This manual is designed to engage youth in discussion and action on the topic of human rights. It provides youth leaders, teachers, educators, professionals, and volunteers with concrete ideas to motivate, engage, and involve young people to take action for human rights in their own way, in their own community. COMPASS has been produced within the framework of the Human Rights Education Youth Programme of the Directorate of Youth and Sport of the Council of Europe.

As stated in the introduction, the manual provides an opportunity for those working in human rights education to explore human rights themes in a manner that is creative and involving for young people. It includes the following:

Chapter 1: Human Rights Education and COMPASS, a Brief Guide for Practitioners - Familiarises the reader with what human rights education means and to how to get the best out of COMPASS and its educational approaches.

Chapter 2: Practical Activities and Methods for Human Rights Education - A collection of 49 activities of different levels of complexity, which cover different themes and address different types of rights.

Chapter 3: Taking Action - Contains ideas and tips for those who would like to be more active in promoting human rights.

Chapter 4: Background Information on Human Rights - Provides essential information about human rights and international standards and documents.

Chapter 5: Background Information on the Global Themes - Provides supplementary background information about the themes.

Appendices - International Legal Human Rights Instruments and Evaluation Form - Contains essential information on legal documents.

The Council of Europe has made the document available in the four languages listed below. However, over 20 other linguistic versions of Compass can be ordered from various publishers throughout the world; and other versions are under preparation.

English, French, Russian, Arabic

Dosta! website [7], accessed on March 31 2009.