We are delighted to welcome Professor Audrey Osler as a Patron for The Steve Sinnott Foundation

We are delighted to have Professor Audrey Osler joining the Foundation as a Patron. Her work in human rights has had a huge impact in the world and reflects an essential part of what we do and what we stand for.

Audrey is a Professor of Education at the University of South-Eastern Norway and at the University of Leeds, UK. She is Editor-in-Chief of ‘Human Rights Education Review’. She has expertise in working for reconciliation in post-conflict settings in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Her most recent book is ‘Human Rights and Schooling: an ethical framework for teaching for social justice’ and she is currently writing ‘Where are you from? No, where are you really from?’ (Virago Press, 2022) drawing on history and memoir to discuss empire, migration and belonging.  

She works in the related but distinct fields of Human Rights Education and Education for Democratic Citizenship, and her research is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing on sociology, political science, and legal scholarship. She has a special interest in children’s democratic participation rights; teachers’ work and citizenship; and race, ethnicity and the experiences of minoritized groups, in both established democracies and post-conflict societies. She works transnationally, and so much of her research is comparative. 

Council of Europe General Rapporteur: Human Rights and Democracy in Action - Looking Ahead Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education Conference 2012.

Presidential panel member: American Educational Research Association (San Francisco: 2005; New Orleans: 2011; Chicago: 2015; Washington DC: 2016) 

Interview with Professor Audrey Osler

 

We recently had the opportunity to interview Audrey about the importance of educating children about human rights. Her experience of teaching human rights spans right across the age range, which provides important insights. You can watch the video here, and read a summary below.



Audrey: “Often human rights is seen as something relating to distant places, whereas I think the most important thing for children of all different ages is to understand their own human rights and then understand how they can defend each other’s rights.


I would begin in a primary school with the things that the children were concerned with. Children of all different ages have very strong views about justice and injustice, right down to small children saying what is fair or unfair. We see lots of older students in school, under the age of 18, standing up to the really big issues. There are children all over the globe who are standing up for the rights of other children, and standing up for big causes like climate justice and environmental issues. It's really important that we find out what the children are interested in, what they care about, and that's the best way in to a discussion about human rights.


I trained as a teacher and I don't think human rights was ever mentioned in my own training. I have supported many different schools with these topics, because they were simply not on the agenda. It's very exciting for many children to find out that all children everywhere have the same rights. That really grabs their imagination, and they will point out that that's not true in practise, we all deserve these rights but how are we going to make sure that everybody is able to claim them.


I think children can be seen as human rights defenders. It shouldn't just be about teachers detecting a problem, children should feel confident to able to express a problem too. It’s really important that they know when they can confidently speak out, using the language of rights and helping them feel empowered.


Human rights dialogue in education is really important so that we can look critically at the human rights framework with teachers. It is better for teachers to engage with, understand and apply then to be given a set of rules which they just have to go along with.


We also need to recognise that human rights learning takes place outside the school too, it takes place in society, it takes place in homes, in many different contexts. Teachers need to know that they are part of a bigger whole. We also need governments that support human rights. A powerful thing about the international framework is that it actually legitimises some difficult topics.


There are lots of people working on these issues who care passionately about these issues. Local networks can help teachers, and there are materials out there to help teachers. The first book I ever produced looked at children's literature and how young children's storey books, including picture books, could be used to teach human rights. Storey books can be a fabulous resource and teachers read often read a storey to young children everyday, and this is an easy way of bringing these discussions into your everyday practise.


We can't always assume that things will always get better in a progressive path forward. I think we often have to take small steps and have a vision of where we want to go. I feel privileged that I was brought up by a mother who encouraged me to think I could do anything, and be anything. She was really very inspiring to me. If you don’t have that when you're very young then it can be quite an impediment. At school girls had a slightly different curriculum to boys, and we had to challenge what seemed unfair, so I was very aware of these things from a young age.


We need to give young people strategies to know what to do about a situation, rather than great principles. It is important to have a sense of confidence in your rights, because I actually think that what goes on for people and especially girls and women, is often just very subtle small things which undermine our confidence. That is how human rights are eroded.”




Once again, we are delighted to have Professor Audrey Osler with us, and we look forward to creating even more impact on the lives of woman and girls through their human right to access education.


