A theory of children’s human rights education

Children’s entitlement to education about their human rights is affirmed by various United Nations treaties and emphasised in scholarly literature. However, the field of rights education for children is hindered by fragmented research and inconsistent terminology, resulting in conceptual confusion that obstructs the development of effective rights education practices. This article tackles these challenges by presenting an innovative theory of Children’s Human Rights Education (CHRE) along with a systemic model. By integrating principles from children’s rights, human rights education, and insights into educational processes, the CHRE theory presents a systemic framework that consists of six interconnected components: aims, ends-in-view, the learner, the educator, content and educational processes. This article outlines the development process and interdisciplinary foundations of the CHRE theory and presents a visual systemic model along with a detailed explanation of each of its six components. The conclusion assesses the theory’s contributions, emphasising its potential to promote conceptual clarity for scholars and practitioners, fostering a more comprehensive and impactful approach to CHRE. The theory also holds the potential to identify research gaps and point to several new research paths, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of CHRE in supporting children to learn about, through and for their human rights.