Implementation of Human Rights Education Elements in Higher Education Institutes among Teachers Educators: A Semi Systematic Desk Review (2021-2025)

Abstract

Human Rights Education (HRE) is now recognized as an innovative educational approach with the power to foster and empower democratic participation, social cohesion and global responsibility. The study aims to critically explore the practices of HRE among teacher educators in higher education using a semi-systematic approach to the desk review of literature between 2021 and 2025. The study examines four thematic dimensions, namely peace, unity, global citizenship and respect, in the light of international and Pakistani context by keeping PICO framework in mind. Research shows that, overall HRE is conceptually included in policy- and curricular documents but its use is very ad hoc, unevenly distributed and mainly linked to the initiative of individual teachers. While peace and respect are relatively dominant practices, it is found that unity and global citizenship are underdeveloped due to a lack of coherent policy integration, pedagogical training and institutional constraints. The research discovers that there is a theory-practice gap and recommends reforms in a systemic way by restructuring the curriculum, improving teachers' professional education, and coordinating policies. The study brings some new insight into the increasingly debated issue on HRE and provides a critically synthesized, thematic and comparative knowledge about the practice of HRE in higher education.