Pledge to join RCE Quality Assurance System

About

This is the proposed Pledge for educational environments committing to participate in the RCE Quality Assurance System.

The previous draft has been reworded to

1. Make the initial pledge a simple, short sentence
2. Added a clause accepting the Terms and Conditions
3. Include in the pledge the capacity (e.g. parent, private school, state school) in which the pledge is being made
4. Make the core commitment (#3) about taking progressive measures to improve (as called for in the Declaration) and about Reporting
5. Removing the commitment to commit to a periodic reporting (which would mean that each report would need to be comprehensive) but instead allowing for reporting as and when possible
6. Including the additional specifics from the First World Programme below the core commitment (previously it was above).

New Draft Pledge for RCE Quality Assurance System

1. I/We hereby commit to Participate in the Rights-Centric Education (RCE) Quality Assurance System (QAS).
2. I/We have read and understood the Terms and Conditions of Participation in force at the time of My/Our Pledge.
3. I am/We are (select appropriate choice): (Options from RCE QAS Participants)
4. I/We commit to
   1. "Take progressive measures to fundamentally rework all practices of education to ensure they are consistent with human rights values and principles, especially the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;" for the education practices within My/Our purview, as called for in the Declaration of Child Rights-Centric Education (2024), of which I am/We are a Signatory.
   2. Report to the QAS on
      1. The extent to which Child Rights are currently Respected and Fulfilled in the education environment I am/We are responsible for
      2. Measures taken, or intended to be taken, to improve the extent to which Child Rights are Respected and Fulfilled.
5. Furthermore, accepting that the provisions of the "Revised draft plan of action for the first phase (2005-2007) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education" should be applicable to all educational environments (not only schools), I/we commit to
   1. Publish a code of conduct for an environment free of violence, sexual abuse, harassment and corporal punishments, including procedures for resolving conflicts and dealing with violence and bullying;
   2. Provide opportunities for Children for self-expression, responsibilities and participation in decision-making, in accordance with their age and evolving capacity;
   3. Provide opportunities for Children to organize their own activities, for representing, mediating and advocating their interests;

Old Draft Pledge for RCE Quality Assurance System

I/We Pledge to take progressive measures to fundamentally rework all practices of education to ensure they are consistent with human rights values and principles, especially the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as called for in the Declaration of Child Rights-Centric Education (2024).

Furthermore, expanding the provisions of the "Revised draft plan of action for the first phase (2005-2007) of the World Programme for Human Rights Education" approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 to be applicable to all educational environments (not only schools), I/We Pledge to

1. Publish a code of conduct for an environment free of violence, sexual abuse, harassment and corporal punishments, including procedures for resolving conflicts and dealing with violence and bullying;
2. Provide opportunities for Children for self-expression, responsibilities and participation in decision-making, in accordance with their age and evolving capacity;
3. Provide opportunities for Children to organize their own activities, for representing, mediating and advocating their interests;
4. Periodically Report, preferably annually but no later than 24 months from the date of My/Our last Report, to the Rights-Centric Education Network (a voluntary network of individual and organisational Child Rights Defenders supporting the implementation of the Declaration of Child Rights-Centric Education)
   1. The extent to which Child Rights are currently Respected and Fulfilled in the Educational environment I/We have responsibility for; and
   2. An evaluation of the steps taken towards Respecting and Fulfilling Rights since the last Report (or, in the case of the first Report, all steps taken in the past); and
   3. A plan outlining the steps to be taken before the next Report.

See also

RCE QAS Participants