On 2 June the Human Rights Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI HRO) launched “Human Rights Education in Schools” a project in the Kurdistan region focusing on human rights education for children and youth in a post-conflict environment. This project is funded by the Government of Flanders for which it will work closely with the Ministry of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government. It's scheduled for the academic years 2016-17 and 2017-18.
During his official visit to Kurdistan at the beginning of April, Minister-president Bourgeois had the opportunity to exchange views with UNAMI HRO as well as with Kurdistan’s minister of education, Mr Pishtiwan Sadiq. Based on these talks, Bourgeois decided to support this project, which is crucial for a stable and diverse Kurdistan.
The first aim of the project consists in reviewing the educational policies and curriculum of the Kurdistan Region for selected school grades. By reviewing teaching and learning materials, textbooks and guides, UNAMI will determine which changes are needed to bring this material in line with key human rights principles, while still respecting the specific Kurdistan social, cultural and historic context.
The other aim of the project lies in training teachers on technical and substantive issues related to human rights principles and fundamental freedoms, starting with a pilot project for public school teachers at Halabja Governorate in eastern Kurdistan.
More on the mission to Iraqi Kurdistan: Bourgeois supports refugee camp of Gawilan - Courageous Peshmerga impress Bourgeois - pictures of mission on Flickr
