A word from CISVers around the world on human rights education in CISV programmes
June 2, 2017The Right to Education
July 4, 2017
As CISV’s programme season quickly approaches, thousands of leaders, staff, and participants in chapters around the world are getting ready for inspiring, educational and transformative camp experiences.
An important part of preparing for any camp – whether you’re a Step Up participant, a Village Junior Counsellor, an Interchange Leader, an IPP Staff, etc. – is to start thinking about great activities that will create unforgettable learning experiences for everyone involved.
If you’re taking part in a programme this season and looking for some powerful Human Rights activities to bring with you, we’ve prepared a list we think you’ll find useful! We’ve put together 9 excellent activities that educate and inspire action around Human Rights. These activities explore Human Rights from a range of perspectives and activity formats, including discussion-based, creative and simulation activities. Most of these can be easily adapted for any programme.
If you’re not taking part in a programme this season, consider running one of these activities in your chapter at the next opportunity.
Looking for more support with Human Rights activities? Try the IJB Educational Content Support Line.
The List
An easy-to-run role playing activity in which groups act out different scenarios related to Human Rights, then discuss insights and takeaways. It’s a versatile activity that can be run with nearly any age group.
This activity introduces participants to different aspects of the Human Rights content area. Participants explore different stories about Human Rights and are guided through a process to reflect on those stories, discuss questions and ultimately draw connections to their own experiences.
Participants explore the significance of internet access as a human right by exaggerating and parodying the role of the internet in our lives in a creative fashion. A great activity to initiate a discussion about an important right that is not so often talked about.
Participants discover that what we call ‘universal’ Human Rights may mean slightly different things to different people and cultures. They explore what the implications are for protecting human rights locally. They discuss the importance of seeking a universally shared set of basic rights and freedoms.
Participants understand the difference between having good intentions and putting them into good practice in the fields of charity and development aid. After a simulation activity, participant explore key questions and critically reflect together.
Participants explore Human Rights through the lens of media representation. In groups, participants write newspaper headlines based on images provided. A simple activity that can be adapted to fit a range of different groups and contexts.
An activity in which participants learn about the history of Human Rights in an interactive way. Helps place Human Rights in a larger historical context and demonstrate that Human Rights as we know them today are the product of hundreds of years of history.
A creative and collaborative activity where groups of participants create “photo stories” that express the theme of Human Rights. The activity is easy and adaptable and invites participants to express their perspectives through photography.
The tree is a metaphor for the connection between root causes (the roots) and the effects/outcomes that they generate (the branches) In this activity, participants create their own “Human Rights Trees,” drawing the connections between effects they observe in the world and societal root causes.
Alex Neuman
On behalf of the Human Rights Campaign Team
