Technical Assistance to the Ministries of Justice and National Security – Curriculum Development and Curriculum Training in Human Rights Education Programme

Detailed description of project Back

Pursuant to the objectives of the development policy of the European Union (EU) as detailed in the Cotonou Agreement and the Government of Jamaica (GOJ)/EU Country Support Strategy and the National Indicative Programme (CSS/NIP) 2002-2007, the EU has provided direct budgetary support to the GOJ under the Support to the Economic Reform Programme (SERP). Between 2000 and 2002, SERP I and II, provided not only direct budgetary support but also provided for a Human Resources and Institutional Strengthening Programme (HRDIS) to key government agencies contributing to economic policy development. Under SERP III, which was approved in November 2002, 3.0 million euros have been provided under HRDIS for capacity building in the areas of justice and security in recognition of the significant impact of crime and violence on Jamaica’s development prospects and the related strain of the justice system.

The Government of Jamaica is a signatory to several multilateral treaties on Human Rights. In keeping with its obligations under these conventions as well as its objectives to continue to safeguard and protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the citizenry, in accordance with the Constitution, the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Justice, seeks to design and implement a Human Rights Education Programme, the primary aim of which is to fully integrate into the curriculum of the formal education system, the basic principles of human rights and how these can be protected.In addition, the programme will seek to: (1) train the staff the Ministries of Justice and National Security, including line Agencies, about their rights and responsibilities as citizens and enable them to provide human rights information to the wider society and to better protect the rights of the citizens of Jamaica; and (2) improve the dissemination of information about human rights in the education system.

Type of services provided

PROMAN provides the services of a medium-term international expert. Core services include:

• Collaborate with the Justice Training Institute in the design and implementation of the Human Rights education curriculum for the staff of the Ministries of Justice and National Security, including line Agencies (preparation of course outlines and other resource materials, teaching);
• Collaborate with the Joint Board of Teacher Education, Institute of Education, UWI, in the design and implementation of the Human Rights education curriculum for Teachers’ Colleges;
• Collaborate with the Core Curriculum Unit in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture to review, assess and improve (if necessary) the human rights component of the official curriculum used in primary and secondary schools, including the adequacy of support materials;
• Organize consultations with Ministry officials, staff, teachers and other relevant stakeholders in designing the human rights education curriculum and implementation strategy;
• Design and develop measures to assess and monitor the improved awareness of human rights among target groups over time.