Top 20 Human Rights Museums Around the World

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People interested in careers relating to human rights

Human Rights Careers

“When you think of a museum, places like the Smithsonian, Tate Modern, Louvre, The Egyptian Museum or the National Gallery of Victoria leap to mind. Museums are educational spaces that use artifacts and exhibits to bring the past to life. In somewhat recent years, however, a new form of museum has emerged: the human rights museum. These spaces have two purposes: to educate and to warn. Using photographs, objects, and interactive displays, human rights museums examine past violations and remember those affected. Visitors leave with more knowledge and understanding, but the primary hope is that these museums provoke empathy. Empathy is a key part in preventing future injustices.

Human rights museums are also frequently controversial. Which human rights violations are memorialized, how much space certain events are given, and if certain exhibits are exploitative are common concerns.”

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SDGs LINKAGES

The resource is most closely linked to SDG targets relating to staff skills (4.4) and Education for Sustainable Development (4.7).

Promoting a culture of peace contributes to SDGs 4.A (effective learning environments), SDGs 8.9 (sustainable tourism), 10.2 (promote universal social, political and economic inclusion), 11.7 (safe and welcoming green and public places), 11.B (integrated planning for Disaster Risk Reduction), 16.1 (reducing all forms of violence), 16.3 (promote the rule of law and equal access to justice) and 16.10 (protect the right to information).

Click on the SDG Target to discover Our Collections Matter indicators

SDG 4.4: Increase the Number of People with Relevant Skills for Financial Success
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number of young people and adults in skills-development activities and programmes drawing on collections, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
Increase in number of young people and adults in such programmes.
Number and proportion of staff who have received training in the last year, to better support their contribution to the SDGs.
Programs and processes in place to ensure the availability of a skilled workforce.
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SDG 4.7: Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of people in each type of programme drawing on collections from different demographic groups.
Increases in numbers of people in each type of programme from different demographic groups.
Proportion of people involved in such programmes in relation to overall audience size.
Evidence that learners have acquired knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development.
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SDG 4.A: Build and Upgrade Inclusive and Safe Schools
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number and proportion of education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive.
Proportion of education facilities that provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
Number and type of initiatives to improve effectiveness of learning environments.
Support given to other education facilities to make them more inclusive and effective.
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SDG 8.9: Promote Beneficial and Sustainable Tourism
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of jobs created or supported that relate to sustainable tourism drawing on local products (e.g. craft producers).
Develop and implement plans to reduce and remove negative impacts of tourism.
Numbers of activities and/or products drawing on local culture.
Value to artisans and source communities of activities and products drawing on local culture.
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SDG 10.2: Promote Universal Social Economic and Political Inclusion
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Collections development to ensure that collections effectively meet the needs of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
Number and proportion of educational and participatory programmes that promote participation irrespective of social or other status.
Numbers and proportions of people making use of collections in relation to the demographic of the local population.
Numbers and proportions of people involved in focused programmes aimed at promoting social, economic and political inclusion.
Numbers and proportions of people from different demographic groups involved in decision-making processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
Number and types of partnerships that build relationships with marginalized groups, individuals and communities.
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SDG 11.7: Provide Access to Safe and Inclusive Green and Public Spaces
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups, notably women, children, older people and persons with disabilities.
Increases in numbers of people accessing collecting institutions from different demographic groups.
Measures taken to remove barriers to access green and public spaces.
Extent of green space provided by collections institutions.
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SDG 11.B: Implement Policies for Inclusion, Resource Efficiency and Disaster Risk Reduction
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030a.
Disaster Risk Reduction strategies and plans in place, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, to ensure collecting institutions and collections are factored into planning, and contribute effectively to Disaster Risk Reduction.
Collections-based institutions included in local plans for social inclusion, resource use, and Disaster Risk Reduction.
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SDG 16.1: Reduce Violence Everywhere
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Collections development that relates to violent crime, and violence of all kinds, and the relationships between violence and mortality.
Number of educational, awareness-raising and partnership programmes drawing on collections that aim to reduce violence and related mortality.
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SDG 16.3: Promote the Rule of Law and Ensure Equal Access to Justice
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Collections development that relates to the rule of law, equality before the law, and justice for all.
Number of activities drawing on collections, for example educational, research and partnership activities, that promote the rule of law at national and international levels, and that promote a culture of lawfulness, and the right of all to justice.
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SDG 16.10: Ensure Public Access to Information and Protect Fundamental Freedoms
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Adopt and implement constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information.
Plans in place, and plans implemented to enhance public access to information relating to collections.
Plans in place, and plans implemented to support fundamental freedoms, in line with human rights, national and international agreements and legislation.
Plans and procedures in place for public access to information relating to the operation and management of collections-based institutions.
Complaint mechanism in place for public to use where public access to information and fundamental freedoms not supported or fulfilled.
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