​Human rights educators build regional connections

Educators representing 19 national human rights institutions from across the Asia Pacific region recently concluded a week-long workshop where they shared their extensive knowledge and examples of good practice.

The workshop, held in Bangkok from 26-30 September 2016, followed four weeks of online learning.

"One of the great outcomes of the workshop was the opportunity for skilled human rights educators to build new relationships and learn from each other," said Kate Turner-Mann, the APF's Regional Training Manager.

"There was terrific enthusiasm among the group to share their experiences and identify new ways of working that they could apply back at home," she said.

As part of the workshop, participants agreed to

• Learn one new skill to help plan, deliver and evaluate their NHRI's human rights education activities
• Discover about what three other NHRIs are doing to facilitate human rights education in their countries
• Draw on at least one of these ideas to expand their NHRI's human rights education efforts
• Make connections with at least three colleagues from other NHRIs to collaborate after the workshop.

This commitment to collaboration and building on good practice was evident in the lead up to the workshop, Ms Turner Mann said.

For example, staff from the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia worked together to translate the APF Manual on Human Rights Education into Mongolian, while Raymund Rosuelo from the Philippines Commission on Human Rights drew on ideas in the APF Manual to establish a Memorandum of Understanding with Bukidnon State University.

Following the workshop, each participant will present a human rights education action plan to colleagues and Commissioners in their respective national human rights institutions.

The APF was pleased to welcome Kirsten Bjødstrup Jensen, Advisor from the Danish Institute of Human Rights, as a workshop participant.

Date: 12 October 2016