OSCE Office Promotes Human Rights Education in Armenia

VANADZOR, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: Thirty secondary school teachers from various marzes of Armenia participate in a three-week intensive course on human rights that started today in Vanadzor, Lori Marz.

The OSCE Office reports that the course, organized by the Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre (ACRPC) NGO of the marz, in assistance with 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," according to 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 program includes lectures and discussions on human rights in accordance with the state educational program with particular focus on children's rights. Experts from international organizations, inter alia the OSCE, the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the International Committee of the Red Cross, are scheduled to teach sessions.

"Our organization's motto is, 'Not to know one's rights is not to possess them at all'," ACRPC Chairman Gevork Manoukian said. "This program 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 this year.

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