Convention on the Rights of the Child - is an excellent place to start to introduce a global dimension into the school and national curriculum.  UNICEF and Save the Children  have teaching resources which provide a very useful link to the global dimension, starting from the Rights of the Child.

 

Developed/developing  - are terms commonly used to describe countries in terms of their wealth. However, this is only one interpration of what development means, as many commentators would say that 'development' has other goals such as access to quality of life. 

The term also assumes that all countries are pursuing a similar route to economic prosperity.  Another issue which these terms do not address is that within each country wealth is unevenly distributed.

 

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) - 'enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions about the way we do things individually and collectively, both locally and globally, that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future.'   

 

 Fair Trade

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay above market prices, Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their lot and have more control over their lives.

 

 Global Citizenship - Oxfam's work on a curriculum for Global Citizenship offers very helpful guidelines:

They see a Global Citizen as someone who:

• is aware of the wider world and has a sense of their own role as a world citizen;
• respects and values diversity;
• has an understanding of how the world works economically, politically, socially, culturally, technologically and environmentally;
• is outraged by social injustice;
• participates in and contributes to the community at a range of levels from local to global;
• is willing to act to make the world a more sustainable place;
• takes responsibility for their actions. (Oxfam 1997)

  There is an obvious overlap with the Global Dimension in that if a school includes a global dimension in all subjects of the national curriculum then it is contributing to the education of global citizens.  However, Global Citizenship has an active element - the knowledge, skills and values should inform participation, action, and taking responsibility for actions.

 Global Dimension  - 'including a global dimension in teaching means that links can be made between local and global issues and what is taught is informed by international and global matters.  It also means that young people are given opportunities to examine their own values and attitudes, to appreciate the similarities between peoples everywhere, to understand the global context of their local lives, and to develop skills that will enable them to combat prejudice and discrimination.  This in turn gives young people the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an active role in the global community.'  (Developing a global dimension in the school curriculum, 2000, DfEE) 

Human Rights    Since 1948 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights increasing numbers of documents have been created, not least the UK Human Rights Act of 1998.  All recognise the importance of Human Rights and the responsibilities they bring, for sustainable development.  

The international dimension in education can be anything from helping pupils understand the global aspect to their everyday lives to a curriculum-based partnership with schools in other countries.  It can apply to, and enrich, the entire curriculum.  DFES has developed a new website to support teachers called the Global Gateway.

 

International Monetary Fund (IMF) - together with the World Bank, the IMF was set up in July 1944 at the UN Monetary and Financial Conference at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA.  At this time its purpose was to finance the rebuilding of Europe after World War ll. 

One World - The term is shorthand for the view of the world which sees the human race as one, regardless of nationality, politics, economics, religion, race, gender, sexuality or ability.  It includes a belief in the concepts of interdependence, human rights, diversity and equality, which together contribute to the kind of development which is sustainable.  It also sees Universal Human Rights and Peace as central requirements for sustainable development. Click this title to read about One World Action.

Racism- See the  website for lots of useful information and ideas for the classroom. 

• prepare and publish a race equality policy
• monitor and assess the impact of their policies, including their race equality policy, on pupils, staff and parents of different ethnic groups; the emphasis here is on pupils' achievements

Sustainable Development - is 'development that meets the needs of the present  without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. This defintion from 'Our common future', the report of the Brundtland Commission of 1987 was the springboard for 1992 United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, often called the Earth Summit, at which Agenda 21 (a blueprint for sustainable development) was agreed.

• was established on October 24th 1945 by 51 nations in order that the world should never again see a World War. 
• Today, 191 nations are members of the UN.  Member nations agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter.
• The UN has four purposes: to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights; and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

The World Bank was set up, along with the IMF, in 1944 at the UN Monetary and Financial conference at Bretton Woods.