Day of Fighting Injustice - 2019

                Last Friday, 23rd of August was celebrated in Brazil, the day of fighting injustice. We all must defend justice, because when there is some injustice happening for so many years, a dangerous precedent can happen, destroying democracy, undermining rule of law and the fundamental feeling of justice of the people. So, the public trust in our institutions is severely harmed. Consequently, the people start asking if they are worth so many taxes and credibility. Besides, when there is not justice, the abuses tend to grow and spreading and affecting many more people. So if you have witnessed any violation of human rights, record it and help fight injustice. You can send the images to the victims and help them to do justice. You should help to do justice, because if not you can be the next victim.  I have been fighting for justice, democracy and human rights for so many years and intend keep this work for more years ahead. I'll never give up to make Brazil a better country, more democratic, fairer, and where human rights are truly respected.  This post is a summary of two articles.  The first was published at https://www.girlscouts.org/en/raising-girls/leadership/civic-action/how-to-fight-injustice.html. The second was published at   https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2016/01/amnesty-goals-2016-2019/

                         A lot of us were raised in what some might call the school of hard knocks. When we complained that a situation was not fair, parents, teachers, or other adults would all-too-often shrug their shoulders and tell us that life was not fair. that we should just accept things the way they were, even when we had an inkling there was potential for change.  What is the problem with that? Well, for starters, everything. While it is true that lots of things in life are not fair, we can, and actually have a responsibility to, work toward making things better, more equitable, and just. Telling kids they are powerless in the face of injustice is not just disempowering, it is ultimately not true. Every person, regardless of their age, has the ability to stand up for what is right and help the world become a more equal and fair place. Complaining that something is not right without also having a suggestion for how it could be made better is not actually helpful. So when your kids has identified something that is unfair, ask them what a more fair solution would look like and how it would work. Next, you can help them identify the person or people who have control over changing the situation. It is important to push the people in power to make important changes, but sometimes it is helpful to take matters into your own hands, If the city council is not willing to spend the money to fix up a rundown park, talk to local shops to see if they will donate supplies and then gather volunteers to clean up the place and plant new gardens. The bottom line is that whenever any of us see something that is unfair, it simply means we have work to do to make things right. Help your daughter or son understand their agency. Saying life is not fair will not fix a thing.                                                                                                                                                                                         Taking injustice personally. The world is changing and we are changing with it. With a stronger global presence, we need support more people to know, claim and enjoy their human rights. We will apply more pressure nationally abd internationally. Our legitimacy will grow as we buikd a truly global movement, defending human rights for all. These are challenging times for justice and human rights. And while more people are striving to get their voices heard, states are responding by cracking down on human rights, often in the name of protecting public order or ending terrorism. These goals outline how we will shift the way that human rights are fought for and achieveed, engaging where we can and confronting where we must. To achieve lasting progress worldwide, we will ensure we always:  1) Analyse why human rights abuses happen, guided by the people whose rights are violated. 2) Identify the most effective ways to create change. 3) Confront and expose states, corporations and institutions that violate rights. 4) Act quickly and effectively to support people facing injustice. 5) Innovate to achieve the most powerful impact. 6) Work with partners who share our determination. 7) Support people to claim the human rights that we all share. 1) RECLAIMING FREEDOM - We must turn the tide in favor of fairness and justice. To do this, we need to help communities to access the information and tools they need to claim their human rights, and to build societies that truly respect them. We need to create a world where people defending human rights are safe and supported. We need to do this by: Highlighting and reducing attacks on huma rights defenders. Supporting laws and policies that allow civil society to thrive. People know their rights and are empowered to claim them. We need to do this by: Pushing for government action that ensures human rights education. Empowering people to defend human rights. People can claim their rights to speak out, organize and challenge injustice. We need to do this by: Pushing for effective legal protections for whistleblowers. Ensuring surveillance measures meet human rights standards. 2) ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY - Justice systems too often fail to deliver accountability. So holding governments to account is critical, and persuading emerging powers to consistently support human rights has never been more important. The challenges remain significant. Regional mechanisms are overstretched. The International  Criminal Court faces difficulties. But we need to continue to demand accountability focusing on change, at a national level while working internationally. We'll work to create a world where: Regional and global human rights mechanisms are reinforced. Human rights governance and accountability are strengthened at a national level. 

