We still hear people expressing reservation on the idea of human rights. We encounter people looking at human rights as a threat to a state of orderliness in the family, at school and in society as a whole.
But of more concern is the continuing reluctance of governments to fully support the fulfillment of state obligation to promote human rights according to international agreements.
Many educators believe that this reality is precisely what they need to face. They know that practical understanding of human rights has a better chance of being transformed into action at the personal, institutional and societal levels.
Human rights education initiatives geared at addressing concrete issues consequently demystify human rights. Many of these initiatives advocate the establishment of mechanisms not only for educational purposes but more importantly for the application of human rights in real situations, that is, the resolution of human rights issues.
People appreciate human rights when they see them serving their needs and aspirations, and also when human rights protect them from serious harm or injustice.