European Partnership on Law-Related Education

Seven European NGOs have launched a network on the topic: “Demanding Fundamental Rights: Law-Related Education in Adult Learning”. In the framework of an EU Grundtvig project, the partners will exchange best practices, discuss national particularities of law-related education and identify common all-European approaches

The project aims to increase the legal literacy of adult learners as a core social and civic skill, and improve the quality and accessibility of law-related education.

Throughout 2011-2013, the partners will host a series of expert meetings in Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Poland and the UK. If you are interested in contributing to these meetings, please get in touch.

Check the project blog for news and updates

Background

Law-related education aims to improve the ability of adult learners to understand and apply elements of law that affect everyday life as well as raising awareness of fundamental rights as core social and civic entitlements. Knowledge of rights and legal issues empowers individuals and communities to participate in the democratic process, get access to public services and demand their fundamental rights. Moreover, law-related education programmes have a strong potential to re-engage adults in education by enabling them to take more control over their lives and their careers.

Recent European research in the field of law-related education and wider access to justice issues has highlighted significant gaps in the ability of Europeans to understand their rights and the processes they can access to gain redress. Low levels of knowledge, skills and confidence in dealing with law-related issues have a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged groups and can result in entrenched social exclusion and increased risk of rights violations and discrimination.

Goals

The project aims to:

• Increase the "legal literacy" (the knowledge of rights and legal issues) of adult learners as a core social and civic skill; and
• Improve the quality and accessibility of our adult education activities in the field of law-related education.

The partners also seek to improve cooperation across the EU to improve the ability of organisations to tackle rights-based cross-border issues which affect the ability of Europeans to participate in democratic processes and become involved in the decisions that affect them.

Partners

• Denmark: Center for Positive Integration 
• Germany: Humanity in Action Deutschland 
• Greece: OLKE Gay and Lesbian Community of Greece 
• Hungary: NANE Women's Rights Association 
• Iceland: Icelandic Human Rights Centre 
• Poland: Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
• UK: Law for Life

The project "Demanding Fundamental Rights: Law-Related Education in Adult Learning," German Project Code.: 2011-1-DE2-GRU06-07818 1, is funded with support from the European Commission.