2016 Report on the State of Citizenship and Human Rights Education in Europe

Questionnaire filled in by

GENERAL QUESTIONS


Q1 Would you agree that citizenship and human rights education is a means to address…

a) … violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism?
To a great extent

b) … integration of migrants and refugees?
To a great extent

c) … consequences of the economic crisis / austerity measures / social exclusion?
To a great extent

d) … the deficit of democratic participation of both vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups in society with the overall aim of building cohesive and equitable societies?
To a great extent


Q2 In your country, is priority given to…

a) … EDC/HRE at national government level
To a large extent

b) … EDC/HRE at local government level
To a little extent

c) … EDC/HRE at educational institution level (school, college, university)
To a large extent

d) … supporting training about EDC/HRE for teachers and school leaders
To a fair extent

e) … making resources / materials about EDC/HRE available
To a large extent

f) … making financial support for EDC/HRE available
To a fair extent

g) … supporting co-operation with NGOs, including youth organisations, in the field of EDC/HRE?
To a large extent

Further comments


Q3 What is needed for citizenship and human rights education to receive a greater priority in your country?

a) Improved awareness of relevance of EDC/HRE for meeting the current challenges in our societies
To a little extent

b) Availability of data on effectiveness of EDC/HRE with respect to meeting the current challenges in our societies, including examples of good practice
To a little extent

c) Advocacy by civil society organisations
To a little extent

d) Advocacy by prominent personalities
To a fair extent

e) Increased visibility of EDC/HRE in the media coverage
To a little extent

f) Political will
To a fair extent

g) Political pressure from regional and international institutions
Not at all

h) More resources allotted to EDC/HRE
To a fair extent

i) Other
To a fair extent

Please specify “other”
Coordination and cooperation between different actors could be improved.

Further comments


Q4 In your country, are there any inconsistencies between...

a)…statements of principle (on the value of EDC/HRE in education for all people) and existing education policies?
To a little extent

b)…EDC/HRE policies and their implementation in practice?
To a little extent

c)…EDC/HRE policies and other policy sectors?
To a little extent

Please describe the existing inconsistences:

Further comments


Q5 In your country, have strategic approaches / measures been taken to counter these inconsistencies, since 2012?

No

If yes, please specify:

If no, please explain why not:

Further comments


Q6 Have concrete measures/activities been taken to promote citizenship and human rights education in your country since 2012, in accordance with the objectives and principles of the Charter? (NB: this includes work done in the framework of the UN World Programme for Human Rights Education and other relevant international programmes and initiatives)

Yes

If yes, please specify:
- Revision of Law on Schools (2012) regarding participation and responsibilities of pupils
- Activities to raise awareness on child protection
- Promotion of parent's participation in cooperation with parent associoations and schools (publication of national Guidelines, 2015)
- Development of teaching material for history teaching (www.histor.li) or "Wege in die Gegenwart" published by Lehrmittelverlag Vaduz.
- Annual data collection on human rights issues since 2011

 

If no, please explain why not:

Further comments


Q7 Are there any measures/activities planned to promote citizenship and human rights education in your country, in accordance with the aims and objectives of the Charter?

Yes

If yes, please specify:
Implementation of pupils' and parents' participation at School Level.

If no, please explain why not:

Further comments


Q8 Is the Charter…

a)…available in the language(s) of your country?
Yes

b)…available in the minority language(s) of your country?

c)…available on the website of the Ministry of Education or another relevant body?
Yes

d)… disseminated to the target audiences by other means?
No

If no, please explain why not:
No official minority languages.

