Empowerment in Human Rights Education Theories: Towards a Dialectical Model

Abstract

The concept of empowerment is central to Human Rights Education (HRE) theories. HRE is a newly established field of educational theory that has received significant attention globally since the early 1990s. It primarily concentrates on disseminating knowledge about human rights and aims at empowering the global populace. However, prescriptive HRE often disregards the life experiences of the oppressed. Therefore, there is an urge to develop critical human rights education to implant empowerment in the oppressed truly. This article argues for the dialectical model of empowerment in HRE based on the episteme of the oppressed and the mutual dialogue that regenerates the entire field of HRE. The article primarily draws on Paulo Freire’s valuable notion of the ‘pedagogy of the oppressed’ to analyze the nuances of empowerment in HRE theories and actualize the necessity of a dialectical model of HRE to empower people.