A/HRC/19/77
developing international standards in the light of contemporary manifestations of racial
discrimination.
79.
Several delegates shared examples of good practices from their own countries, such
as the use of formal and non-formal education in combating racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance; introducing the history of people of African descent,
immigrants and other vulnerable groups as a compulsory course in curricula; human rights
courses at universities, and human rights training and seminars for teachers; quota systems
at universities; and scholarships and incentives for specific vulnerable groups. Other
delegates mentioned the inclusion of linguistic and cultural objectives in educational
programmes for immigrants and indigenous people.
80.
Ms. Osler, Professor of Citizenship and Human Rights Education at the University
of Leeds, underlined the role played by citizenship education in combating racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. She explained that citizenship
education was a tool to combat all forms of discrimination. Bearing in mind the example of
mass education in Europe in the late nineteenth century which favoured intolerance through
a strong nationalistic focus, she pointed out that citizenship education should be open to
national political institutions as well as international entities promoting human rights, such
as the United Nations or the Council of Europe. Citizenship education therefore needed to
recreate new, more inclusive national stories and histories, which could contribute to
challenging exclusive, ethno-nationalistic or xenophobic conceptions of the nation-State.
She underlined the fact that education for cosmopolitan citizenship was also a way to
prepare citizens to challenge forms of discrimination and that this kind of education
encouraged learners to respect diversity at all levels, from the local to the global. Human
rights education needed to be provided in the earliest years of schooling. Ms. Osler also
pointed out the relevance of including historical events, such as the Holocaust and other
examples of genocide, in curricula.
81.
Ms. Saura of the Secretariat of Policies for Racial Equality, Division of African
Descent and National Human Rights at the Ministry of Education and Culture of Uruguay
recalled the commitment of Uruguay to the fight against discrimination, in particular
through the enactment of several laws, such as the Law No. 13670 on compliance with the
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. She
pointed out the actions taken by Uruguay to compile official statistics about minority
groups, create an institution dedicated to the promotion of equality for people of African
descent and recognize their cultural and historical contributions to Uruguay. She gave
examples, based on statistical data, on existing inequalities between people of African
descent, indigenous people and white people in the country. Uruguay had launched a
national plan of action against racism and discrimination based on the provisions of the
Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. Ms. Saura emphasized the example of study
grants allocated to students of African descent that allowed them to start and complete their
studies, and encouraged adults of African descent to finish study programmes even if they
no longer attended school. Ms. Saura also referred to initiatives taken with the private
sector to modify educational programmes encompassing racist stereotypes. She also
stressed that Uruguay had cooperated with UNESCO on the Slave Route Project.
82.
Both the Head of the Genocide Education Project at the Documentation Centre of
Cambodia Mr. Dy and OHCHR consultant Dr. Damascene Gasanabo made presentations
on the role of genocide education in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia
and related intolerance, using Cambodia and Rwanda as case studies. They explored ways
to reconstruct peace and build a collective memory through education and textbooks, and
highlighted the importance of integrating genocide education into curricula in post-conflict
and post-genocidal countries to enhance genocide prevention, national reconciliation and
peacebuilding.
13
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