Further comments


Q9 The Council of Europe has produced a number of tools and resources to promote and support citizenship and human rights education within and across the States Party to the European Cultural Convention. These tools and resources are available at: www.coe.int/en/web/edc/resources and at: www.coe.int/compass (Please indicate the usefulness, in your country, of the following Council of Europe tools and resources.)

a) Charter on EDC/HRE
I do not know/Information not available

b) Strategic Support for Decision-makers: Policy Tool for EDC/HRE
I do not know/Information not available

c) Democratic Governance of Schools
I do not know/Information not available

d) How all Teachers Can Support EDC/HRE: A Framework for the Development of Competencies
I do not know/Information not available

d) Quality Assurance of EDC in Schools
I do not know/Information not available

e) School-Community-University Partnerships for Sustainable Democracy: EDC in Europe and the US
I do not know/Information not available

f) Living Democracy' Manuals for Teachers
I do not know/Information not available

g) A Compendium of Good Practice in HRE
I do not know/Information not available

h) Compass, manual for human rights education with young people
I do not know/Information not available

i) Compasito, manual for human rights education with children
I do not know/Information not available

j) Human Rights and Democracy Start with Us – Charter for All
I do not know/Information not available

k) Curriculum development and review for democratic citizenship and human rights education
I do not know/Information not available

l) Multimedia Material (ex. video “Beat Bullying”, series of cartoons “Democracy and Human Rights at School”, video “Corporal punishment at school : how two parents decided to change things”)
I do not know/Information not available

m) “Freedom(s) - Learning activities for secondary schools on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights
I do not know/Information not available

Other (please specify: ______)

If these resources were useful, please specify:

If these resources were not useful, please specify:

Further comments
Use of material is not monitored but easily accessible.

 


QUESTIONS ON SPECIFIC ARTICLES OF THE CHARTER


SECTION 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS


Article 3. Relationship between education for democratic citizenship and human rights education

Q10 Is there a shared working definition of citizenship and human rights education in your country?

No

In case if there is no shared working definition of citizenship and human rights education, please explain why not:
Cooperation with actors and institutions in neighbouring countries; shared definitions and concepts are common.

Please provide the name of the term in English and in original language as well as its definition and indicate the references and/or web link.

 


SECTION 2: OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES


Article 5. Objectives and Principles

Q11 In your country, to what extent do education laws, policies, and strategic objectives explicitly refer to citizenship and human rights education

a) … in formal education at pre-primary, primary and secondary level?
Moderately
b) … in vocational education and training?
Scarcely
c) … in higher education?
Scarcely
d) … in the training of education personnel?
Moderately
e) … in youth policy and non-formal education?
Extensively

In case if education laws, policies, and strategic objectives do refer explicitly to EDC/HRE, please specify:
Take note: This replies cannot be supported by evidence as there is no monitoring taking place.

In case if education laws, policies, and strategic objectives do not explicitly refer EDC/HRE, please explain why not:

 


SECTION 3: POLICIES


Article 6. Formal general and vocational education

Q12 In your country is education for democratic citizenship and human rights promoted as follows in schools and colleges:

a) specific subject matter – obligatory
b) specific subject matter – optional
c) cross-curricula approach
d) whole school approach

Please provide further details including web links where appropriate:
Lehrplan des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (see "Lernfelder", or "Realien") www.sa.llv.li

Further comments


Q13 If citizenship and human rights education is included in the curricula in your country, has it been subject to revision and updating since 2012 at...

a) … pre-primary education?
Not applicable

b) … primary school?
Not applicable

c) … lower secondary school (including vocational)?
Not applicable

d) … upper secondary school (including vocational)?
Not applicable

If no, please explain why not:
There was no need for revision since 2012, but currently a discussion on a new competence-oriented Curricula is going on.

If yes, then what are/were the key challenges? How will they be / how were they overcome?

To what extent was the revision and updating process inclusive and participatory?

Further comments


Article 7. Higher education

Q14 To what extent is citizenship and human rights education provision promoted in higher education institutions in your country?

Moderately

If not at all or scarcely, please explain why:

If extensively, please explain why and provide examples:

Further comments
-High Level of autonomy of individual higher education institutions for implementation.
-Student participation is a major criteria for quality assurance.

