On 20-21 August 2024, the Human Rights Training Workshop was held, bringing together 40 participants from across Karnataka, to enhance their understanding of human rights and their roles as defenders. The workshop began with an inspiring address by Fr. Jose Koyickal, SDB, who emphasised the crucial role of community development practitioners in advocating for and defending communities.
The first day featured a session by Fr. George PS, Executive Director of BREADS, who drew on insights from the books “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and “Who Will Cry When You Die”, to stress the importance of proactive behaviour, teamwork, and a service-oriented approach in human rights advocacy.
Ms Margaret Sampath, Executive Director of Manasa SICHRCM, conducted an engaging, activity-based session that delved into the fundamentals of human rights. The session centred around six impactful case studies, each illustrating key human rights challenges and the critical role of human rights defenders in addressing them. Through interactive discussions, participants were able to analyse effective human rights advocacy. This hands-on approach not only deepened their understanding of human rights but also equipped them with practical skills to apply in their own efforts to protect and promote these rights.
Fr. Anil D’Sa led an interactive session that involved various activities such as Find your Tribe, Paper Quest- Unveil Yourself, Dancing Monarch -The Royal Showdown, Hidden Sphere Scramble, which were creative exercises and group tasks to foster engagement and collaboration among participants.
On the second day, sessions were conducted by members of VIHAAN, in which key issues in human rights were addressed. Ms. Sherlin Anthony, Senior Specialist, delivered an insightful session on the role of human rights in combating critical issues, with a particular focus on human trafficking. She highlighted the severe impact of trafficking on vulnerable populations and discussed the legal frameworks and advocacy strategies necessary to tackle this global problem. Following this, Ms. Shanthi D’Souza concentrated on human rights violations against women. She underscored the prevalence of gender-based discrimination and abuse, and emphasised the crucial role of Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) committees in creating safer, more equitable environments for women in the workplace. Together, these sessions provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of these pressing human rights challenges and equipped them with knowledge to advocate for stronger support systems. Fr. Prasad concluded the workshop with a discussion on the critical role of documentation in human rights work.
The training programme significantly enhanced the participants’ understanding of human rights, improved their advocacy skills, and reinforced their commitment to protecting and promoting human rights.
