IV. Education in Human Rights
In the period 2009-2010, along with the dissemination of knowledge of the law among the general public, the state will actively rely on the present systems of compulsory education, secondary education, higher education and vocational education, training organizations in state agencies, as well as the media, including radio, television, news-papers, magazines and the Internet, to carry out education in human rights in various forms in a planned way, popularizing and spreading knowledge of the law and human rights.
- Gradually increasing the content of the law and human rights in courses of secondary and elementary schools. By making good use of the courses of Ideological and Moral Standards, China will foster students' awareness of the obligations and rights of citizens, tutoring them in the ideas of democracy, rule of law, freedom, equality, fairness and justice, as well as a healthy concept about interpersonal relations, collectivism, nation and society.
- Human rights education in secondary and elementary schools will be conducted in a flexible and vivid way in line with the characteristics of students at young age. Through varied and vivid activities after class, students will receive education in human rights from first-hand experiences and build up a healthy personality. The reform of teaching and school management will be energetically pursued, and a democratic, equal, and interactive relationship will be advocated between teachers and students, encouraging students to participate in the democratic management of the class and school, so as to enhance their awareness of democracy, rule of law and human rights through experiencing an equal and democratic relationship.
- In senior high schools, besides human rights education of a general nature, education in the "basic rights and obligations of citizens" stipulated in the Constitution and knowledge of international human rights will be carried out.
- The state continues to encourage institutions of higher learning to conduct research and education in human rights theory. Investigations into human rights education will be conducted in a number of institutions of higher learning, while scholars from universities and colleges are encouraged to carry out human right studies. The state will promote the formulating of plans for human rights education in institutions of higher learning, encouraging them to offer human rights as an elective course to all undergraduate students, and offer the course of human rights law to undergraduate students majoring in the science of law. It will promote the compiling of textbooks on human rights law and the development of teaching courseware. A number of institutions of higher learning which started human rights education earlier than others will be designated as the bases for human rights education and training.
- Human rights education and training will be carried out especially among government employees, focusing on people working in public security agencies, procuratorates, courts, prisons, urban management organs, and administrative law enforcement organs. The law enforcement departments will draw up their own plans for human rights education and training in line with their own work needs, highlighting publicity and education of regulations and laws on the protection of human rights, and give human rights education on a regular basis. The government will organize experts to compile special textbooks for human rights training. State agencies and cities with appropriate conditions will be selected as demonstration units for human rights education and training, and follow-up examinations will be conducted.
- Carrying out activities of human rights education among the general public to disseminate the knowledge of human rights and enhance the public's awareness of human rights. The government supports research on human rights theory and on-the-spot investigations throughout society organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies, as well as the holding of training classes and lectures on human rights. The government will encourage people to develop products for human rights education that appeal to the general public, and set up a permanent mechanism for education in human rights.
- Making good use of the media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines and the Internet, to disseminate the knowledge of human rights among the general public. The state encourages central and local news media to open special columns on human rights. It supports the development of the magazine Human Rights, China Human Rights Net and other nongovernmental websites on human rights, making good use of new media, including the Internet, to spread knowledge of human rights.
- Carrying out international exchanges and cooperation in human rights education. The state encourages and supports the China Society for Human Rights Studies, as well as human rights research organizations in institutions of higher learning and social science academies and institutes, to make good use of their teaching and scientific re-search platforms to engage in international exchanges and cooperation through various channels, and work hard to train senior professionals in human rights field with an international vision.