Manchester Met is committed to human rights, promotes freedom of expression, works to be a diverse and inclusive community and works to prevent modern slavery throughout its operations. The university community encourages freedom of expression and debate, has policies that recognise protected characteristics and beliefs and works to treat everyone with dignity and respect. These are not just ‘nice’ statements or aspirations, they reflect the university’s responsibilities with regard to Human Rights. And they affect your life in the university, because you are a Human Rights holder – you have rights that are listed and explained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is essential that you know your rights, however, because not knowing them can mean you do not demand or use them. So this module will help you explore your Rights, understand what they mean for you, and even encourage you to think about how you might work for Human Rights for others.
Human Rights are about justice, what it means for individuals, societies and nations; how it is upheld and how it can be denied when governments, businesses and institutions are not held to account.
Dan Shercliff is an educational consultant with over 20 years’ experience working in education and human rights. He holds a degree in International Relations and a Master’s in Education Policy, where he developed a strong belief in the power of education to bring about justice, deeply influenced by the ideas of Paulo Freire and critical pedagogy.
Dan began his career in further and adult education, starting as a teacher and progressing into senior leadership roles. He led community-based education across Manchester, driven by the conviction that adults have the right to learn and that education gives people the tools to think critically, challenge injustice, and shape their own lives.
Alongside his work in the UK, Dan has worked in Uganda and Bangladesh, supporting education in schools and disadvantaged communities. He trained teachers, helped establish an IT suite, and delivered programmes in slum areas, gaining first-hand insight into the global challenges facing education.
Dan has always seen education as a means to work toward social justice. He has led a range of projects tackling inequality, including anti-racism education programmes. Most recently, he was Human Rights Education Manager at Amnesty International UK, where he managed national projects helping people understand their rights. This included training teachers, advising education leaders on rights-based policies, and supporting youth-led campaigns.
Now working independently, Dan continues to design and deliver education projects focused on human rights, community empowerment, and critical thinking. His work remains rooted in the belief that education, when it is participatory, inclusive, and grounded in lived experience, is one of the most powerful tools we have to build a fairer, more just world.
- Staff Member: Tom Whittaker