Harare Schools Embrace Human Rights with Amnesty I...

Harare Schools Embrace Human Rights with Amnesty International

Oscar J Jeke - ZimNow Reporter

Amnesty International Zimbabwe has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing a culture of human rights in schools through its flagship Human Rights Friendly Schools project, following a Human Rights Symposium held over the weekend at Dominican Convent High School in Harare.

The symposium brought together students from four schools to discuss the role of the media in amplifying marginalised voices and promoting equality, with a focus on how young people can harness journalism and digital platforms to champion social justice. The session was facilitated by media trainer and activist Moses Ziyambi, who led a workshop on using media tools to drive climate justice advocacy.

“The media can be a powerful force for change, especially when it is used to give voice to the unheard and to highlight climate injustice. Young people must see themselves not only as consumers of media but also as creators and activists,” said Ziyambi during the interactive session.

The symposium is part of Amnesty International’s broader campaign to promote human rights education by turning schools into inclusive, democratic spaces where values such as dignity, respect, non-discrimination, and participation are integrated into all aspects of school life from governance and curriculum to relationships and the school environment.

Launched globally in 2009, the Human Rights Friendly Schools project now operates in over 22 countries, including Ghana, Italy, Ireland, and Zimbabwe. The initiative aims to empower students, teachers, and communities to understand and uphold human rights by embedding these principles into everyday school practices.

According to Amnesty International, the goal is to build an “atmosphere in which all members of a given school community understand, value and protect human rights.”

At the core of the programme are ten Global Principles derived from international human rights treaties and frameworks, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Participating schools use Amnesty’s comprehensive toolkit and supporting materials available in multiple languages to tailor activities and policies that suit their national and cultural contexts.

Amnesty Zimbabwe said its growing network of participating schools has helped young people become agents of change in their communities. “These students are not just learning about rights — they are living them, practising them, and teaching others,” an official from the organisation said.

A similar model in Accra, Ghana, was praised by the country’s late president for integrating human rights into all aspects of school life, including governance, teaching methods, and extra-curricular activities. The Zimbabwean chapter hopes to replicate this success by engaging both urban and rural schools across the country.

Amnesty International is calling on more schools, educators, and stakeholders to adopt the rights-based model, citing the critical role of education in shaping future generations of active and compassionate citizens.

“The values of equality, inclusion, and respect must begin in the classroom if we are to build a more just and peaceful society,” said the organisation in a statement.