Lahore, (TW News) – The European Union (EU), through its funding under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II project, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), inaugurated the Shaista Ikramullah Human Rights Education Centre (SIHREC) in Lahore, aimed at advancing human rights education in Pakistan.

Designed as an interdisciplinary platform for learning, research, and dialogue, the Centre will support students, researchers, academics, civil society actors, and institutions working on human rights. By encouraging engagement beyond traditional classroom settings, the Centre seeks to strengthen how human rights principles are understood and applied across sectors.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Raimundas Karoblis, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, underscored the EU’s long-term partnership with Pakistan to promote human rights and inclusive governance. “The European Union hopes that this Centre will help shape the future Shaista Ikramullahs, who will not only support dignified lives in the country but also contribute to shaping the global discourse on human rights,” he said.

SIHREC will actively engage students and emerging human rights advocates as contributors to its programming and research priorities, cultivating a vibrant community that connects global human rights standards with local realities and supports young people in shaping their futures.

In his remarks, Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights, lauded the establishment of the Centre and reaffirmed the Government of Pakistan’s support for initiatives that strengthen human rights education and inform public engagement. “Platforms such as the SIHREC help connect learning with practice and encourage collaboration across institutions, academia, and civil society in promoting dignity, equality, and justice,” he said.

The inauguration brought together representatives from government, academia, civil society, and the diplomatic community, and featured a panel discussion on bridging human rights studies and practice, with contributions from the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) and the Lahore University of Management Sciences. The Global Campus of Human Rights, a landmark global human rights education initiative established by the European Union, will support key activities at the Centre.

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Samuel Rizk, UNDP Resident Representative in Pakistan, highlighted human rights education as both a development investment and a foundation for a more inclusive society. “Human rights education is not abstract; it is a framework that shapes how people experience justice, dignity, and opportunity in their daily lives. The Shaista Ikramullah Human Rights Education Centre creates a space for learning that is grounded in practice, enabling young people to engage constructively with the systems that shape their rights, choices, and opportunities,” he said.

The event concluded with the opening of a student-led art exhibition titled “The Quiet Curriculum of Justice,” organized in partnership with the Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore. The exhibition reflected the Centre’s commitment to extending human rights learning beyond formal classrooms through creative engagement of students across disciplines. The launch also marked the beginning of the SIHREC’s opening week, which will feature workshops, training sessions, and engagement activities to introduce the Centre’s mandate and lay the groundwork for sustained collaboration in human rights education in Pakistan.