Professor Emeritus Jane Williams has built a distinguished career spanning legal practice, government legal service, academia, and civil society activism. She played a pivotal role in securing legislation on the rights of the child in Wales and was instrumental in the campaign for a Welsh Youth Parliament. At Swansea University, she co-founded the Observatory on Human Rights of Children (now the Observatory on Human Rights and Social Justice) and the Children’s Legal Centre Wales. Her scholarship and advocacy focus on devolution, child law, and children’s rights. She's pioneered pedagogical innovations, including trans-Atlantic Street Law collaborations and human rights–based research with children.

In Episode 73 of Human Rights Education Now!, Jane Williams reflects on the roots of her commitment to children’s rights, shaped by witnessing the impact of poverty on children’s lives and by her legal training. She discusses the challenges of advancing children’s rights within the legal profession and the transformative influence of the UK Human Rights Act. A core focus of the conversation is the development of Wales’ Children’s Parliament and the Children’s and People’s Assembly of Wales, created in the context of devolution and informed by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Jane explains how these initiatives demonstrate the practical integration of children’s participation rights into democratic structures. She describes the founding of the Observatory on Human Rights and Social Justice and the Children’s Legal Centre Wales, institutions dedicated to research, accountability, policy advocacy, curriculum reform, and embedding children’s rights into formal systems.

Drawing on figures like Eglantyne Jebb and Janusz Korczak, Jane calls for abolishing the minimum voting age so governments must treat children as political actors. Read full episode description HERE.

Topics discussed:

• Origins of Jane Williams’ work in children’s rights
• Impact of poverty on children’s lives
• Law as a pathway to children’s rights advocacy
• Wales’ devolution and the creation of the Children’s Parliament
• The role of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Welsh reform
• Integrating children’s rights into institutions and legal practice
• Curriculum reform in Wales and human rights education
• Nationalism, migrant children, and decolonizing legal education
• Historical role models in children’s rights
• Abolishing the minimum voting age as a strategy for advancing children’s rights

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE.

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

*Read full bio on HREUSA website*

Jack L. Nelson is a veteran educator and scholar whose career spans public schools and higher education in the United States and abroad. In 2001, he received the National Council for the Social Studies’ National Academic Freedom Award. He began teaching in Denver, Colorado, and later worked with migrant worker children in Riverside, California. He earned his B.A. from the University of Denver, his M.A. from California State University, Los Angeles, and his Ed.D. from the University of Southern California.

In Episode 72, he reflects on his career in education and his lifelong defense of academic freedom as a fundamental human right. He traces the origins of his critical stance to the era of McCarthyism, describing how censorship, political persecution, and fear shaped academic life in the mid-20th century. He discusses the marginalization of critical scholars, the suppression of dissenting curricular materials, and the personal costs borne by educators who challenged dominant narratives.

The conversation explores the evolution of his work in human rights education and its deep connections to social studies education, emphasizing that democratic education must engage students with controversial issues and alternative perspectives. Jack addresses ongoing threats to intellectual freedom, i.e., book bans, political pressure, and erosion of tenure protections, while warning of the dangers posed by growing numbers of non-tenured faculty. He argues that academic freedom requires more than ethical commitments—it demands enforceable legal and structural protections. Drawing inspiration from figures i.e. John Dewey and Bob O’Neill, he concludes by calling for national standards for tenure protections across K–12 and higher education and for stronger coalitions among educators to defend intellectual freedom as a cornerstone of democracy.

Topics discussed:

• Origins of Jack Nelson’s career in education
  
  
  
• McCarthyism and its lasting impact on academic freedom
  
  
  
• Critical scholarship and challenges to mainstream history education
  
  
  
• Censorship of educators and curricular materials
  
  
  
• Human rights education within social studies education
  
  
  
• Academic freedom as a human right
  
  
  
• Tenure, intellectual freedom, and structural protections
  
  
  
• Contemporary threats to democracy and education
  
  
  
• Role of professional associations in defending educators
  
  
  
• John Dewey’s influence on democratic and civic education

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

In Episode 71, Laura Lundy examines global challenges to children’s rights, with particular attention to migration, poverty, and participation. She discusses the persistent failure of media and adult institutions to recognize children—especially child migrants—as full rights holders. Laura highlights the role of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in advancing participation rights over time and reflects on both the barriers and successes of child rights education.

