Rights, Diversity

and Adult
Learning
Rebecca Ralph

Historical Foundations of
International Human Rights Law
Adopted in 1948 by the United Nations
Inspired a number of legally binding
international human rights treaties
Represents basic human rights to
individuals around the world such as:
Everyone is born free and equal in dignity
and rights

Major Events During the American

Civil Rights Movement
Jim Crow laws were passed
1954: U.S. Supreme Court over turned the decision in Brown v.
Board of Education
1955: Rosa Parks and the Montgomery, Alabama Bus Boycott
1960: North Carolina student sit-ins
August 28, 1963: March on Washington
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed

Major Accomplishments to the

American Civil Rights Movement
Peaceful groups were created:
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

Violence towards blacks declined

Black candidates were elected to office in the South
Southern Colleges and Universities are allowing
blacks to be admitted into their schools

Civic vs. Political Rights in

the Educational System
The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights mentions two freedoms that
relate to education:
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Assembly

Are Human Rights

Universal?
Yes according the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights:
All human beings are born free and equal
in dignity and rights. They are endowed
with reason and conscience and should act
towards one another in a spirit of
brotherhood.

Human Rights Leading to

Affirmative Action
What is Affirmative Action?

Policies that help prevent

discrimination of whole
groups in the work force
and/or educational setting
Two goals:
Righting past wrongs
Helping minority groups to
achieve higher in the
business and education
worlds

Affirmative Actions
Relationship to Diversity

As the work/education
environment is becoming
more and more diverse,
affirmative action
programs are enforced to
help protect diversity in
these settings

The Affects on Adult

Learning
Many people of color, women, and disabled persons
are able to succeed further in the education
environment
Many States/Nations around the world have adopted
these rights and have seen a change in diversity in
the education environment
Segregation in most schools around the world have
been eliminated which helps the learning process of
adults

References
Foner, Eric & John A. Garraty (1991). The Readers Companion
to American History, Houghten Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
Company (
www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement)
Mor Barak, Michlle E. Discrimination, Equality, and Fairness in
Employment, Managing Diversity: Toward a Globally Inclusive
Workplace 3rd ed., 2014 by SAGE Publications, Inc.
www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/hr_law.html
www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/comp401.htm
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