Citizenship Education For Youth Souhir Chaari – Tunisia

What do we mean by « Citizenship Education » ?

Be an active

Citizen Participate

Decision-making

Be responsible

Rights & Duties

Contribute

How to

Through:

(Formal, non-formal & informal) Learning: �  Laws �  Rule of law �  Democratic process �  Human rights �  Justice, equality, freedoms �  Diversity, openness �  Economy and sustainable development

“ Citizenship education can be defined as educating children, from early childhood, to become clear-thinking and enlightened citizens who participate in decisions concerning society ”

UNESCO

“ Citizenship education is about enabling people to make their own decisions and to take responsibility for their own lives and their communities. It is not about trying to fit everyone into the same mold, or about creating 'model' or 'good' citizens”

Citizenship Foundation

Citizenship Education must be: � Active �  Interactive: discussion and debate � Relevant: real-life issues facing young

people and society � Critical �  collaborative: employs group work and

co-operative learning � participative: gives young people a say

in their own learning.

Ø Democracies need active, informed and responsible citizens;

citizens who are willing and able to take responsibility for themselves and their communities and contribute to the political process.

Important for everybody

Essential for Youth

� Youth are the future �  We need them to:

Ø respect Human Rights Ø be democratic Ø be just Ø be responsible Ø be self- confident in dealing with life changes and challenges

Ø express themselves Ø make a positive change

Citizenship Education

Citizenship Education for Youth in Germany

�  The development of CE began in 1945: The end of the National Socialist regime

� The challenge: the democratization of

Germany: democracy is not only a form of government but also a way of life

Citizenship Education for Youth in Germany �  In its initial phase of emergence, CE was derived from

the closely related fields of education and political science and it took until 1960’s for the discipline to expand into a ‘didactics of citizenship education’: an independent discipline

Ø  In the 1970’s, # conceptions of CE led to polarized

ideologies. Ø Experts were split into 2 camps:

1-CE goal: help citizens make rational judgments 2-CE goal: teach citizens how to emancipate themselves from those who might seek to seize power

Citizenship Education for Youth in Germany

�  CE is firmly integrated in Germany’s educational landscape.

� CE in schools falls under the cultural authority of the German Lander: its importance as a subject varies from federal state to another.

�  It exists as a pedagogical principle at all Germany’s varied educational facilities and at every level of education.

Citizenship Education for Youth in Germany: � CE classes can be called: ‘politics’,

‘community studies’, ‘social studies’, ‘societal studies’, ‘historical-social world studies’, ‘civic education’, ‘social science’ or ‘political science/economics’.

� Outside the classroom: activities sponsored by state and social authorities.

Citizenship Education for Youth in Germany

�  State sponsored activities include civil & army service, working in adult education centers, at memorial sites or in the Federal or State Agencies for civic education.

�  Non-formal citizenship education: right-wing extremism/racism, learning democracy, migration/integration, violence prevention/conflict resolution and gender mainstreaming

Citizenship Education for Youth in Germany

�  These extracurricular activities are supported / financed by political parties, unions, trade associations, foundations, religious and spiritual communities, the media, academies, independent institutions.

Citizenship Education

Citizenship Education for Youth in Tunisia •  After 23 years of dictatorship, it was

time for the new generation to put an end to abuse, discrimination, marginalization, violations, exclusion, unemployment and passiveness.

•  The hope line started with the 2011 revolution: An explosion of the Tunisian Civil Society

Citizenship Education for Youth in Tunisia �  A new legal framework guaranteeing

freedom of association has given life to new associations.

�  Citizenship Education : face the political,

social and economic challenges !

�  It was time for youth – youth upraising - to set up a democratic society, new democratic institutions and a real decentralization of powers and wealth: we were searching for effectiveness and integration

Citizenship Education for Youth in Tunisia �  The European experience and contribution

had a very big impact on what we have already achieved: several partnerships, technical and financial help…

I-Projects with the Tunisian government:

v  Project youth & citizenship: The ministry of Education and the international organization IRIS: September 2012 – elections

Citizenship Education for Youth in Tunisia v The creation of Citizenship & human

rights clubs inside the schools: 24 clubs in 7 regions – 2013 : The Arab Institute for Human Rights, 6 UN agencies, the Tunisian government and some Tunisian NGOs

v Project ‘Citizenship Education for pupils in the secondary education’: September 2013: The Tunisian government and the ERIS, the Electoral Reform International Services

Citizenship Education for Youth in Tunisia II- Projects realized by Tunisian NGOs:

v Citizenship Bus project (5 NGOs): 2011-2013: trainings for civil society activists: Constitutional vigilance, elections, HR, democracy,…

v Ambulant Cinema for citizens: ATAC:

2013-2014- Tunisian Association for Cultural Movements: Sidi Bouzid, Mazouna, Jebeniana

Thank you for your attention!