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1. Education for human rights

The Council of Europe (2010) recognizes that the ideal understanding of European citizenship would be based on the values of Democracy, Human Rights and Social Justice. Meaningful learning experiences are needed, through formal and informal education, so that children can become knowledgeable, responsible and active citizens in their communities (Council of Europe, 2010). Schools, families and communities can play a vital role in fostering children’s knowledge, competences, attitudes and values in democratic education.

Democratic education is closely linked with human rights education, as human rights can be considered the base of a democratic society. Education for human rights enables children to know and responsibly uphold their own and other’s rights, to respect and appreciate differences between individuals and the uniqueness of each one, acting in ways that defend equity and promote human rights worldwide (Gollob, Krapf, Ólafsdóttir, & Weidinger, 2010). Although thinking about and acting upon human rights and democracy are part of an ongoing lifelong process, children are already aware of issues of justice from an early age.

2. Social justice

Justice and particularly social justice are concepts that underpin democracy and human rights education. Social justice has increasingly been connected to global dynamics and to other (global) relevant concepts, namely human rights education (e.g., Agartan, 2014; Banai, Ronzoni, Schemmel, 2011a; Department Of Economic And Social Affairs. Division for Social Policy and Development, 2006). Furthermore, this concept has increasingly been used throughout educational settings and actors (Darling-Hammond, French, & Garcia-Lopez, 2002).

Generally speaking, social justice refers to a just distribution within societies of wealth, opportunities, and privileges. More specifically, social justice can be defined as “principles that set stringent limits to permissible socioeconomic inequalities, even if not all of them require strict equality” (Banai, Ronzoni, Schemmel, 2011b, p. 59). In everyday life settings are embedded opportunities to explore, experience and learn more about social justice and how everyone is responsible for building a world with a just and equitable distribution of resources, opportunities, and privileges within societies. 

Hackman (2005) defines “social justice education to include student empowerment, the equitable distribution of resources and social responsibility, and her processes to include democracy, a student-centered focus, dialogue, and an analysis of power. Social justice education does not merely examine difference or diversity but pays careful attention to the systems of power and privilege that give rise to social inequality, and encourages students to critically examine oppression on institutional, cultural, and individual levels in search of opportunities for social action in the service of social change” (p. 104). The author further suggests five essential components for social justice education: 

1. Content mastery; 
   
2. Tools for critical analysis; 
   
3. Tools for social change; 
   
4. Tools for personal reflection; 
   
5. Awareness of multicultural group dynamics.
   

First, to participate in positive and proactive social change, students must have access to broad and deep levels of information on local, national and global issues that society currently faces and historical contextualization, learning how to critically examine content and effective dialogue about it with others. However, content mastery alone is insufficient to create democratic and empowering education. A careful and critical consideration of issues of oppression, power and privilege is needed to provide deep knowledge and a pathway to action. Ultimately, ongoing and critical self-reflection helps creating an effective social justice educational and empowering environment. In this way, social justice education can empower and encourage children to act, participate, express and defend their and each other’s rights as part of their everyday citizenship. Moreover, effective social justice education recognizes group dynamics as explained by constructed social identities and multicultural perspectives (Hackman, 2005). Overall, education for social justice enables children to learn:

• how interconnected we all are
• how to challenge dualisms
• how to value differences
• how to think critically about the world and the communities where we live
• how everyone can be a part of creating a world with greater justice, equity and human rights for all.

3. Guiding principles

The activities in this section are consistent with the language awareness approach, and are guided by the following criteria:

• To provide a safe environment where children feel confident to express their ideas and perspectives and respect the ideas and perspectives of others; 
  
• To provide engaging and playful ways to explore interdependence, inequalities and social justice, nurturing motivation and enjoyment;
  
• To connect any proposal to the children’s personal experience and perspective;
  
• To value families and children’s resources and enable children as researchers and informants;
  
• To foster discussions on human rights, human dignity and equity.

4. References

• Agartan, K. (2014). Globalization and the question of social justice. Sociology Compass, 8(6), 903-915.
  
• Asia Society/OECD (2018). Teaching for Global Competence in a Rapidly Changing World. Paris/New York: OECD Publishing/Asia Society, doi: 10.1787/9789264289024-en.
  
• Banai, A., Ronzoni, M., Schemmel, C. (2011b). Global social justice. The possibility of social      justice beyond states in a world of overlapping practices. In Banai, A., Ronzoni, M., Schemmel, C. (Eds.) Social Justice, Global Dynamics: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives, pp. 46-60.New York: Routledge.
  
• Banai, A., Ronzoni, M., Schemmel, C. (2011a). Social Justice, Global Dynamics: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives. New York: Routledge.
  
• Council of Europe (2010). Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
  
• Darling-Hammond, L., French, J., & Garcia-Lopez, S. P. (2002). Learning to teach for social justice. New York: Teachers College Press.
  
• Department Of Economic And Social Affairs. Division for Social Policy and Development (2006).  The International Forum for Social Development. Social Justice in an Open World The Role of the United Nations. New York: United Nations.
  
• Flowers, N. (2007). Compasito. Manual on human rights education for children. Hungary: Council of Europe Publishing.
  
• Gollob, R., Krapf, P., Weidinger, W., & Ơlafsdơttir, Ơ. (2010). Educating for democracy: Background materials on democratic citizenship and human rights education for teachers (Vol. 1). Belgium: Council of Europe.
  
• Hackman, H. W. (2005) Five Essential Components for Social Justice Education. Equity & Excellence in Education, 38(2), 103-109, doi: 10.1080/10665680590935034
  
• Oxfam GB (2006) Education for Global Citizenship, A Guide for Schools. United Kingdom: Oxfam Development Education.
  

5. Links to resources

• Amnesty International Ireland (2006). The Right Start. 
  
• Council of Europe (2018). Human Rights and Democracy Start with Us - Charter for All.
  
• Concern Worldwide (2013). One in Eight. A senior primary resource about hunger, food and our role in the world. Dublin: Concern Worldwide.
  
• Fairtrade International (2018). Fairtrade International. 
  
• Fairtrade School - website.
• Irish Aid (2006). Our World, Our Future.
  
• Project Everyone (2015) World’s Largest Lesson. 
  
• WFTO (2017). 10 principles of fair trade.