Buraku Liberation News, November 1998 issue (No.106)
Summary of the International Conference on Human Rights Education in the Asia-Pacific Region
-Towards Universal Realization of Human Rights-
As we reported in the previous issue, the International Conference on Human Rights Education in the Asia- Pacific Region was held from November 25 to 27, 1998 in Osaka, aiming to promote the universal realization of human rights in the context of the UN Decade for Human Rights Education on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human rights, by the Osaka Organizing Committee, consisted of the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism-Japan Committee, the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center, the Osaka Liaison Conference for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Osaka Prefectural and City Governments.
In this issue, we carry the summary of the conference and the Osaka Declaration adopted at the end of the conference. The following are the first part of the summary.
November 25
Opening Ceremony:
The conference was attended by more than 180 participants from 16 countries. They included human rights activists, researchers, and representatives from NGOs and the UN.
In her written message, Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed that the 50th Anniversary must be an occasion to re-affirm our commitment to work for change and to demonstrate that the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are neither theoretical nor abstract. She also expressed, "To do this, we must recognize that long term and vigilant human rights protection cannot be achieved successfully if it comes only from above. Rather, it must come as a result of informed, sustained, domestic demand for human rights from people who are, after all, the subjects of human rights."
In line with the approach to assist in formulation of regional strategies for human rights education, such as in Europe and in the Asia-Pacific, Federico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO, said in his written message that outcomes of the Conference are of the highest interest to UNESCO.
Session 1 : Keynote Speeches "UN Decade for Human Rights Education - What has been done and what will have to be done."
Elena Ippoliti of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights pointed out that during the Decade, governments, international organizations, national institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals are asked to establish partnership on promoting a universal culture of human rights. She gave an example that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been translated into more than 250 languages and dialects through the joint efforts between the UN and NGOs. She addressed that in order to accomplish the Decade's objectives, international efforts have been made in order to put together scarce resources and avoid duplication. She also stressed that the success of the Decade will require a stronger commitment to its objectives on the part of the international community and the strengthening of the partnership between governmental and non-governmental actors.
Jefferson Plantilla, a researcher in HURIGHTS OSAKA, reported on the activities on the Decade in the region. He said, "Only the Philippines and Japan have prepared a full national plan in support of the UN Decade. In both cases, there was NGO involvement in the drafting of the plan." He also explained that most of the countries in the region either failed to initiate any move in making any national plan or has not given enough attention to prepare one. And that in some of these countries, NGOs are lobbying for the drafting of such plan but no results have been obtained so far. He said as a conclusion, "The importance of the Decade is in justifying the initiatives of NGOs. Dialogues with communities are indispensable because human rights education is intended for communities. The Decade should support the initiatives of NGOs to respond to the needs of communities.
Kenzo Tomonaga, Director of the Buraku Liberation and Human Rights Research Institute, made a presentation on what has been achieved in Osaka. He explained that as a result of the successive campaigns by local NGOs, all of the 45 municipal governments in Osaka Prefecture set up promotion headquarters for the Decade and plans of actions were adopted in six municipal governments as of October 1998. He stressed that efforts should be made to create a community where all foreign residents, particularly Korean residents, and citizens with different ethnic identities can live in harmony and that such challenges in Osaka should be introduced in the Asia-Pacific Region. He also expressed that grass-roots organizations and local governments should play an important role to promote the Decade as initiated by the UN.
Session 2 : Country Report on the UN Decade for Human Rights Education in the Asia- Pacific Region
This session was chaired by Nimalka Fernando, President of the International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR). The reports were presented by representatives from several countries.
Indonesia:
The National Commission on Human Rights of Indonesia has been promoting the dissemination of information and education on human rights. For example, in 1997, the commission organized a seminar on human rights education for NGOs and educators in cooperation with Commission on Human Rights of Canada. Another seminar this time for teachers was organized in July 1998 which produced instructional materials for human rights education in addition to the formation of a national team of the facilitators for human rights education.
Thailand:
While people realized that democracy that just protects vulnerable people is not enough, an article stipulating the respect of dignity of individuals was included in the new constitution. A national commission on human rights of the Thailand will be set up within two years as provided for in the new constitution. NGOs have been lobbying the government to adopt a national plan of action for the Decade.
Philippines:
Workshops on human rights education had been held by NGOs and GOs in several regions. As a result, a National Plan of Action was adopted in February 1997. Currently, human rights education has been conducted, targeted to various sectors, including women, elderly people, youth, indigenous people and military personnel.
Cambodia:
The Cambodia Office for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has been conducting training programs for human rights educators and NGOs staff. The office made training curricula targeted to specific groups, such as police and Buddhist monks.
South Korea:
Several efforts have been made, such as the distribution of books and videotapes on human rights in schools, and holding art exhibitions as well as concerts in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the UDHR. While the national plan of action is not yet adopted, the Ministry of Justice has been preparing for the establishment of the national Commission on Human Rights.
Japan:
The government established the Promotion Headquarters for the UN Decade for Human Rights Education in 1995 and the National Plan of Action for the Decade was released in 1997. However, people have only few chances to hear of either the Decade or human rights education due to lack of information dissemination. NGOs have been requesting national and local governments to take effective measures for the promotion of the Decade, including allocating enough budget for the Promotion Headquarters for the Decade and facilitating local governments to establish their own promotion headquarters.
China:
Since the Chinese Government ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in addition to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, human rights education has been highly appreciated and seriously considered by the government. Many books on human rights were published in the past few years. Judges and lawyers are obliged to attend the two-weeks-long human rights training course every year.
India:
The National Human Rights Commission of India has been involved in protecting human rights of people belonging to the backward class. However, discrimination persists under the caste system and the welfare of those people is not guaranteed. The Dalit groups have been making constant efforts not only to disseminate information on human rights but also to conscientize people, such as by distributing leaflet in cooperation with groups involved in literacy movement.
Nepal:
Since 1988, the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), one of the leading NGOs in Nepal, has been conducting human rights education at grass roots level where 12,000 people had attended the human rights and literacy class in the past ten years. INSEC recently published translated versions of the UDHR into dialects. In addition, the lectures on the radio featuring human rights are being prepared by NGOs.
Sri Lanka:
The National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, established two years ago, is not functioning well due to lack of financial and human resources. On the other hand, NGOs embarked on a human rights education program in schools, focusing on human rights and humanitarian laws. There are also Quiz Programs organized in schools in several provinces. To prevent unlawful acts by law enforcers, NGOs monitor human rights violations such as arbitrary arrest and detention.
Australia:
Human rights education cannot be separated from the human rights issue of the Aborigines, who constitute of 2% of the total population of Australia. The fiction of the doctrine of terra nullius, that is, "land that belongs to no one" was only recently overturned by virtue of the recognition of survival of native title. This was done by the High Court in 1992, in a landmark case known as the Mabo case. There is now much challenge and confusion as land rights issue are battled out legally.
Mongolia:
The concept of human rights is new to Mongolian people. The National Commission on Human Rights, an independent organization from the government, has been publishing the translation versions of books on human rights published by the UN, in addition to having dialogues with people interested in human rights. However, NGOs involved in human rights education, have difficulties due to lack of funds.
Taiwan, ROC:
While Taiwan is not a member-nation of the UN, NGOs have made efforts in order that human rights education might be included into the curricula of the primary and secondary education. NGOs need information on national human rights institutions in other countries in order to initiate a campaign for the establishment of a national commission on human rights in Taiwan.
(to be continued)