Human Rights Education as Part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland

Abstract

In a society emerging from decades of political conflict, the role of human rights education in Northern Ireland is of particular importance as a tool to preventing violent conflict and to promoting a culture of peace. More generally, a rights-based approach to education might refer to three dimensions; access to education, educational content and educational processes. This article aims to explore the effectiveness of a specific human rights education project that has been piloted in Northern Ireland's post-primary schools as an example of a project that addresses educational content and processes in a flexible manner. Conclusions are drawn relating to factors facilitating the successful development of a rights-based approach to education and of human rights education projects.