Human rights education always takes place in a particular setting and needs to be based on the needs, preferences, abilities and desires of the learners. The key to understanding human rights education is to look to the purpose, because no matter what the methodology or context happens to be, the aim is always the development of a culture of human rights.

The essential elements of such a culture can provide a series of general objectives for human rights education:

  • to strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
  • to value human dignity and develop individual self-respect and respect for others
  • to develop attitudes and behaviours that will lead to respect for the rights of others
  • to ensure genuine gender equality and equal opportunities for women and men
  • to promote respect, understanding and appreciation of diversity, particularly towards different national, ethnic, religious, linguistic and other minorities and communities
  • to recognise and combat racism and any form of racial discrimination
  • to empower people towards more active citizenship
  • to promote democracy, development, social justice, communal harmony, solidarity and friendship among people and nations
  • to further the activities of international institutions aimed at the creation of a culture of peace, based upon universal values of human rights,  international understanding, tolerance and nonviolence.