Citizenship Education and Human Rights

📌A Comprehensive Overview of Citizenship Education & Human Rights in the Context of BS/B.Ed Hons Level Course

Citizenship Education (CE) & Human Rights (HR) is also termed as Globalisation in Education. Basically, (CE) is one of the 21st century's pedagogical approaches. It prioritises global uniformity in education. Whereas, (HR) addresses the need for holistic pedagogical approach. 

Human Rights is a broad term which includes contextual and global rights for Citizens living on the different corners of the planet earth. 

This subject is mainly contextualised to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the end of 2030. Whereas, in the context of the 21st century, "Citizenship Education & Human Rights" has emerged as one of the major components at the university level curriculum. 

At the university level, the study of Citizenship Education and Human Rights requires a critical understanding of their interdependence, their legal instruments, and their application in addressing contemporary global challenges. 

They are not merely parallel subjects; rather, Citizenship Education is the process of empowerment that enables citizens to realise and defend the normative standards set by Human Rights.

Let's now read and understand some significant components, including concepts and theoretical frameworks about CE and HR. 

☀️I. Foundational Concepts and Theoretical Frameworks 

A. Citizenship: From Status to Practice

For undergraduates, citizenship moves beyond the traditional definition of legal status (a national belonging to a state) to focus on practice and identity.

1. T.H. Marshall’s Framework: British Sociologist T.H Marshall's "Theory of Citizenship" suggests that students must understand the evolution of citizenship rights:

   • Civil Rights (18th Century): Liberty, freedom of speech, fair trial.

   • Political Rights (19th Century): Right to vote and hold office.

   • Social Rights (20th Century): Right to welfare, education, and health.

     This framework directly links the historical development of citizenship to the categories of human rights.

2. Active vs. Passive Citizenship: CE emphasises Active Citizenship, which is the conscious commitment to public deliberation, accountability, and collective action to uphold democratic and rights-based standards. Passive citizenship, conversely, involves merely obeying laws and consuming state services.

3. Global Citizenship: This key contemporary aspect recognises that citizens' rights and responsibilities are global and thus extend beyond national borders, encompassing issues like climate justice, international trade ethics, and humanitarian solidarity.

B. Human Rights: Universalism vs. Relativism

One of the core concepts of HR study is deeply rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

To get deep insights, undergraduates must critically evaluate their founding principles:

1. Universality and Inalienability: The principle that rights belong to all people inherently is constantly challenged by the argument of Cultural Relativism, which posits that rights should be interpreted within the context of specific cultural and religious traditions. Academic study involves debating how to uphold universal standards while respecting legitimate diversity. However, "Citizenship Education and Human Rights" stresses inclusivity, uniformity, and transnational (universal) culture.

2. Indivisibility and Interdependence: This principle, that Civil and Political Rights (CPR) must be treated equally with Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ESCR), is so crucial. For instance, the right to free expression (CPR) or freedom of expression is limited if citizens lack the right to education (ESCR) needed to form informed opinions. The study of this relationship critiques the historical preference given to CPR by the Western World.

🤝II. The Essential Synergy and Missing Links 

The relevance of CE is its role as the enabler of human rights culture in a global scenario.

A. CE as Human Rights Pedagogy

Citizenship Education is the mechanism that operationalises human rights principles:

• From Abstract to Action: CE translates abstract legal concepts into actionable civic responsibilities and advocacy skills. Learning about the right to assembly (HR) informs the skill of organising a protest or campaign (CE).

• Fostering Accountability: CE instils the knowledge required to perform a "rights check"; the capacity to monitor, document, and challenge state policies (the duty-bearer) that violate citizen entitlements (the rights-holder).

• Inclusivity and Anti-Discrimination: A well-designed CE program directly confronts prejudice, marginalisation and discrimination by emphasising respect for diversity and the principle of non-discrimination, essential to human rights instruments, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

B. HR as the Normative Standard for Citizenship

Human Rights provide the ethical and legal boundary markers for legitimate civic and state action:

• Defining Democratic Legitimacy: A government is considered democratically legitimate not just because its citizens vote, but because it upholds the fundamental rights of all its people, particularly minorities and dissenting voices.

• The Right to Education (Article 26): This HR article mandates that education "shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms." This explicitly places HR at the core of the CE curriculum. In this regard, the United Nations Organisation has assigned a special task to UNESCO, ensuring access to education for all as one of the fundamental and universal human rights.

💠III. Legal Instruments and Institutional Relevance 

Undergraduates must command a detailed understanding of the legal frameworks.

A. Core International Human Rights Law

The key instruments that guide the relationship between citizens and the state are:

1. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): Focuses on rights like freedom of association, freedom of religion, and the right to self-determination. It is monitored by the Human Rights Committee.

2. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR): Focuses on rights like the right to health, education, and adequate housing. It is monitored by the Committee on ESCR.

3. Specific Treaties: Understanding targeted conventions such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) or the Convention against Torture (CAT) provides a specific context for how different vulnerable populations are protected.

B. Mechanisms of Accountability

Citizenship education teaches students how to engage with these systems:

• Universal Periodic Review (UPR): A critical mechanism where UN member states review each other's human rights records. CE equips citizens to produce "shadow reports" that offer alternative, often more critical, perspectives than the state's official report.

• Regional Courts: Analysing the effectiveness of powerful regional bodies like the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which allows individual citizens to sue their own governments for rights violations after exhausting domestic remedies.

• National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs): These domestic bodies (often Commissions or Ombudsman offices) act as a crucial link between citizens and the international system. Their effectiveness is governed by the Paris Principles.

🌍IV. Contemporary Challenges and Application 

University study emphasises applying the CE/HR framework to complex, modern issues, preparing students for careers in policy, law, and advocacy.

A. Human Rights in the Digital Age

The digital revolution presents new challenges to traditional civil liberties:

• Right to Privacy vs. Surveillance: Debating the ethics and legality of government and corporate surveillance, especially concerning mass data collection, under the right to privacy (ICCPR, Article 17).

• Censorship and Disinformation: Analysing how platforms and governments manage freedom of expression (ICCPR, Article 19) while combating the spread of harmful disinformation, a vital aspect of media literacy in CE.

B. Climate Justice and Third-Generation Rights

The climate crisis is increasingly framed as a human rights issue, requiring global citizenship action:

• The Right to a Healthy Environment: While not explicitly in the UDHR, this is becoming a recognised Third-Generation Right. Citizenship action focuses on holding states accountable for environmental degradation that violates the rights to life, health, and adequate living standards.

• Climate Migration: Analysing how climate change creates displaced populations, challenging the existing frameworks for refugee protection and national sovereignty.

C. The Role of Civil Society and Social Movements

CE skills are directly applicable in the non-state sector, where much of human rights work occurs:

• Strategic Litigation: Understanding how organisations use test cases in national and international courts to establish legal precedents that expand rights for marginalised groups (e.g., cases on same-sex marriage or indigenous land rights).

• Lobbying and Policy Advocacy: Learning how to effectively influence legislative and executive bodies using rights-based language and data, a critical political skill taught through CE.

In sum, the undergraduate synthesis of Citizenship Education and Human Rights is a study of power, justice, and participation. It prepares students to become critically engaged rights-holders capable of defending democratic institutions and universal dignity within a complex and rapidly changing global order.

✍️ By: Raja Bahar Khan Soomro 

(B.Sc, MA English Literature, B.Ed, M.Ed, M.Phil Edn & PhD in STEAM Education Scholar)