CSOs members trained on human rights reporting

By The Inspirer writer.

Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development (GLIHD) in collaboration with UN Human Rights has launched a three-day workshop in Kigali on June 25, 2024, aimed at enhancing the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Rwanda to engage with international human rights mechanisms.

The workshop, running from June 25 to June 27, 2024, focuses on NGOs participation within the United Nations Human Rights Treaty System and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

The workshop’s primary goal is to strengthen the ability of Rwandan NGOs and the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) to effectively report and advocate for economic, social, and cultural rights.

This initiative is critical as Rwanda prepares for its review by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in 2025.

The UN Human Rights Treaty System includes nine major treaties, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), each monitored by corresponding treaty bodies.

In his remarks, John SCARIUS, GLIHD’s Director of Programs said: Recognizing that many states face challenges in meeting multiple reporting obligations to treaty bodies, the General Assembly thru resolution 68/268 of April 2014, established a Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme.

Participants, consisting of 30 representatives from various CSOs and the NHRI, will undergo intensive training on the UN Human Rights Treaty System, including the reporting cycle, State obligations, and the role of NGOs and NHRIs. The training will also cover the content and key principles of the ICESCR, and provide hands-on experience in drafting alternative reports.

By the end of the workshop, participants are expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the functions of treaty bodies and the UPR, acquire skills for drafting alternative reports to treaty bodies and the UPR, and commit to drafting shadow reports on the UPR and economic, social, and cultural rights.

The workshop will be conducted in two phases: an in-person training session featuring presentations by facilitators and expert resource persons, followed by group exercises to draft a report on economic, social, and cultural rights to the CESCR. Participants will also complete an e-learning course on reporting to UN human rights treaty bodies after the workshop, ensuring they internalize and apply the knowledge gained during the training.

GLIHD’s initiative comes at a critical time, as Rwanda is scheduled for review by the CESCR in 2025. The workshop aims to prepare Rwandan NGOs and the NHRI for this opportunity, empowering them to contribute meaningfully to the State dialogue and the implementation of human rights recommendations.

Jane Smith, GLIHD’s Project Coordinator, expressed the organization’s commitment to fostering a culture of human rights in Rwanda. She noted that this workshop is a significant step towards ensuring that all voices, especially those of marginalized communities, are heard in international human rights forums.

The workshop is supported by the UN Human Rights Office’s Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme, which provides advisory services, technical assistance, and capacity-building to State parties and other stakeholders.

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