Andreopoulos, George J. and Richard Pierre Claude, eds. Human Rights Education for the Twenty-First Century. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1997.

An excellent overview of human rights education, including sections on Theories and Contexts, Approaches to Teacher Training, College and Adult Education, Specialized Training for Professions, Community-Based and Nonformal Human Rights Education, as well as resources and funding.

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Seabury Press, 1970.

This is a foundation text for human rights education. Freire’s work discusses the intersection of education and social justice. Freire’s pedagogy seeks to enable the oppressed to understand that oppressive forces are not part of the natural order, but the result of historical and socially constructed forces that can be changed.

Reardon, Betty. Educating for Human Dignity: Learning about Rights and Responsibilities, Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995.

Taking a developmental approach to human rights education, each chapter discusses the child’s skills and conceptual level at a particular age and offers examples of age-appropriate lessons. The introduction provides a theoretical basis for education for human rights and civic responsibility. Also available in Arabic.

Tarrow, Norma Bernstein, ed. Human Rights and Education. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1987.

Discusses education as a human right and education about human rights on an international scale. Examples are drawn from authors representing a wide host of countries, such as India, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

An anthology of lessons organized around key human rights themes such as the respect for human dignity, linking human rights and responsibilities, seeking justice using analysis, and righting wrongs. Very appropriate for adult education. Printed in English and French.

Amnesty International. Shopping Techniques in Human Rights. Quezon City, Philippines: Zamora Press, 1994. Zamora Press and Publications, 1166 East Rodriquez Sr. Blvd., New Manila, Quezon City, Philippines.

An easily accessible compilation of strategies and activities for young learners in both school and non-formal settings. The lessons use experiential, activity-centered methods to encourage critical thinking as well as mastering of human rights concepts.

Amnesty International Educators’ Network. Amnesty International Educators’ Network Human Rights Education Resource Notebooks. Amnesty International Educators’ Network, 1997. Available from:

Human Rights USA Resource Center
229 - 19th Avenue South
437 Law Center
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Telephone 888-HREDUC8.

This collection of human rights education curricula is available in thirteen topic areas, including Women’s Rights; Religion, Race and Ethnicity; Indigenous Peoples; Gay and Lesbian Rights, Death Penalty, Children’s Rights, Teaching Young Children about Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Peace, Economic Rights, and Teaching Human Rights Through Literature.

Three Notebooks are specific to teaching human rights to elementary, middle school and high school aged students.

Mertus, Julie with Mallika Dutt and Nancy Flowers. Local Action/ Global Change: Learning about the Human Rights of Women and Girls. New York: UNIFEM, 1998. UNIFEM, 304 East 45th Street, New York, NY 10017. Telephone 212-906-6400, Fax 212-906-6705.

An interactive and comprehensive training manual that introduces human rights in terms of the life experiences of women and girls.

O’Brien, Edward, Eleanor Greene and David McQuoid-Mason. Human Rights for All. St. Paul, MN: West Educational Publishing, USA, 1996. West Publishing Company, 610 Opperman Drive, P.O. Box 64526, St. Paul, MN 55164-0526. Telephone 1-800-328-2209, Fax 612-687-6857.

This innovative and comprehensive curriculum provides high school students with a foundation in human rights concepts and challenges them with difficult questions, such as establishing rights for a new country, balancing national security against individual liberties, and resolving conflict.

Shiman, David. Teaching Human Rights. Denver: Center for Teaching International Relations Publications, University of Denver, 1993. Center for Teaching International Relations, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208. Telephone 1-800-967-2847 or 303-871-3106.

This collection of classroom activities offers innovative ways of teaching about familiar human rights themes. Initial lessons introduce students to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and ask them to compare its provisions with those in the US Bill of Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Examples from Chile, the People’s Republic of China, Kenya, South Africa, and the former Soviet Union are included. The activities encourage students to make cross-cultural comparisons and examine their own society and experiences.