Abstract:

This study analyses the Human Rights Education (HRE) within the Grade 7th textbook of Social Science prescribed by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) for the academic session 2024–25. It followed the Evaluative and Descriptive Research design and it employed percentage analysis to measure the proportion of content devoted to fundamental human rights across the 21 chapters of the textbook. The findings reveal that only 9.7% of the total content explicitly addresses human rights, with greater emphasis on economic and freedom-related rights such as the Right to Honest and Productive Means of Earning (2.03%), Freedom of Religion (1.62%), and Right to Freedom (1.21%). Moderate attention is given to cultural rights and protection from discrimination, while crucial rights such as justice, child labour, health and well-being, and basic necessities are entirely absent. This uneven representation underscores significant curricular gaps and lack of alignment with both international HRE frameworks and national educational priorities. This study highlights the urgent need for curriculum restructuring, integration of neglected rights, cross-disciplinary teaching approaches, and teacher training in HRE pedagogy. Supplementary resources and community-based learning are recommended to bridge existing gaps. Ultimately, the research emphasizes that strengthening HRE at the middle-school level is vital for nurturing socially responsible, tolerant, and active citizens capable of upholding constitutional values and contributing to a just and democratic society.