In 2024, I had the privilege of working with Take Action Global, a nonprofit that partners with schools around the world to bring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to life in classrooms.
My role was small—connecting schools here in California with a global network of teachers and students—but the work left a lasting mark.
I remember researching their work and listening to students from Nigeria, Argentina, and the Philippines share how they were tackling local issues tied to climate action and quality education.
These weren’t scripted presentations—they were heart-forward, authentic reflections on how learning could drive change.
One student spoke about planting trees to protect a local waterway; another had created a simple app that tracked neighborhood litter.
It struck me that what they were really talking about wasn’t just sustainability—it was human rights in action.
That’s the power of this month—Universal Human Rights Month—and the invitation it gives to all of us in education.
When the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, education was named as both a right and a responsibility.
Article 26 calls on education to “promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations.” It’s a tall order—but it’s exactly what teachers already do every day.
By connecting the UDHR with the SDGs, we give our students the language and structure to understand how issues like poverty, gender equality, climate, and peace connect to their daily lives.
The goals become less about far-off global policy and more about shared human dignity.
And the best part?
These conversations fit naturally into the work we already do—whether it’s analyzing a text through a human rights lens, graphing access to clean water by region, or designing art that amplifies a cause students care about.
Here are three approachable ways to bring the spirit of Universal Human Rights Month into your classroom this December:
As we close out the year, I’m reminded that understanding human rights starts with practicing them in our own classrooms.
How do we honor every learner’s right to be seen, heard, and valued?
How do we create space for courage, curiosity, and care—especially when the world feels heavy?
Maybe this December, our greatest act as educators is to pause and remember that teaching itself is an act of hope.
Every time we invite students to think critically, to empathize, to stand up for fairness, we reaffirm what the UDHR began more than 75 years ago: that learning is a human right, and so is belonging.
So here’s to you—teaching boldly, leading with heart, and helping every student recognize the rights they already carry within them.