Human rights education: the good surf and reclaiming human rights
| DOI | 10.1177/0924051917752419 |
| Author | Felisa L. Tibbitts |
| Date | 01 March 2018 |
| Published date | 01 March 2018 |
| Subject Matter | Inaugural Lecture |
Inaugural Lecture
Human rights education:
The good surf and reclaiming
human rights
Felisa L. Tibbitts
Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM), The Netherlands
Inaugural lecture of the chair of human rights education, delivered
at Utrecht university on 23 october 2017
My appointment as Chair in Human Rights Education reflects the institutionalisation of human
rights education within the field of human rights at Utrecht University. This position is in keeping
with the image of the Dutch as a leader in human rights on the global stage. From the perspective of
internationals, the Dutch government works very hard in the promotion of human rights. The
International Criminal Court is an obvious example. Dutch diplomats and lawyers actively pro-
mote international law. At the same time the Netherlands, like every country, has room for
improvement, including in women’s rights and in human rights education. In all these respects
it is entirely fitting that a Chair of Human Rights Education has been established here in the
Netherlands. It is also telling that it has been endowed by a civil society organisation.
Through this lecture, in which I officially accept this position, I will explain two elements of
my title – the good surf and reclaiming human rights. I would like to explain to you why human
rights education has become an essential part of the international human rights movement,
complementing the immediate goals of protecting victims and promoting international treaties,
with education about human rights for the prevention of abuses and the realisation of ‘‘the good
society’’.
1. The ‘‘good surf’’
First things, first. I begin with a definition. Human rights education is a practice-oriented expres-
sion of the high-minded ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), including
equality and respect for human dignity.
Amnesty International defines human rights education as a ‘deliberative, participatory process
aimed at empowering individuals, groups and communities ( ...) Its goal is to build a culture of
Corresponding author:
Felisa L. Tibbitts, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM), The Netherlands.
E-mail: f.l.tibbitts@uu.nl
Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights
2018, Vol. 36(1) 64–74
ªThe Author(s) 2018
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