The conversation explores the essential role of law in human rights education, arguing that understanding local legal frameworks empowers children to become advocates for their own rights. Laura addresses contemporary challenges in the UK, including child poverty, opposition to children’s rights frameworks, and the erosion of protections driven by libertarian ideology. She also considers the fragility of social safety nets in the United States and the harmful impact of censorship on children’s access to information. The episode concludes with reflections on role models such as Gerison Lansdown, Janusz Korczak, Michael Freeman, a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt emphasizing change in “small places,” and a call to fully implement Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as a global strategy for advancing children’s rights.

Topics discussed:

• World migration and children’s rights
  
  
  
• Media inattention to child rights and child migrants
  
  
  
• UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and participation progress
  
  
  
• Law as a foundation for child rights education
  
  
  
• Teachers as duty bearers in advancing children’s rights
  
  
  
• Child poverty as a central barrier to rights realization
  
  
  
• Libertarian challenges to child protections
  
  
  
• Impact of censorship and weak social safety nets
  
  
  
• Role models in children’s rights advocacy

• Article 12 of the CRC and child participation as a global strategy
  
  

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Laura Lundy is Honorary Professor of Education Law and Children’s Rights at Queen’s University Belfast and Professor of Law at University College Cork. She is Co–Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Children’s Rights and an internationally recognized expert in children’s participation rights and education law. Her highly cited 2007 article, “‘Voice’ is not enough,” introduced what is now known as the Lundy Model, grounded in four core principles—Space, Voice, Audience, and Influence—which is widely used in policy and practice. The Lundy Model has been adopted by national governments, including Ireland, and by international organizations such as UNICEF, the European Commission, and the Council of Europe.

In Episode 70, Laura Lundy reflects on the origins of her commitment to human rights education and children’s rights, shaped in part by Northern Ireland’s history and the transformative role of human rights discourse following the Belfast Agreement. She discusses the evolution of her scholarship and activism focused on children’s participation, emphasizing the importance of listening to youth voices across all stages of childhood. Laura explores the public impact of her work, the complementary roles of law and education, and the importance of ombudsmen and civil society in advancing children’s rights. The conversation centers on the Lundy Model, its application to policy and practice—including work with incarcerated children—and ongoing challenges in ensuring meaningful participation for all children. The episode concludes with updates on global progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, highlighting developments in Scotland and civic engagement work in the United States.

Topics discussed:

• Origins of Laura Lundy’s work in human rights education
  
  
  
• Human rights education in Northern Ireland and post–Belfast Agreement transformation
  
  
  
• Children’s rights in teaching, activism, and scholarship
  
  
  
• Youth voice, participation, and public impact of children’s rights work
  
  
  
• Collaboration with governments, civil society, and UNICEF
  
  
  
• Article 12 of the CRC and the development of the Lundy Model
  
  
  
• Adapting the Lundy Model for incarcerated children
  
  
  
• Global progress on CRC implementation, with examples from Scotland and the U.S.
  
  

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

In part two of the conversation, Ava Kreutziger and Bill Fernekes continue their dialogue with Feliece, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches, Indigenous rights, and the ongoing challenge of colonial legacies. Feliece discusses her research with Indigenous Filipino communities and the need to challenge collective amnesia surrounding Indigenous knowledge and histories. She explores how systems produce both victims and violators, reframing human rights as a universal grounding for dignity and humanity.

Feliece also analyzes the current landscape of HRE in Asia, including the effects of polarization and authoritarianism under leaders like Rodrigo Duterte. She speaks about the role of digital misinformation, media accountability, and the need for institutions to embed human rights across all aspects of their work.

