Today’s debate in Westminster, London will be about religion in schools in Britain. In his presentation, Robert Jackson will focus on a wider European perspective to the UK debates. He suggests that – along with key European Institutions, such as the Council of Europe – we need to ground our thinking about religious education in a human rights framework that recognises freedom of religious or non-religious belief as a value. Read his reflections and comments on the debate taking place today on "Faith in Schools".

CIFEDHOP will be holding in Geneva, from October 18th to October 24th 2012, its 7th International Training Session on the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for educational and civil society organisations. This training session is mainly organised for teachers, educators, researchers, and NGO involved in human rights education.

The Council of Europe has adopted a new strategy to protect and promote children’s rights. The strategy is a response to the needs expressed by governments, professionals working with children, civil society and children themselves who ask for more efforts to be made in implementing existing standards. In order to achieve this, the Council of Europe will provide guidance and support to its 47 member states on how best to bridge gaps between the rights and the reality of children in Europe.

Prof Robert Jackson will take part in a public debate on "Faith in Schools" with Prof Richard Dawkins and two other speakers including the Bishop of Oxford, who is the spokesperson on religious education for the Church of England. The debate will take place in Westminster on 22 February. This upcoming debate is attracting a lot of attention and will include members of Parliament and the House of Lords. It will be chaired by Charles Clarke, former UK Minister of Education.

’This is an excellent book…The scholars who have contributed to this volume provide critical yardsticks for both the place of religion in education and the types of religion and state relations in Europe and beyond.’– Norman Doe, Cardiff University, UK. In a comparative and multidisciplinary perspective, this book offers contributions by prominent law and religion experts on key concepts such as laïcité, discrimination and religious freedom; on national models of State/Church relationships in an educational context and on topical and controversial cases raised in various European jurisdictions.