Dr. Ambedkar School

25 August 2011

Memorandum of Understanding Between Amnesty International Hungary and Dr. Ámbédkár Iskola and The Human Rights Education Team of Amnesty International, International Secretariat for The Human Rights Friendly Schools Project

This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishes partnership between Amnesty International Hungary (the Section), Dr. Ámbédkár Iskola (the School), and the Human Rights Education Team of Amnesty International, International Secretariat (the International Secretariat) for the purpose of implementing the Human Rights Friendly Schools Project.

I.  DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

The Human Rights Friendly Schools Project is implemented through partnerships between the Amnesty International Secretariat Human Rights Education Team, Amnesty International sections and structures, and secondary schools around the world.

The project aims to promote a culture of human rights through the empowerment of young people and the active participation of all members of the school community in integrating human rights values and principles into all four key areas of school life: school participation and governance, relations between members of the school community, school curriculum, and extra-curricular domain and school environment.

Together, the parties enter into this MOU to mutually promote the inclusion and practice of human rights in the formal education system as outlined in the World Program for Human Rights Education.

Accordingly, the International Secretariat, the Section, and the School operating under this MOU agree as follows:

II. PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The Human Rights Friendly Schools Project responds to a clear cultural and educational need in virtually every part of the world - namely, to create a global culture of human rights. The schools will demonstrate in microcosm that such a culture is achievable.  The initiative is Amnesty International’s first global project which uses a whole-school approach to integrating human rights into schools.

The Amnesty International Human Rights Education Team at the International Secretariat will provide the international link, Amnesty International sections and structures will provide the most immediate support to schools, and schools will articulate and implement annual action plans for each year of the project, some building on experience from action plans developed and implemented in the Pilot Phase.

Each school’s annual plan will describe how the school will make achievable and measurable progress towards integrating human rights into four key areas of school life: school participation and governance, relations between members of the school community, school curriculum, and extra-curricular domain and school environment.  As project partners, the International Secretariat Human Rights Education Team and Amnesty International sections and structures will support the schools in creating school environments that are Human Rights Friendly, rights-respecting that is made up of school communities who are knowledgeable about and dedicated to the promotion of human rights.  These school communities will work to promote a healthy environment for developing a generation of young people who have not only the knowledge but also the values, skills and experience to be effective activists on human rights issues.

1. Objectives

-       To foster and support the integration of human rights into four key areas of school life: school participation and governance, relations between members of the school community, school curriculum, and extra-curricular domain and school environment

-       To encourage participation of young people and the wider school community in school policy development and activities which are consistent with and promote human rights values and principles

-       To enable and empower young people to take action and create positive human rights changes in their school, as well as the wider community

-       To train teachers and young people in order to support the development of school communities where human rights are respected, promoted and protected

-       To promote peer education as a tool contributing to developing the culture of human rights in schools

-       To develop educational tools for training young people and teachers on the issues relevant for the project

-       To strengthen the international network of Human Rights Friendly Schools through sharing resources, practices, knowledge and expertise

-       To contribute to the implementation of the Demand Dignity Campaign by engaging young people via educational tools developed by the Education for Human Dignity project

Each party to this MOU is responsible for its own expenses related to developing and implementing the project under this MOU. Unless funds are secured externally, there will not be an exchange of funds between the parties for tasks associated with this MOU during its term.

III. RESPONSIBILITIES

Each party will appoint a person to serve as the official contact and coordinate the activities of each organization in carrying out this MOU. The initial appointees of each organization are:

The School:

Name: Döme, Zsuzsanna

Position: pedagógiai vezető

School: Dr. Ámbédár Iskola

Address: Sajókaza,3720, Ady Endre u. 2.

Telephone:  +36-30-4705151

Telephone/Facsimile:(06) 48-349-209 , (06) 48-788-275

Email: suuziuuzi@gmail.com

The Section:

Name: dr. Liska, Márton

Position: emberi jogi képzés koordinátor

Section: AI Hungary

Address: 1064 Budapest Rózsa u. 44. Hungary

Telephone:  +36 1 321 4799

Facsimile:   + 36 1 321 4799

Email: oktatas@amnesty.hu

The International Secretariat:

Sneh Aurora

International Human Rights Education Project Manager

Amnesty International - International Secretariat

Peter Benenson House, 1 Easton Street

London WC1X 0DW

Tel: +44-20-74135860

Fax: +44-20-79561157

Email: Sneh.Aurora@amnesty.org

The parties above agree to the following responsibilities and tasks for this MOU.