Topics discussed:

• Indigenous cultures, colonialism, and historical memory
• Seeing oppressors as shaped by harmful systems
• Progress and setbacks for HRE in Asia
• Human rights, social media, and digital misinformation
• Responsibilities of major tech companies
• Freire, Gramsci, and Filipino mass movements as role models
• “Human rights is rice”- daily struggles for dignity and survival
• Embedding human rights in institutions and creating accountability metrics
• Balancing standardized curricula with student-centered learning

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Dr. Feliece I. Yeban is a human rights educator, scholar, and advocate whose work spans more than three decades across community organizations, universities, and state institutions in the Philippines. Grounded in the writings of Paolo Freire and Antonio Gramsci, her scholarship centers on decolonial pedagogy, community-based human rights work, and the uplift of Indigenous Filipino knowledge systems. Feliece has taught widely in both the private and public sectors, including work with law enforcement institutions, and has contributed extensively to the development of human rights cultures across Asia.

In this episode of Human Rights Education Now!, hosts Bill Fernekes speak with Feliece Yeban and Ava Kreutziger about the origins of her human rights education work. She reflects on teaching during the 1980s and 1990s, the aftermath of the Marcos dictatorship, and the transformative role of the People Power Revolution. Feliece discusses the influence of Freire and Gramsci, the challenges facing HRE in both private and public institutions, and the ongoing impact of U.S. support for authoritarian practices in the Philippines.

She highlights the importance of understanding both international human rights frameworks and community-rooted approaches, emphasizing that effective HRE requires careful attention to context and audience. Feliece also speaks about confronting discomfort, navigating trauma, and engaging directly with those impacted by rights violations.

Topics discussed:

• Historical context of HRE during and after the Marcos era
• Freire, Gramsci, and critical pedagogy in the Philippines
• U.S. influence on authoritarian policies
• Barriers to HRE across public and private institutions
• Community-based approaches vs. formal frameworks
• Educational inequities and elite influence
• Delivering HRE to police and state actors
• “Civilianizing” law enforcement through rights-based training

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

In the second part of the youth discussion, Ava Kreutziger and  Elizabeth Schwab continue the conversation with Jude Armstrong, Jaya Field, and Ella Henry, focusing on global perspectives, intersectionality, and creative activism. Jaya discusses her comparative research on queer rights in Sweden and Poland; Jude explores poetry and abolition as tools for liberation; and Ella reflects on cultural shifts toward inclusivity. The guests share strategies for resisting censorship, promoting restorative justice, and incorporating lived experiences into education. They conclude by envisioning a future where empathy, representation, and critical thinking are central to all learning environments.

Topics discussed:

• Queer rights, populism, and global human rights perspectives
  
  
  
• Abolitionist education and the power of poetry
  
  
  
• Book bans and the criminalization of empowerment
  
  
  
• Intersectionality, critical race theory, and resisting censorship
  
  
  
• Centering lived experience and restorative practices in schools
  
  
  
• Building intergenerational dialogue and empathy in education

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Jude Armstrong is a writer and abolitionist from New Orleans, Louisiana. They organize alongside queer youth to protest anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and advocate for social justice. Their poetry has appeared in The Amistad, Palette Poetry, and Bottlecap Press, with recognition from Adroit Journal, YoungArts, and Teen Sequins. Jude is currently studying Human Rights and English at Columbia University.

Jaya Field was raised in Evanston, Illinois and is a senior at the University of Washington, double majoring in International Studies and Law, Societies & Justice. Her work explores how international legal systems impact marginalized communities. She has presented research internationally and gained field experience through study abroad programs in Perú and Italy, focusing on queer, migrant, Indigenous, and disability rights.

Ella Henry is an 18-year-old Mexican Samoan student from Boise, Idaho, and a sophomore at Columbia University majoring in Race and Ethnicity Studies. She serves as Advocacy Coordinator for the Housing Equity Project, volunteers as a Spanish interpreter for asylum seekers, and interns at the ACLU of Idaho, focusing on immigrant rights and outreach.

In this episode of Human Rights Education Now!, hosts Ava Kreutziger and Elizabeth Schwab speak with youth advocates Jude Armstrong, Jaya Field, and Ella Henry about how education shapes their understanding of human rights. They share experiences with Eurocentric and exclusionary curricula, the absence of marginalized voices, and how these gaps motivated their activism. Ella discusses her “Know Your Rights” trainings for immigrant communities, while the group reflects on censorship through omission and the need for inclusive, truth-based education that connects classroom learning to real-world justice movements.

