Training

Leading a training workshop on EU protection of HRDs in cooperation with Youth Against Settlements, Hebron, Occupied Palestinian Terrritories, February 2014

 

HRDiplomacy designs and conducts training sessions

  • on HRDs and their protection (for staff of Ministries of Foreign Affairs/diplomats)
  • on the policies and practices of the EU, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, the US and Canada in the protection of HRDs and how to get them to take action (for HRDs or for staff of local, European or international human rights organizations)

Examples are:

  • In March 2017 and June 2019 in Brussels, for staff of local and European human rights organizations, on policies and practices of the EU, Norway, Switzerland and Canada in HRD protection and how to get them to take action.  One participant stated "the trainer showed mastery and expertise in the job and facilitates well on new ideas coming from the participants."  This and some other trainings were based on the handbook written for Front Line Defenders, The European Union:  What it can do, getting it to take action.
  • n July 2016, in The Hague, on human rights defenders and their projection, for around 40 staff members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands.
  • In September 2015, in Germany, on advocacy for protection of HRDs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the German NGO Kurve Wustrow.
  • In June 2015, in Kyiv, on advocacy skills, for HRDs from Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.
  • In February 2014, in Hebron, in collaboration with Youth Against Settlements, a workshop for Palestinian and international human rights defenders in Hebron, Occupied Palestinian Territories on EU policies and practices in the protection of HRDs.   
  • In November 2013, in Brussels, for the NGO Arseh Sevom, a two-day training workshop on EU human rights advocacy for 12 Europe-based Iranian human rights defenders.  The key topics were EU institutions, EU human rights policies, and advocacy methods and effectiveness.  Training methodologies included presentations, work in small groups, viewing and discussion of demonstration videos, role plays and direct exchange with invited EU representatives.  Participants' evaluation of the workshop was very positive.
  • In July 2013, in Amsterdam, a two-hour training workshop on EU protection of human rights defenders for 11 Amnesty International Netherlands staff members.
  • In April 2013, in Kampala, Uganda, on EU protection of HRDs at the regional stakeholder meeting of the East and Horn of African Human Rights Defenders Project.
  • In January 2009, in Utrecht, a one-day training session on human rights defenders for staff of the Dutch NGO ICCO.
  • In July 2008, in Istanbul, at the “summer school” organized by the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, two training sessions, one on “documenting human rights violations” and one on “lobby and advocacy.”  Participants were members and staff of human rights organizations in the Mediterranean region.
  • In September 2005, in The Hague, on the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders and how EU governments can be lobbied to help defend and widen NGO space, at Oxfam Novib's "Workshop on NGO Space in Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia, The Middle East and Maghreb."  A total of 13 organizations from Azerbaijan, Serbia/Montenegro, Egypt, Morocco, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Georgia participated in this two-and-a-half day workshop.  During the workshop, participants exchanged experiences in working in restrictive environments and in opening up space for the activities of NGOs. Participants also learned about external mechanisms that could contribute to increasing space for NGO activities, and discussed the possibilities and limits of these mechanisms.