Steve Sinnott • August 5, 2021
By Ann Beatty October 13, 2025
In our continued commitment to ensuring quality and inclusive education for every child, we’ve taken our advocacy to a new level by empowering the next generation to lead the conversation. In partnership with The Gambia Teachers Union, we recently convened the Foundation’s Young Ambassadors for a vibrant day of engagement dedicated to promoting the right to education for all. The event brought together passionate students from selected senior secondary schools across Region One, including St. John’s School for the Deaf, to explore what it truly means to make education inclusive, equitable, and accessible to every learner. 
By Ann Beatty October 3, 2025
The Steve Sinnott Foundation is proud to celebrate the inspirational winners of the 2025 Seeds of Hope for a Better Future competition, a global initiative supported by UNESCO that brings together creativity, community, and a shared commitment to peace and sustainability. This unique project invited schools across the world from nursery and primary through to secondary and high school to explore the values of peace, cultural understanding, and care for the planet. In the face of climate change, young people were asked to tell their stories through art, performance, and digital creativity, highlighting how small seeds of action can grow into powerful movements for hope. The results have been extraordinary. Schools in France, the UK, Gambia, Haiti, and Kenya have been recognised for their outstanding contributions, with projects ranging from community gardens and sculptures to dance performances and illustrated stories. Each winner has shown how young voices and imagination can nurture peace and sustainability in ways that inspire us all. The full Awards Ceremony can be watched linked here: S eeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025 Highlights from the Winners Oak View Primary and Nursery School (UK) created Faces of Feeling, a collection of joyful sculptures already exhibited in a local gallery. Judges praised their work as supporting the wellbeing of others and embodying the idea of children as true “Seeds of Hope.” St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School (Gambia) painted Campaign for a Sustainable Banjul , reflecting real-world climate action in their city. The judges described it as “a most deserving and robust winner.” In France , the Jardin d'Enfants des Nations Unies (United Nations Nursery School) won hearts with Wind of Peace , where 5-6 year olds combined drawings, paintings, and tree planting to champion reforestation. Lyng Hall Secondary School, Coventry (UK) collaborated with Henley Green Primary and the UK Literacy Association to produce The Heart Shaped Hole – an innovative and metaphorical take on Seeds of Hope. Earlsdon Primary School, Coventry (UK) impressed with Primary Plot , a project that included gardening with the visually impaired, reflecting inclusivity and sustainability. A remarkable cross-collaboration between 21 schools across West Yorkshire, Essex, and Tower Hamlets (UK) resulted in Lights, Camera, Score , an ambitious combination of animation, music, and storytelling. CIMA Community School of Hope, Haiti shared Konbit - a video of dance and solidarity, inspiring villages to work together for peace and dignity. Daraja Academy, Kenya presented an ambitious and optimistic project integrating sustainability into everyday school life. Celebrating Creativity and Peace This year’s competition was judged by an impressive panel of artists, writers, and cultural leaders including Sir Antony Gormley, Edmund de Waal, Dame Liz Forgan, Hugh Quarshie, and Rathna Ramanathan. Their collective expertise highlighted the quality and depth of the entries, each of which showed how art can be a powerful tool for global understanding and change. The Seeds of Hope initiative is part of UNESCO UK’s Arts and Culture for Peace programme, first launched in 2022. It has grown from earlier collaborations such as the Coventry Young Ambassadors’ Islands of Peace Japanese Garden , opened in 2021 a living reminder that seeds planted in communities can continue to flourish. Highlights from the ceremony can be found here at this playlist Looking Ahead As Ann Beatty, UNESCO ASPnet UK National Coordinator , shared: “The quality of entries was extraordinary. We are delighted at the response to this amazing initiative in collaboration with our international partners.” And in the words of judge Jannette Cheong : “Young people around the world understand well the value of peace and tolerant relationships between cultures. Their creativity is an inspiration to all of us.” At The Steve Sinnott Foundation, we believe that education is the seed from which hope grows. The Seeds of Hope competition is a shining example of how young people through creativity, compassion, and collaboration are already shaping a more peaceful and sustainable future. You can access the full online awards presentation here: Seeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025
By Ann Beatty August 18, 2025
The journey to strengthen the well-being and success of learners in The Gambia continues with a renewed commitment to guidance and counselling in schools. By August 14th 2025, we have successfully trained 140 educators across 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 & 𝟒 under our Guidance & Counselling Programme. A programme designed to equip educators with the skills to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development. Region 3 Teachers Complete Level 2 Training On Wednesday, 6th August, thirty teachers from Region 3 (North Bank Region) began a three-day Level 2 Guidance and Counselling training at the Christian Council in Kanifing. This programme built on their earlier Level 1 training in Farafenni, with a focus on deepening their capacity to serve as school-based counsellors. The training concluded with a certificate presentation ceremony, recognising the teachers’ commitment and marking an important step in their professional development. These certificates symbolize more than an achievement; they represent each teacher’s readiness to provide psychosocial support, guidance, and mentorship to learners across their schools.