7 December 2001
HUMAN RIGHTS IN EVERY CLASSROOM
Launch of the Youth Challenge Website
School students across Australia will be able to tap into human rights and equal opportunity online, following the development of a new website.
Youth Challenge - Teaching Human Rights and Responsibilities is a human rights education program developed by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Teachers will be able to use the material to educate students about human rights and responsibilities through role-plays, guided activities, surveys, personal stories and prompted questions for discussion.
Launching the new program in Sydney today, Commission President Professor Alice Tay said protection of human rights and equal opportunity starts at home and in the community. "By giving students a basic grounding in their rights and responsibilities the Commission is helping to prepare them for the workplace and adult life," she said.
Using the website, students will address real-life issues such as sex, race and disability discrimination, sexual harassment and the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees.
They will learn about the history and principles of human rights, but also practical lessons such as how to deal with discrimination and harassment in casual work, work experience or when they leave school. And they will learn how to balance rights and responsibilities in complex situations and how to negotiate an outcome that is best for all parties and respects everyone's rights.
The program is based on two major case studies. Young People and the Workplace is a case study that examines issues of sex discrimination, race discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. It helps students to look at how human rights and responsibilities are relevant to the workplace and their daily lives. But what about Doug's rights? tells the story of disability discrimination in a high school.
Youth Challenge is available online at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/youthchallenge/index.html
Media contact: Janine
MacDonald (02) 9284 9880 or 0408 469 347
