The Play it Fair project promotes understanding of human rights, non-discrimination and peaceful conflict resolution in education programs for children using playful educational activities (easy, simple and fun) to develop knowledge and skills, as well as attitudes and behaviors enabling children to integrate universal human rights values (respect, respect for diversity, inclusion, cooperation, equality, responsibility, and acceptance) into their daily lives. The Play It Fair Toolkit targets children aged from 6 to 12, and is intended for educators and teachers working with children.
In 2009 ANHRE in partnership with the Canadian organization (International Center for Human Rights- Equitas) undertook a pilot project to introduce the Play It Fair program through a cooperation initiative with Amnesty International MENA Office. The Play It Fair Toolkit was translated into Arabic and adapted, where necessary, to the Arab culture. ANHRE contracted Equitas to hold a training of trainers for 10 teachers from UNRWA schools and Amnesty members in Jordan plus 10 members of the Arab Network for Human Rights and Citizenship Education – ANHRE - from Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq and Morocco in 2010.
Following the training of trainers workshop, we monitored local activities implemented by the participants in their organizational context. Overall, this pilot experience was successful and allowed to finalize the Arabic version of the Play It Fair Toolkit using the comments and recommendations of participants. In Jordan, Amnesty convinced the UNRWA’s schools management to integrate the Play It Fair Toolkit throughout the curriculum and attracted the interest of the Ministry of Education.
Since early 2011, ANHRE and Equitas are engaged in disseminating the project in 3 countries: Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. A training of trainers took place in May 2011 and the Play It Fair is currently being implemented in each country locally. In addition through 2012-2015 it has been implemented through the Ministry of Education in both Jordan and Lebanon in selected public schools. In addition, ANHRE contracted by the Ministry of Education in Bahrain and it conducted a training on Play it Fair for 30 people from teachers, supervisors and staff from public schools in Bahrain.
The proposed project will benefit from this previous experience: ANHRE has now a core group of trainers and facilitators, already acquainted with Equitas’ PIF program, that will contribute in achieving the goal and activities planned, and who in particular will be involved in the development and delivery of training activities.
Program Goal and Objectives
The goal of this Play It Fair! program is to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations, academic institutions, teachers, and workers with children offering programs with children in Jordan and for Syrian refugees to undertake education and networking activities that promote and enhance harmonious relations, human rights, non discrimination and peaceful conflict resolution among children aged from 6 to 12 living in harsh, vulnerable and marginalized conditions.
More specifically, the objectives of the program are the following:
1. To sensitize educational institutions, teachers and civil society organizations about the opportunities and importance of promoting inclusion, non-discrimination, human rights and peaceful conflict resolution in their activities for children.
2. To strengthen the capacityof educational institutions and civil society organizations in Egypt to incorporate human rights and peaceful conflict resolution education in their programs with children.
3. To raise awareness of discriminatory attitudes and behaviour among youth and children, to facilitate the integration of the underlying values of non-discrimination, human rights and peaceful conflict resolution in their behaviour and attitudes and to prevent conflict over the long term.
4. To share lessons learnedfrom the approach with other organizations, the general public, community leaders, elected representatives and public officials.
Transformative Learning and Participatory Approach
The content of the Play It Fair program centers around the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and behaviors required for individuals to understand, assert and defend their human rights as well as to respect the rights of others. Human rights education (HRE) involves the exploration of human rights principles and instruments and the promotion of critical reflection and inquiry. Ultimately, human rights education inspires people to take control of their own lives and the decisions that affect their lives. This process cannot happen without participants questioning their assumptions about human rights. By critically examining the assumptions that underlie their beliefs, values and feelings, participants engage in a process of "transformative learning".
At the heart of the Play It Fair program (like all Equitas training programs) is a curriculum design model based on principles of participatory educational methodology aimed at both personal and social transformation. HRE is a powerful tool for building the skills of human rights educators and increasing individuals’ knowledge (children as well as youth and adult) of human rights content and understanding of human rights values and principles.
A participatory learning process implies that people learn more effectively when: their own capacity and knowledge is valued; they are able to share, analyze, and critically reflect on their experiences in a safe and collective environment; and they are active participants in the learning process, which includes feedback on each others' work and self-assessment. Respect, inclusiveness, and empathy are values which are fundamental to human rights education. These ideals must not remain at the theoretical level; ANHRE and Equitas strive to integrate them into every aspect of the design, development and delivery of their HRE programs.
The goal of human rights education is "empowerment" in order to bring about social change. The participatory learning process serves not only as a means of achieving this goal but is, in and of itself, an expression of this empowerment.
Expected Results
Based on the experience implementing Play It Fair! in different communities and organizations, it is foreseen that this extended implementation of the project will induce significant changes at different levels:
• Institution and organizations implementing Play It Fair!: increased awareness related to human rights and discrimination, and new capacity and engagement in implementing initiatives to promote human rights and peaceful conflict resolution in their programming with children.
• Staff working with children: increased awareness of human rights and discrimination, increased openness and improved listening attitude, and use of new skills and tools to address challenges such as exclusion, discrimination, bullying.
• Children: development of life skills, increased self esteem, increased awareness and respect for differences, development of more inclusive behaviour, and strengthened collaboration and participation; better integration of marginalized children in activities; and a decrease in bullying and physical and verbal violence.
For more info about PIF for children with Ministries of Education in Lebanon and Jordan click here
For more info about "Promoting Harmonious Relations & Peaceful Conflict Resolution for Children in Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon" click here
For PIF Pocket Toolkit click here