Discrimination and bullying addressed by teaching youth their human rights with free “What are Human Rights?” materials

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, September 1, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- An invisible enemy doesn’t stop being an enemy just because you cannot see it or touch it. One may ask, "Is it dangerous even if it remains hidden?" To this, our country should say, “Yes". Like a virus, hatred strikes at our American values and can spread unchecked if it remains indiscernible and unseen. Education is a vital part of its prevention and cure.

With school starting again and children returning to in-class learning, pro-active measures are needed to prevent discrimination and bullying in school.

Between discrimination and violent attacks on African Americans for such minor offenses as watering a neighbor’s yard or selling cigarettes that are not properly stamped and taxed to discrimination against Asian Americans for alleged connections to the origin of the COVID-19 virus, the news shows us that discrimination is still a problem in American society.

One way to stop the spread of hatred is through education. In 1948, the United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). With the purpose of the United Nations being to maintain peace in the world, its Universal Declaration of Human Rights defined a key part of the solution: human rights for all.

Youth for Human Rights International is dedicated to making human rights a fact by disseminating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at every level of society, all over the world. Youth for Human Rights holds that “Every person is entitled to certain rights--simply by the fact that they are a human being. They are ‘rights' because they are things you are allowed to do or to have. These rights are there for your protection against people who might want to harm or hurt you. They are also there to help us get along with each other and live in peace.”

Youth for Human Rights International has put out a series of compelling Public Service Announcements, with one for each of the 30 rights defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Also available are a free downloadable booklet and a free online course. Educators of all kinds can obtain a free educator’s package with booklets, a curriculum, videos, and mini posters. All of these are available in 17 languages at www.youthforhumanrights.org.

Having this information simplified for youth makes it very easy for them to understand. For instance, the second right of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is simply worded as “Don’t Discriminate.” The full text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is available at the back of the booklet.

The Youth for Human Rights chapter in Washington, DC, has been invited to teach human rights in schools and teachers have reported calmer classrooms. After a training from Youth for Human Rights, one school reported that a fifth-grade student visited the counselor and said that he had been considering taking his own life due to bullying but after the training from Youth for Human Rights he realized he had rights and could do something about it.

The Youth for Human Rights DC chapter has also been doing online training and seminars for youth as well as adults interested in human rights.

Other ways Youth for Human Rights International gets the word out about the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, include teaching about human rights through concerts on the National Mall in Washington, DC, and its International Peace Day Human Rights Art Contest promoting human rights through the arts to help raise awareness and promote understanding of differing views to help resolve conflicts and prevent hate.

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