Paris/Vienna, 20 February 2019 - ( UN Information Service) - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's (UNODC) Education for Justice initiative and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are today jointly launching "Strengthening the Rule of Law through Education: A Guide for Policymakers." The publication explores the role of education in promoting the rule of law, and in building new forms of engagement based on global citizenship, human rights, and inclusion - values which are an intrinsic part of Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education.
The guide aims at building the capacities of educators, teachers and policymakers, and was developed under UNODC and UNESCO's partnership "Global Citizenship Education: Doing the right thing," formed in 2018. The new publication provides specific guidance for the primary and secondary levels, speaking to the real learning needs of children and youth, and complements issue-specific guidance by focusing on the education sector's potential to leverage its transformational power and address general challenges to the rule of law. Drawing on real examples from around the globe, the guide blends theory and practice on key concepts, ensuring that places of learning practice what they preach.
Marco Teixeira, Senior Programme Officer of UNODC's Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration, stated: "Rule of law is the bedrock of sustainable, just, inclusive and peaceful societies, and education has a crucial part in reaching that goal. Our Programme continues to develop innovative tools and resources to promote a culture of lawfulness around the world, such as this invaluable policy guide in partnership with UNESCO to foster global citizens with a solid moral and ethical compass."
The guide will be presented at a panel session co-organized with UNESCO on Global Citizenship Education for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies, on 20 February 2019 at UNESCO HQ, as part of the WISE@Paris Forum on "Education Futures: Fostering Learning Societies." The publication is available for download.
UNODC's Global Programme for the Implementation of the Doha Declaration is an ambitious four-year initiative aimed at promoting a culture of lawfulness, and at supporting Member States to achieve a positive and sustainable impact on crime prevention, criminal justice, the prevention of corruption, and the rule of law. Education for Justice supports the integration of crime prevention and rule of law into education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, developing a wide variety of educational and entertainment resources (including university modules, comic books, electronic and non-electronic games).
For further media enquiries, please contact:
Kevin Town
UNODC Public Information Officer
Telephone: +43 699 1459 5575
Email: kevin.town [a] un.org