How can learning about human rights as a way of life, through all sectors of society, be best introduced and used for effective economic and social transformation to affirm dignity and achieve justice and  equality?

This was the core question explored in a retreat equalinrights convened with People's Movement for Human Rights Learning - PDHRE on human rights learning for economic and social transformation from 29 October - 1 November 2007, at Seggauberg Castle, Graz, Austria. The fundamental goal of this gathering was to explore, debate, and generate strategies, methodologies, and pedagogies for changing the consciousness of people everywhere as to how they understand Human Rights and for stimulating their effective engagement with it as a framework for social and economic transformation.

It proved to be a lively and engaging few days, both challenging and confronting, with participants from six continents, representing almost twenty countries, and stretching widely across a host of professional fields including education, medicine, music, law, media, philosophy, sociology, economics, environmentalism, anthropology, psychology, engineering, marketing, and community leadership, among others. A series of follow-up proposals are currently being explored in order to build on the ideas and engagement at the retreat and to stimulate learning and action to strenghten the movement for transformational learning around human rights as a way of life.

        

If you would like to share your thoughts and experiences on this issue, visit the Tranformative Learning page on the Equalinrights Wiki.