The Contribution of Non-government Organisations to Human Rights Education in Australian Schools

Non-government organisations (NGOs) can play an important role in educating about and advocating for human rights. This paper reports on findings from an investigation of the opportunities for teaching and learning about human rights in the Australian school curriculum, and in particular the opportunities for learning about human rights in schools through the work of Australian-based non-government and not-for-profit organisations. The research points to the value of strengthening partnerships between NGOs which specialise in the defence of human rights and school systems in order to broaden students’ opportunities to learn about human rights. This paper argues for the recognition of the current work of NGOs in education systems in Australia, and for an extension of programs and project work around key human rights issues with young people and teachers