Who We Are
The Egyptian Centre for Human Rights Education (ECHRE) is an independent organisation that was founded in 2009 by a group of international human rights activists. ECHRE is dedicated to promote and ensure Human Rights Education in Egypt and the Arab World. We believe education is the first step to understand, respect, defend and protect human rights. ECHRE co-operates with individuals, NGOs and universities to advocate Human Rights Education in all sectors of society.
Our Philosophy
The real test of credibility of any human rights institution is whether or not it possesses the four cornerstones that we at ECHRE believe underpin our values:
· Independence
· Impartiality
· Integrity
·: justify;”>Our Vision
We at ECHRE believe that Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realizing other human rights. As an empowerment right, education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and obtain the means to fully participate in their communities. Our understanding of education is reflected in how we carry out our work.
The content of our programs centers around the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and behaviors required for individuals to understand, assert and defend their human rights as well as to respect the rights of others. Human rights education involves the exploration of human rights principles and instruments and the promotion of critical reflection and inquiry.
Ultimately, human rights education inspires people to take control of their own lives and the decisions that affect their lives. This process cannot happen without participants questioning their assumptions about human rights. By critically examining these underlying assumptions from which stem their beliefs, values and feelings, participants engage in a process of “transformative learning. The process, which encourages participants to be more discriminating, open, and reflective, leads to a new interpretation of experience to guide future action. Some of the common themes of transformative learning are the centrality of participants’ experiences, critical reflection, and rational discourse.
Our Aim
ECHRE aims to reinvigorate the ideals and objectives of:
Human Rights Council resolution 10/3 on the World Programme for Human Rights Education, (25 March 2009)
Consultation on the focus of the second phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education – Report to the Human Rights Council A/HRC/12/36
Article 26 (2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed 1995-2004 the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education.
The recommendation at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna.
December 2004, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed a World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005-ongoing).
The 1996 UNESCO report about education in the twenty-first century.
ECHRE calls on the state to take on responsibility for the implementation of all the international human rights obligations.
Our Mission
The mission of ECHRE is to promote human rights education for all Egyptian citizens without discrimination. ECHRE seeks to promote and ensure human rights education in all sectors in the Egyptian society by creating a suitable environment for future generation of human rights defenders and supporting the existing human rights activists and institutions to work effectively in achieving their goals.
