratic
citizenship and human rights education for teachers. Council of Europe.
United Nations Publication. (2004). ABC- Teaching Human Rights- Practical Activities
for Primary and Secondary Schools. OHCHR.
National Human Rights Commission. (2007). Recommendations of National Human
Rights Commission Module on Human Rights Education for Teaching Professionals
Imparting Education in Primary, Secondary, Higher Secondary Level. National Human Rights
Commission.
Dean, B. L., Joldolshieva, R., Faria, C., Amin, U., & Tanveer, T. (2007). Youth and civic
participation: Government accountability to citizens. Karachi: The Asia Foundation.
Amnesty International. (2002). First Steps: A Manual for Starting Human Rights
Education. Amnesty International.
Monisha Bajaj, Beniamino Cislaghi and Gerry Mackie. (2016). Advancing
Transformative Human Rights Education. Open Book Publishers. Available at https://www.
openbookpublishers.com/shopimages/The-UDHR-21st-C-AppendixD.pdf
The Human Rights Education Handbook- Effective Practices for Learning, Action, andChange by Nancy Flower. Available at: http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/edumat/pdf/hreh.pdf
Human Rights Education in the School Systems of Europe, Central Asia and North
America: A Compendium of Good Practice. Available at https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/
Publications/CompendiumHRE.pdf

References
Government of Pakistan and UNESCO. 2001. National Plan of Action for Human Rights Education,
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000139606
Pirzado, P. A. 2019. “Teaching human rights in Pakistani schools: What are the potential barriers?,”
International Journal of Social Sciences, 4(3), 1741-1760. https://dx.doi.org/10.20319/
pijss.2019.43.17411760

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Sadruddin, M.M. 2017. “Teaching human rights through global education to teachers in Pakistan,”
Prospects, 47 (1-2), 73–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-018-9425-1
Sadruddin M.M. 2019. “Socioecoethical model of human rights education, https://dx.doi.
org/10.2139/ssrn.3755005