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Author Bio

Anthi Pantazi is a graduate of the MSc in Public Policy and Human Development from UNU-MERIT and Maastricht University, specializing in Social Protection Policy. Her work focuses on evidence-based policymaking, with particular interest in social protection systems, poverty reduction, human rights, and inequalities affecting women and children. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in International and European Studies from the University of Piraeus. Anthi has contributed to research on UNRWA’s Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Tolerance Program and worked as a Research Assistant examining international solidarity financing for social protection in Jordan. She now works as a Research Assistant on Vocational Education and Training policies and Labour Market analysis for EU countries. In addition to her research background, she has experience as a Negotiations Expert and Workshop Facilitator with the Ioannina Negotiation and Cooperation Academy. She has also participated in international programs and youth policy initiatives, reflecting her commitment to social justice and inclusive development.

Dr. Zina Nimeh is an Associate Professor of Public Policy at Maastricht University and the Head of the Education at UNU-MERIT. Her work centres on public and social policy, public sector reform, governance, and social justice. She combines more than twenty years of academic and professional experience, including teaching, curriculum development, and advisory work for governments, NGOs, and international organizations.

Abstract

This study explores the implementation of UNRWA’s Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Tolerance (HRCRT) education program. It examines the extent to which the program achieved its stated objectives, shedding light on the challenges it faces and how these might be addressed. Drawing on policy documents, program materials, and expert interviews with UNRWA stakeholders and human rights educators, the results show that while HRCRT has improved students’ theoretical understanding of human rights, its purported transformative potential is limited by political constraints, donor influence, and insufficient inclusion of refugee voices. The program’s most successful element is the school parliament system which showcases the value of participatory learning, but also highlights that human rights education remains hollow when it is not grounded in the lived experiences of students.

This study and its findings aim to underline a critical tension point in humanitarian education between teaching about human rights and empowering learners to act for human rights. The article recommends that for a true meaningful effect of the program, there needs to be greater contextualization of HRCRT content, participatory evaluation mechanisms, and curricular independence from donor politics.

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