Trends Shaping Education 2019

                      This post is a summary of the book with the title above, published at https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/trends-shaping-education-2019_trends_edu-2019-en#page3

                    Trends Shaping Education 2019 is designed to support long-term strategic thinking in education. Using trends to think about the future requires robust sources of data. Did you ever wonder whether education has a role to play in preparing our societies for an age of artificial intelligence? Connecting education to mega-trends is not straightforward. The future is inherently unpredictable. Long-term strategic thinking in education thus needs to consider both the set of trends and the possible ways they might evolve in the future. Globalisation facilitates the emergence of transnational networks and trade. Human mobility across borders has increased with more affordable transport and communications. The economic growth resulted in an expansion of the global middle class. Yet globalisation also brings new challenges. Education has an important role to play in equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in the global future. A well-functioning democracy relies on the civic knowledge and skills of its citizens, as well as their engagement in public matters. There is an important role for education to play in improving civic participation and fostering democratic citizenship. However, difficult questions remain. Key questions for the future include how we strike a fair balance between all parties, and what this means for fostering social cohesion and trust. Examining the future of education in the context of mega-trends has two main goals. First, it is necessary to better prepare education for the transformation underway in economic, social, and technological spheres. Second, it is key to better understand how education can influence these trends. Education has the potential to influence the life outcomes of the disadvantage. It is a powerful tool to reduce inequality. It can help combat the increasing polarization of our societies, and empower people and communities to take charge of their own civic processes and democratic institutions. Artificial Intelligence (AI), the revolution of intelligent machines able to perform human-like cognitive tasks is expected to become especially important in health care (cancer detection), transport (driverless cars), and the environment (smart energy consumption). Education can ensure that students have the competence needed to compete in an innovative world. With the rise of AI, big data and sophisticated search algorithms, do learners need to learn facts anymore? What consequences would there be if they would not? Increasing competition in global research fuels the push for countries to constantly innovate to maintain their competitive position. does education foster and value the creativity necessary to be innovative? It has never been as easy to access information, express one's opinion and reach out to fellow citizens as it is in today's digital world. The digital world has expanded opportunities for citizens to use their voice, but this is not guarantee that they can access reliable information or have the willingness to listen to and compromise with others. What kind of civic virtues do modern democracies require? How can citizens sort fact from fiction? how can education systems better support students develop civic knowledge and skills a democracy requires? We depend on the uninterrupted functioning of ICT systems for virtually all aspects of our daily lives. Physical goods, services, and much of our infrastrucuture are all now coordinated and delivered through computer systems. Knowledge and skills in cyber security is valuable asset. Job security is an important element of economic and financial security. Globalisation has resulted in many jobs moving to different parts of the world; with automation performing tasks previously carried out by human employees, and deindustrialisation has led to more jobs becoming part of the `knowledge economy` instead of manual labour. Another trend is the rise of a `gig economy`, where work might no longer be tied to a steady job but instead coordinated through some kind of digital freelance platform. The Internet is used today in many different aspects of our daily lives, from shopping and connecting with friends and family to managing household and informing our health decisions. Digital engagement is growing across all age groups, reducing concerns about older populations being excluded due to lower participation rates. How can education support older adults in accessing the benefits of digitalisation? Our fast-changing societies are creating entirely new categories of work, such as social media managing and augmented reality architecture; at the same time, other jobs become obsolete through automation. The role of education in developing the skills needed for the future of work is indispensable. Many common activities that once required physical contact or social interaction are now carried out online, such as talking to family and friends or consulting a doctor. Whether it is a job, a room for the night, or the love of your life, online activity often translates into offline outcomes. This challenges the education system, which must take advantage of the tools and strengths of new technologies while simultaneously addressing concerns about potential misuse, such as cyberbullying, and loss of privacy. How can education support all students develop the digital skills needed to create and produce content, which can help their self-expression, learning and well-being? As more humans fill the planet, the more impact we have on the environment. We can moderate or even reverse some of the negative effects, as shown by successful campaigns to ban chemicals responsible for the hole in the ozone layer. many people are making purchasing choices that help to mitigate the environmental impact. Education can foster the knowledge awareness needed to make sustainable choices; and empower individuals to identify and take actions in cases of degradation.