On 13 January 2020, the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) hosted the seminar on “Advancing Human Rights Education in Thai Society” to disseminate and handover “Human Rights Education Training Modules” to diverse target groups, including the “Handbook on Human Rights Learning Tool” for basic education programme to government agencies, private sector, educational sector and civil society. H.E. Dr. Wissanu Krea-ngam, Deputy Prime Minister representing the Prime Minister gave keynote speech emphasizing the importance of human rights education, especially for children.
          Mr. What Tingsamirt, Chairperson of the NHRCT, said in his introductory remarks that the promotion of human rights was a key principle in all international human rights obligations. The United Nations anticipated international communities jointly promoting human rights education for all peoples, including public and private sector, civil society, academics, media and vulnerable groups. The current batch of the NHRCT appointed
the sub-committee and working group on the promotion of human rights respect to deal with
human rights education tasks. During 2017-2019, the sub-committee and the working group involved experts on human rights education, representatives from agencies in the justice system, private sector, including civil society and also educational personnel to develop the human rights education training modules to the diverse target groups. They were government officers both educational and judicial sectors, business companies, senior executive officers, students and people in general. They also drafted the handbook as human rights learning tool for basic education programme. The tool would benefit teachers around the country to apply for their human rights teaching to students in 5 levels i.e. early childhood school, junior and senior elementary school, junior and senior secondary school. “These documents which were handed over to representatives from various sectors are stepping stones to advance human rights education in Thai society.”, the Chairperson said.
          H.E. Dr. Wissanu Krea-ngam, Deputy Prime Minister on behalf of the Prime Minister delivered the opening remarks and keynote address on the topic of “Human Rights Education and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Thai Society”. He said that human rights are inherent to all human beings regardless of sex, national, religion, occupation and other differences in both physical and social status. Human rights need no legal supports and State has responsibility and duty to promote and protect people’s rights and to ensure justice. Providing knowledge and understanding of human rights value, all individuals would be possessive in their rights and would not allow anyone to take them away.
                   The DPM further said that human rights education training modules and handbook as initiated by the NHRCT are greatly significant because educational institutions can apply them in teaching. Consequently, it will cover over 4 million people in educational system. Especially, it will be most beneficial for early childhood school students, laying the foundation for children to know and recognize their own rights and also respect rights of others. He also referred to human rights education training modules to the diverse target groups, including people in justice system, business sector and senior executive officers, which were not less important as human rights education is a lifelong learning process of all people. They require gaining knowledge, bringing it into practice and thus gaining wisdom as the outcomes.
                   Connecting human rights education to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the DPM considered that all the 17 SDGs goals are intertwined with human rights. As Thailand has another 10 years to reach the SDGs goals, human rights education training modules can contribute to the country’s achievement.
                    Finally, the DPM expressed great appreciation, on behalf of the government and the Prime Minister, to the NHRCT for producing human rights education training modules and the handbook on human rights learning tool for basic education programme. He also expressed his heartfelt thanks to the diplomatic corps to witness the handover, Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Deputy Minister of Education, and representatives from various sectors who came to receive documents and committed to disseminate and use them in their respective organizations. He was confident that human rights education would trigger the respect for human rights and it would pervade to all sectors in society. “With the respect of human rights of each individual and the duty to respect human rights of others,
it can ensure that all Thai people cordially live with happiness and peace which can lead to the stability, prosperity and sustainability in Thai society.” Dr. Wissanu Krea-ngam concluded.
          After the handover ceremony, there were sessions of discussion among experts concerning human rights education modules and handbook, including how to disseminate documents effectively.  At the end, the Commissioners hosted a brainstorming session to listen to participants how to advance human rights education in Thai society and their expectation to the role of the NHRCT in this area.    
          Mrs. Prakairatana Tonteerawong, the Commissioner and Chair of the working group on the promotion of human rights respect, delivered the closing remarks, pointing out that the seminar strongly showed a sign of all sectors to further progress in human rights education in the society. As part of the NHRCT, the Commission will cooperate with the Office of the Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education, to conduct training for trainers in 6 regions. This aims to expedite the process to promote human rights education in schools across the country, and the NHRCT also submitted recommendations to the Cabinet to provide supports to government agencies to bring in the training modules and the handbook in practice

13/01/2020