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You are here: Home > Departments > Human Rights, Democracy, & Character Education

Human Rights, Democracy,
and Character Education Department

The United Nations Millennium Declaration represents the strongest unanimous and explicit statement to date of the UN member states in support of democratic and participatory governance. The declaration clearly articulates that the millennium development goals must be achieved through good governance within each country and at the international level. It also notes that member states "will spare no effort to promote democracy and strengthen the rule of law," and goes on to resolve "to strengthen the capacity of all countries to implement the principles and practices of democracy and respect for human rights."

Today over 120 nations with two-thirds of the world's population are engaged in building democratic societies and many have made impressive progress. Yet, in many cases crime and corruption, social and political exclusion, weak public administration and lack of accountability threaten to dismantle many of the hard won gains. While most domestic legal systems now recognize international norms, citizens remain unaware of their fundamental rights. Progress in development is closely linked to progress in democracy, which is closely linked to protecting human rights.

Globalization poses an additional challenge for many emerging democracies in the Mediterranean region. Many countries are at a disadvantage because they lack the national sustainable development policies and democratic institutions needed to insure fairness in managing global agreements. More generally, the international policy agenda has expanded to issues from intellectual property rights to climate change and from democratic governance to HIV/AIDS, that increasingly require close cooperation not just among governments but between NGOs, civil society groups and the private sector.

The human rights and democracy education department will offer development practitioners and policy-makers an opportunity to learn about best practices in good governance and human rights within the framework of sustainable development. Democratic principles will be interwoven throughout the Center's programs and departments as a cross cutting theme.

Topics to be addressed by the human rights and democracy education department include:

• The culture of democracy
• Islam, democracy and fundamental human rights
• Electoral systems and pluralism
• The rule of law and the elimination of corruption
• The pillars of democracy and basic human rights
• Values of tolerance, cooperation and compromise
• Local governance and civil society participation
• Gender, governance and women’s rights
• Access to justice and the right to know