Human Rights Clubs in Schools

Global Conscience Initiative has launched a program to create Human Rights Clubs in over 20 Secondary Schools in Kumba. This project has the authorization of the Delegate of Secondary Education for Meme Division and has been enthusiastically received by many school Principals.

The intention of the project is to educate students about their human rights and the responsibilities they have to respect the rights of others. GCI staffs have visited several schools to meet students and introduce the concept of Human Rights Clubs and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Those schools which establish clubs will be presented with some books to help members learn about human rights.

Members of the groups will learn about their human rights and how to teach these rights to others. They will help to raise awareness of human rights in their schools and their communities. They will also learn how to defend human rights in a peaceful and effective manner.

GCI believes that when more people know about human rights, abuses of human rights in Kumba will become less frequent. If people do not know about human rights, they may unwittingly violate the human rights of others, so education is crucial. Knowledge of human rights is also empowering. If young people know what their rights are, they will be able to oppose those who attempt to violate their rights.

By learning about their responsibilities in terms of human rights, students will become more effective citizens. They will understand the importance of tolerance, cooperation and fairness, and appreciate that advancing their own human rights depends on respecting the human rights of others.

The Human Rights Clubs will also play a crucial role in the future of Cameroon . Young people who bring human rights principles into their lives will be better able to engage in honest government, fight corruption, and stimulate cultural and economic growth.

The Human Rights Clubs will be officially launched at an event hosted by GCI on December 10 to celebrate the 60 th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. School students and members of the public are invited to attend and more information about the event will be available soon.

Following the enthusiastic reaction of secondary schools to the Human Rights Clubs project, GCI will extend the programme to include primary schools and community groups in early 2009.

GCI Chief Executive Samba Churchill said today that taking human rights education to classrooms, schools and communities is a sure way of building a true human rights culture in Cameroon . He said the high rate of human rights abuses in Kumba and Cameroon is due mainly to ignorance on the part of the populations

 

Global Conscience Initiative
First Floor, Storey Building Opposite High Court
Krammer Avenue, Kumba, Southwest Region
PO Box 00269, Cameroon

Tel/Fax: (237) 33354065
Website: http://www.gcicameroon.org