Topics discussed:

• Personal origins of activism in climate, immigrant, queer, and abolitionist justice
  
  
  
• Educational inequities and censorship through omission
  
  
  
• Centering marginalized and Indigenous perspectives in curricula
  
  
  
• “Know Your Rights” trainings for immigrant communities
  
  
  
• Disconnect between public education and community realities
  
  
  
• Calls for embedding human rights in K–12 education

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

In Episode 65, Jeff Plantilla offers insights on strengthening human rights education (HRE) by emphasizing diversity, supporting local initiatives, and adapting messages to cultural contexts. He highlights the importance of addressing concrete issues, such as housing as a human right, and reflects on the challenges facing HRE in Japan.

Jeff shares that the individuals who have influenced him are those who show humility, respect, patience, and determination. He cites a quote from a Filipino farmer leader—“We should not entrust to people with full stomachs, the resolution of problems of us who are hungry”—which echoes Paulo Freire’s approach of listening to people and empowering communities.

For advancing HRE in Asia, Jeff recommends targeting concrete issues central to people’s lives, basing actions on careful study of their lived experiences, and co-developing solutions with communities from the ground up.

Topics Discussed:

• Leadership recommendations: Diversity in HRE and prioritizing local initiatives
• Housing as a human right and specific challenges in Japan
• Cultural adaptation: Tailoring HRE messaging to local norms
• Influences: Humility, patience, and determination as guiding traits
• Key quotes: Empowerment through listening to marginalized voices
• Strategic recommendation: Ground HRE work in local issues and community-driven solutions
• Closing reflections

Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.

Listen on our HREUSA podcast website HERE. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Jefferson R. Plantilla started legal education work in the Philippines in 1985 in the Structural Alternative Legal Assistance for the Grassroots (SALAG). He became the Coordinator of the Asian Regional Resource Center on Human Rights Education (ARRC) in Thailand from 1992 to 1995. From July 1995, he started working at the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center (HURIGHTS OSAKA) in Japan. He conducts research, develops international teaching materials, and edits the annual Human Rights Education in Asia-Pacific publication, as well as several training resources used throughout the region. He participates as a resource person in workshops and conferences in Asia. His writings are available at HURIGHTS OSAKA website and in Academia.

In Episode 64, Jeff Plantilla recounts his journey into human rights education (HRE), beginning with law school training and the impact of living under martial law during the Marcos regime in the Philippines. His early exposure to human rights violations shaped his activism and lifelong dedication to HRE. He describes his influential work with the Asia-Pacific Human Rights Information Center, where he advanced education initiatives during the UN Decade for Human Rights Education. With support from local governments in Osaka, his work included collaborating with national human rights commissions, organizing workshops, and producing instructional materials. These efforts contributed to the creation of regional networks that shared resources and strategies across the Asia-Pacific. We explore HRE in Japan, highlighting the legal mandate for HRE, challenges of addressing systemic human rights conflicts versus interpersonal relations, and anti-discrimination education focused on the Burakumin community in western Japan. Jeff notes the lack of public awareness about discrimination against Burakumin and stresses the importance of embedding these topics into legal and educational frameworks.

Topics Discussed:

• Origins of interest: Law school training and life under Marcos’ martial law
• Impact of violations: How Philippine human rights abuses shaped his activism
• Asia-Pacific HRE work: Building networks, workshops, instructional materials, and government support in Osaka
• National human rights commissions: Their role in advancing HRE
• HRE in Japan: Legal mandates, human rights conflicts vs. human relations, and anti-discrimination work with Burakumin communities
• Closing reflections on sustaining HRE initiatives in the region

Download full topic listing PDF and listen on our HREUSA podcast website. 

Introduction and Closing Music Credit: “Awakening-Spring” by Ketsa, from the Album Night Vision. Available at the Free Music Archive: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa/night-vision/awakening-spring/

This music is used in accordance with this Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Information about that license is available here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Human Rights Education Now! is produced and distributed in accordance with Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International. Information about this license is available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/