This is a one-year pilot project with the potential to continue and to contribute strongly to Human Rights education and to educational reform in Russia generally. The Russian Duma last year ratified the European Convention on Human Rights and launched a program to introduce comprehensive Human Rights education at the secondary-school level. That was the plan.
Reality is different.
Teachers are not available to provide instruction in Human Rights, so few secondary schools can implement the Ministry of Education s directive. In Russia, Human Rights organizations receive funding sporadically, so they are unable to provide ongoing, comprehensive programs. They are weak in organizational structure, understaffed and not part of any comprehensive and effective Human Rights network. They have little information concerning what other Human Rights organizations are doing in Russia, much less internationally. Most individuals have no idea how Human Rights issues affect them.