The International Secretariat will be responsible for:

• overall management and operations of the project
• coordination of the project at the international level
• co-review of school annual action plans
• facilitation of the exchange of materials, information and resources at the international level
• coordination and support for overall monitoring and evaluation of the project in-country and at the international level
• coordination of the review and development of frameworks and guidelines based on the experience of sections/structures and schools through the project evaluation
• development and coordination of a communications strategy, including the development of uniform messaging and guidelines for publicity, as well as dissemination of information about the overall project
• oversight and coordination of documentation of the project
• facilitation of communication between participating schools and sections through the maintenance and development of the Human Rights Friendly Schools Network website and moderate discussions and distribute news via the Human Rights Friendly Schools newsletter
• facilitation of the input of the Advisory Group of experts on the whole-school approach

The Section will be responsible for:

• assisting with the establishment of management structures to implement the project
• supporting the School in articulating and implementing their annual action plans, including the following:
  • provision of expertise in human rights and human rights education
  • provision of materials as needed
  • provision of a “menu” of various Amnesty International campaigns, activities and programs in which the School can participate or which can be integrated into areas of school life (for example, Education for Human Dignity, Demand Dignity campaign, Urgent Actions, Amnesty International School Group, etc.)
  • provision and/or facilitation of training of teachers, ideally both through existing section/structure training programs and through project-specific training
  • facilitation of and participation in monitoring and evaluation, through coordinating with the School the delivery of monitoring reports as required and providing logistical support for school visits by project representatives
  • participation in project activities as required, such as meetings at the international level
  • facilitation of and participation in documentation of activities, including preparation and submission to the International Secretariat of reporting as required
  • consultation on and implementation of communications and publicity strategy and activities with the School and the International Secretariat
• contribution to the development of principles, standards and guides relating to this project
• communication with International Secretariat on developments in the project
• participating in and supporting the school to participate in the Human Rights Friendly Schools Network through the website
• any additional responsibilities detailed in the Annex and as agreed from time to time between sections and the International Secretariat

The School will be responsible for:

• establishing management structures for the implementation of the project
• articulation and implementation of annual action plans in order to make measurable progress in four major areas of school life: school participation and governance, relations between members of the school community, school curriculum, and extra-curricular domain and school environment
• monitoring the implementation of the project, including submitting monitoring reports as required alongside their partner Amnesty International section to the International Secretariat.
• facilitation and participation in evaluation and documentation activities, including any visits to the school carried out by a project representative for purposes of evaluation and documentation
• consultation on and implementation of communications and publicity strategy and activities with their partner Amnesty International section and the International Secretariat
• participation in project activities, as required, such as meetings at the international level
• participation in common project efforts between schools and in activities relating to the international community of human rights schools
• participation in the Human Rights Friendly Schools Network through the website
• any additional responsibilities detailed in the Annex and as agreed from time to time between sections and the International Secretariat

IV. TERM AND TERMINATION

The term of this MOU is for the period from 31^st August 2011 to 31^st August 2014. During the project term and at the expiration of this period, the International Secretariat will, in consultation with other parties, evaluate the progress of the project and will decide whether to extend the period. Such extension will be by mutual consent.

The International Secretariat may terminate this MOU at any time if, in its opinion, the continuation of the agreement and the relationships therein are likely to compromise the Human Rights Friendly Schools project, or are likely to compromise the reputation of Amnesty International.

Authorization

The signing of this MOU is not a formal undertaking. It implies that the signatories will strive to reach, to the best of their ability, the objectives stated herein.

On behalf of the organisation I represent, I wish to sign this MOU and contribute to the further development of the project.

On behalf of the Section:

Name: Jeney, Orsolya

Position: interim director

Date: 25. August 2011.

On behalf of the School:

Name: Derdák, Tibor

Position: Director

Date:    August 2011.

On behalf of the International Secretariat:

Name:  Colm O’Cuanachain

Position:  Senior Director, Campaigns

Date: _______________________________

ANNEX

This Annex can be used by the Section and the School to specify any additional responsibilities they are willing to undertake.