This project of the Youth Department of the Council of Europe on Human Rights Education is a direct contribution to the core mission of the organisation to promote and protect human rights.

It is anchored in the Council of Europe youth sector strategy 2030, by fostering young people’s access to rights and increasing the capacity-building and resources for youth organisations, and other relevant stakeholders, to provide human rights education.

The project consolidates and supports the role of non-governmental youth organisations as actors in the implementation of the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education. It does so by combining the development and dissemination of resources and activities for trainers, youth workers, multipliers and advocates of the right to human rights education.

The Human Rights Education Youth Programme was launched in 2000 to bring human rights issues into the mainstream of youth work and non-formal learning practices. It has been built around Compass, the manual for human rights education with young people, which provides essential, accessible and playful information and educational activities.

Translations and publications of Compass in the member states contribute to the creation of communities of practice and to the development of common standards and approaches. The annual programme of Compass national or regional training courses on human rights education associates partners and processes at national level by training key multipliers with young people and encouraging advocacy and cooperation to make the right to human rights education to young people.

Quality development in human rights education through non-formal learning is pursued through the Council of Europe Training of Trainers in Human Rights Education (TOTHRE) which are held every second year and whose participants play a key role in developing networks and communities of practice in the member states and beyond.

The programme also includes activities directly carried out by youth organisations, such as pilot projects supported by the European Youth Foundation and study sessions carried out by youth organisations in cooperation with the European Youth Centres.

Other educational resources were added to Compass to address specific publics or issues, such as Compasito, Gender Matters and Mirrors. You can find them all in our Resources section.

The Human Rights Education Youth Programme supports the implementation of the World Programme on Human Rights Education and contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.