Department at a glance
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms which all humans are entitled often held to include the rights to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law. Rights are belonging to an individual as a consequence of human being. The term came into wide use after World War Second, replacing the earlier phrase natural rights, which had been associated with the Greco-Roman concept of natural law since the end of the Middle Ages. As understood today, human rights refer to a wide variety of values and capabilities reflecting the diversity of human circumstances and history.
Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 ,many treaties and agreements for the protection of human rights have been concluded through the auspices of the United Nation and Several regional system of human rights law have been established .In the late 20th century ad hoc international criminal tribunals were convened to prosecute serious human rights violation and other crimes in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda .The International; Criminal; Court which came into existence in 2002, is empowered to prosecute crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide and war crime.
The value of nation is ascertained on the grounds of quality and character of its citizen. Education plays a very crucial role in shaping the character and quality of people. Efforts has been in the past to ensure that education at all levels does incorporate human rights issue , there by inculcating and imbibing Human Rights values and setting up a culture of respect towards Human Rights in the society. This is one way by which efforts can be made in creating a sustainable development of the nation. Any sustainable development has multi layer approach, encompassing educational, economic, social, political, and geopolitical and developmental dimensions. In order to achieve such goal, it is imperative to create a society with least differences at any continuum of life scale. To achieve this and make our present society , which is going through a drastic social and political transformation , develop there is a need to set in the dimension of human Rights Education in regular college and university curriculum across the nation , which is far too diversified in terms of language ,population and geographical boundaries .The need is felt more along the lines of ensuring that the Human Rights Curriculum for higher education must have an element of practicality, besides the training leading to opening up of a new vista of knowledge and job opportunities in the changing scenario of globalization of education, in particular and in general, at the national as well as international level. This is a unique effort where Human Rights Syllabus has been evolved, keeping in mind the trend towards Human Rights Education in the society as well as meeting the mandate of the protection of Human Rights Act 1993. Further through this effort, an attempt has been made to create an opportunity for the future generation youth in the area of human rights education giving the global contextual understanding and knowledge.
We want to justify the course on the following grounds:
1. Education based on human rights helps student to develop a positive self-image, sensitivity to their environment learn to accept difference while recognising essential similarities among people, develop skills in resolving and preventing conflict, combat bullying.
2. Vast number of people is still unaware of their rights. While laws and institution could in many cases defend them people must first know where they may turn for help.
3. Human rights education is essential for all round development of human personality, but there are very disturbing trends in the form of violence, terrorism, non capacity of the state for scarcity of economic resources, minimizing state activity, as a result of globalization, privatization, cultural diversification, excessive use of repressive measure by the states etc. So it is important to extent human rights education through educational institution.
4. Particularly in North-East region experience disturbing trends in the form of violence including terrorism, which result excessive use of arbitrary measures by the state since long back. On the other hand economic backwardness and socio-cultural conflicts among different ethnic groups causes slow economic development and gross violence of human rights. So to redress of those problems people from cross section of the society must play positive role. It need social awareness and humanitarian education to strengthen moral, intellectual and democratic recourses
In this region few educational institutions imparting human rights education through different programme in schools and colleges human rights education place little place in the curriculum. Therefore special arrangement is required to teach human rights education, particularly in this region.
3. Future Prospects-
Employment opportunities in Human Rights organizations such as- Human Rights Commissions (National & International); Govt.’s Human Rights Units; NGOs; Human Rights Consultants; Human Rights Experts in different Departments; Press & Media; Private Sector Organizations; Help in study and practice Law; Employment opportunities in International Organizations and Educational Institutions; Human Rights Activists & Research etc.
DEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION
The Human Rights Education course was started in 2010, under the Department of Political Science. The department was initially started with one part time faculty member in Certificate course. Later on with the funding from UGC and permission from Gauhati University the department started Human Rights Education subject at undergraduate level. The department successfully completed four batches Certificate Course. Faculty members of Gauhati University Dr. Jayanta Krisha Sarma, Associate Professor in Political Science, Dr. Dhruba Jyoti Sarma, Dr. Subhrajit Konwar both Assistant Professor in Political Science and Dr. Neelutpal Deka Senior Advocate of Guwahati High Court, Mr. Lachit Bordoloi, Human Rights activist cum writer participated as guest lecturer in Certificate Course in Human Rights Education. Presently the department is having one coordinator and one Part Time faculty members with 200 students. During its existence, the department has been able to give good leadership and contribution to the college. Initially Dr. Jayashee Devi served a part time faculty member, than Mrs Ganga Rai, joined as part time lecturer from 2011. At present Mrs Joyeeta Das working as part time teacher since 2014. The Department is coordinated by Mr. Pranjal Patiri, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science of this college.
4. Total number permanent teacher (with date of joining): 1. (Coordinator)
5. Number of full time teachers with PhD : NIL
6. Number of Certificate/Diploma Course introduced.
