Over 500 students from Kisii and Nyamira County have been trained in Human Rights through an annual program sponsored by Amnesty International Kenya.
Students from 10 schools in the two Counties were enrolled in the Program that is aimed at enlightening and empowering young people in matters of human rights.
Amnesty International Board Member Charles Omote, while speaking in Kisii said this was to help young people in schools should be cognizant of human rights and become responsible future leaders who uphold human rights.
He lauded the Ministry of Education for supporting the program that benefits students who are members of Amnesty International on a yearly basis.
Omote added that the program also plans to accommodate additional counties, including Kisumu and Homa Bay in a bid to expand and help students understand the rights across the country.
“We want to have all our schools in Kenya become Human Rights Friendly Schools where human rights issues are taught, respected, and defended,” he said.
He also noted that Amnesty International Kenya is also helping curb gender-based violence (GBV) in Kisii and Nyamira counties, which have continued to record high cases of rape defilement, and property row due to one’s gender or economic status.
“We thought it wise to teach the young people about GBV so that when they are growing up, they can be good ambassadors who stand up for GBV victims and reduce such vices in our communities,” said Omote.
Further, he called for additional enrolment in the human rights education program by various schools through applications for the same at the Amnesty International Kenya offices.
The Programme initiated by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2004, seeks to promote a common understanding of basic principles and methodologies of human rights education, to provide a concrete framework for action, and to strengthen partnerships and cooperation from the international level down to the grassroots.
By Vostine Ratemo
Get more stories from our website: Education News
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
