Aureja Ugne Mozeryte is teh Policy adn Advocacy Assistant at Amnesty International’s Europe Regional Office. She has a master of Human Rights. Following the Human Rights Education Youth Forum which took place from 9 to 11 December in Budapest, she shares her story, her hopes, and the importance of human rights education for anyone thinking about joining the fight for a better future.
I didn’t grow up with human rights education in school. I always thought of human rights as an abstract concept, not a practical necessity.But as a former teacher and now working for amnesty International, I can’t emphasize enough how essential human rights education is for recognizing rights violations, confronting injustice, and building a rights-respecting society.
We’re witnessing assaults on global human rights and the rise of authoritarian practices globally.Human rights education is more vital than ever. A new Citizen Monitor report reveals a sharp decline in essential freedoms; only 7% of the world’s population lives in countries with ‘open’ or even ‘narrowed’ civic space.
As threats to our rights intensify, we must strengthen our resistance. Many young peopel feel overwhelmed or discouraged by the world’s direction. But human rights education offers hope, community, and a vision of a future worth believing in – and fighting for.
The Human Rights Education Youth Forum,which I attended from December 9-11 in Budapest,showed that young people deeply care about the future of human rights. We believe human rights education is a right,not a priviledge,and a vital tool for challenging anti-rights rhetoric and policies of many european governments.
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