 


Article 8. Democratic governance

Q15 In your country, are there any education laws, policies and strategies that promote democratic governance in educational institutions, particularly schools, concerning…

a) … decision making procedures (e.g. governing bodies / school boards)?
Yes

b) … school culture / rules?
Yes

c) … pupil / student participation (e.g. school / student councils)?
Yes

d) … parental / family involvement in schools (e.g. governing bodies / school boards)?
Yes

e) …school / community links (in and out of school)?
Yes

If yes, please specify:

If no, please explain why not:

Further comments

 


Article 9. Training

Q16 In your country, is there a provision for citizenship and human rights education in initial teacher education, continuing professional development and other types of training for…

a) … teachers?
Yes

b) … school leaders?
Yes

c) … other education staff?
Yes

d) … youth leaders (in and out of school)?
Yes

e) … teacher trainers / trainers of trainers?
To some extent

f) … parents?
To some extent

If yes, please specify:
In cooperation with (associated) teacher training institutions in Switzerland and Austria.

If no, please explain why not:

If to some extent, please specify:

Further comments

Provide examples of good practice:

 


Article 10. Role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youth organisations and other stakeholders

Q17 To what extent, in your country, is there co-operation and support between the government and the following organisations and groups that foster citizenship and human rights education?

a) Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
To a fair extent

b) Youth organisations
To a fair extent

c) Community groups
To a little extent

d) Parents' groups
To a fair extent

e) Other (please specify: ______)

If not at all or to a little extent, please explain why:

If to a large extent, please explain the factors for success:

Provide examples of good practice:

Further comments

 


Article 11. Criteria for evaluation

Q18 In your country, have criteria been developed to evaluate the effectiveness of citizenship and human rights education programmes?

No

Further information:

Please provide examples of how these criteria have been developed, reviewed and used:

To what extent have they been useful?

Provide examples of good practice:

 


Article 12. Research

Q19 In your country, to what extent has research been initiated and promoted on citizenship and human rights education to take stock of the current situation?

To a little extent

If not at all or to a little extent, please explain why:
- Participation in ICCS 2009 (in-depth analysis of results published 2011)
- Limited ressources for regular Research activities due to the country-size (in addition data protection issues).

What needs to be done to obtain stronger support for such research?

Further comments

 


Article 13. Skills for promoting social cohesion, valuing diversity and handling differences and conflict

Q20 In your country, to what extent are educational approaches and teaching methods promoted that enable pupils/students to acquire competences to…

a) … promote social cohesion?
To a large extent

b) … value diversity and equality (particularly between different faiths and ethnic groups)?
To a large extent

c) … settle disagreements and conflicts in a non-violent manner?
To a large extent

d) … combat all forms of discrimination and violence (especially bullying)?
To a large extent

If not at all or to a little extent, please explain why:

What needs to be done to encourage more active promotion of such educational approaches and teaching methods?

Further comments

 


SECTION 4: EVALUATION AND COOPERATION

 


Article 14. Evaluation and review

Q21 Has any action been taken or foreseen to evaluate strategies and policies undertaken in accordance with the aims and principles of the Charter?

No

If not, please explain why not:
No explicit Evaluation of aims and principles of the charter, but specific aspects are covered by other Evaluations (e.g. external School Evaluation, accreditation process).

If yes, please provide links to the relevant monitoring and evaluation reports:

What were the key conclusions?

Who takes part in the evaluation process?

Example of good practice:

Further comments:

 


Article 15. Co-operation in follow-up activities

Q22 In your country, have any co-operation activities with other countries been organised or planned in pursuing the aims and principles of the Charter?

No

If not, please explain why not:
Not on national Level, but cooperation at institutional Level exist.

Example of good practice:

What is required to encourage such cooperation activities?

Further comments

 


Article 16. International and European co-operation

Q23 In your country, is there co-operation and collaboration on citizenship and human rights education with the following organisations / institutions?

a) Council of Europe (CoE)
No

b) United Nations system (UN) (including UNESCO and UN OHCHR)
No

c) Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
No

d) European Union (EU) (including European Commission)
No

e) Other international/ European organisations
No

Please specify 'Other international/ European organisations'

What are your expectations from such cooperation?

To what extent are these expectations met?

How could such cooperation be made more useful?

Further comments
See Q. 22 (Focus on implementation of institutional level).


Q24 In what ways is / can the Charter review process be of support to the countries? [Please rank from 1 (not useful)- 5 (very useful)]

a) An encouragement / motivation for stronger action and higher quality
4

b) An opportunity to promote good practice
4

c) A support tool for dialogue with other countries and within the country
3

d) Access to expertise from other countries and from international institutions
4

e) Other

Please specify other


Q25 What are your expectations from the Council of Europe? [Please indicate the current level of satisfaction from 1 (not useful) - 5 (very useful) for each expectation]

a) An encouragement / motivation for stronger action and higher quality
4

b) Opportunities for sharing and cooperation with other countries
4

c) Provision of a shared framework of reference / common standards
4

d) Impetus for dialogue and cooperation within the country
4

e) Authoritative encouragement to ensure respect of commitments
4

f) Technical advice / technical assistance
3

g) Access to the network of key actors in the member states through the Committee of Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress of local and regional authorities and the INGO Conference and the HR Commissioner as well as various monitoring bodies (such as ECRI) as a means of raising visibility of EDC/HRE
3

h) Other

Please specify other


Q26 What are the key challenges to the promotion and development of citizenship and human rights education in your country? (Please indicate the level of impact of each challenge)

a) Lack of priority among decision makers (other areas given more priority)
Medium impact

b) Lack of awareness/interest/support among education professionals

c) Impact of the economic crisis/recession
Medium impact

d) Reduction/cuts in funding
Medium impact

e) Decentralised education system

f) Changing political context (e.g. change of government)

g) Reduction of support networks (NGOs, parent and youth groups etc.)
Low impact

h) Lack of public interest and support
Low impact

i) Lack of media interest and support

j) Lack of support from European organisations (Council of Europe, EU etc.)

k) Other

Please specify other

Further comments (half a page maximum):

 


FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRE


There are plans to repeat this questionnaire in 5 years’ time to get a further sense of the progress of the States Party to the European Cultural Convention in pursuing the aims and principles for citizenship and human rights education promoted by the present Charter. It is also proposed to design the questionnaire focusing on particular areas.

Q27 What particular areas should the follow-up Questionnaire focus on for the next review cycle? (Please indicate the level of priority for each area)

a) Formal general (pre-primary, primary and secondary school) and vocational education
Low

b) Higher education

c) Pre-school education

d) Democratic governance of educational institutions

e) Training (initial and on-going)
Medium

f) Role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youth organisations and other stakeholders
High

g) Criteria for evaluation
Medium

h) Research

i) Social cohesion, valuing diversity and handling differences and conflict

j) Evaluation and review

k) International and European co-operation

l) Other

Please specify other


Q28 How can this questionnaire be improved in order to ensure that the data collection is meaningful and useful in terms of encouraging further progress in citizenship and human rights education?

 


Q29 To what extent the process of preparation of the reply to this questionnaire was constructive and participatory? [Please rank from 1 (poor)- 5 (excellent)]

 

Further comments:


FOCUS GROUP 2016: PARLIAMENTARIANS


NB: The questions below are to be addressed to the Education Commission in the National Parliament or other similar bodies

Please indicate which body has been contacted


Q30 Would you agree that citizenship and human rights education is a means to address…

a) … violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism?
To a great extent

b) … integration of migrants and refugees?
To a great extent

c) … consequences of the economic crisis / austerity measures / social exclusion?
To a great extent

d) … the deficit of democratic participation of both vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups in society with the overall aim of building cohesive and equitable societies?
To a great extent

Further comments:


Q31 What legislation has been adopted in the last 5 years or is in preparation, with a view to support and promote citizenship and human rights education?

 


Q32 What are the thematic areas of education of particular concern to your Committee in this respect?

 


Q33 Do you have any further comments to make not provided elsewhere? If so, please use the space below.

 


Q34 Further comments on citizenship and human rights education in the country:

 

 


Other contributors contacted by the respondent, including representatives of:


1. Ministries:

2. Research institutions:

3. Education professionals:

4. Civil society organisations:

a. Teachers organisations:

b Youth organisations

c Children organisations

d Parents organisations

5. National human rights institutions

6. Parliaments

7. Local and regional authorities

8. International institutions

9. Medias

10. Others