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Introduction

Central and Eastern Europe shares with Central Asia the challenges posed by transition from a communist ideology and centrally planned economies to a democratic system and market-based economies. Equitas has been involved in capacity building for human rights NGOs in CEE and Central Asia since the early 1990s. Initially our involvement was limited to the participation of NGOs in our annual International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP). In spring 1995 and fall 1996, Equitas organized 2 regional training programmes in Central and Eastern Europe, and in fall 1997, an annual Regional Training of Trainers programme was implemented in the region.

Equitas' programme in Central Asia dates back to 1999 when we implemented our first teacher training workshops in Kazakhstan. In 2001, we began the regional training programme involving teacher training workshops in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the formation of national teams, and regional workshops for members of those teams. In 2003, a regional consultation also included participants from Tajikistan. An evaluation of the programme in September 2004 revealed that the programme has resulted in life changes for the teachers involved, a deep commitment to human rights, shared knowledge with their colleagues, the implementation of innovative human rights education programmes in the classroom, and fundamental change in school governance with the adoption of transparent and participatory approaches.

Human Rights Education Capacity Building in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia

The goal of this project is to strengthen the capacity of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Central Asia (CA) so that it is better equipped to promote human rights education within the school system. The objectives are to:
  • Strengthen the capacity of NGOs throughout the CEE region to undertake activities which relate to human rights education, and
  • Equip human rights educators in Central Asia (CA) in particular with the human rights knowledge, skills and materials they need to effectively promote HRE in schools

Organizations in Central Asia who participated in the design and /or implementation of the project include:
  • The Center for Conflict Management (CCM), Almaty, Kazakhstan
  • The Youth Human Rights Group (YHRG), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
  • The Center for Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (CSHRHL), Tashkent, Uzbekistan
  • Human Rights Interest Club, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
  • Humanitarian-Legal Centre, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
  • The Peacebuilding, Almaty, Kazakhtan
  • "Zharia", Astana, Kazakhstan

  • Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan

  • October 2001 to March 2005

 


  • Human Right Educators in CEE and CA

    Activities implemented during the project:
  • Participation of up to 25 human rights activists and educators from CEE and CA per year in Equitas' annual International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) in Montreal, Canada.
  • Three regional Human Rights Education Workshops for Teacher Trainers in Central Asia
  • Three national Human Rights Education Workshop for Teachers; one in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
  • Fifteen (15) local Teacher Training Sessions; five in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
    Recent activities in the region:
  • October 28-30, 2004: CEE/CIS IHRTP Alumni Meeting, Kiev, Ukraine
  • July 5-14, 2004: European Roma Rights Center- Implementation of re-designed Summer School for Young Roma Activists, Budapest, Hungary
  • May 3-7, 2004: Regional Workshop for Teacher Trainers (III), Almaty, Kazakhstan
  • March 29 to April 3, 2004: National Workshop on Human Rights Education in Schools, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
  • January 11-13, 2004: Regional Evaluation Workshop, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
  • July 4-16, 2003: CHRF participation in ERRC annual Summer School, Budapest, Hungary
  • May 3-8, 2003: Regional Workshop for Teacher Trainers (II), Almaty, Kazakhstan

    This 4-year project is made possible thanks to:
  • The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) CEE Branch

 

Human Rights Education Capacity Development for the European Roma Rights Center

It is increasingly recognized that Roma (Gypsies) are among the primary victims of human rights abuses in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The Roma remain to date the most deprived ethnic group of Europe. Almost everywhere, their fundamental rights are threatened. Discrimination against Roma in employment, education, health care, administrative and other services is common in many societies.

It is against this backdrop that Equitas has been requested to revise and transform the human rights training program for young Roma activists organized annually by the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC), whose head office is in Budapest.

The goal of this project is to strengthen the capacity of the ERRC to design and deliver effective human rights education programs for Roma activists in Central and Eastern Europe. The objectives are to:
  • Revise the curriculum of the ERRC Roma Rights Summer School integrating a participatory human rights education methodology
  • Develop a team of skilled trainers well-versed in participatory human rights education techniques
  • Strengthen the capacity of the ERRC to evaluate and measure the results of its education programs

  • The Roma Rights Summer School project was developed with the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), Budapest, Hungary

  • Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Moldova, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia

  • March 2003 to March 2005

  • Developing a participatory training manual covering the entire session for the 2004 Summer School
  • Curriculum development for the Summer School in July 2003
  • Participation of two Equitas staff to the ERRC's Summer School in Budapest in 2003
  • Participation of ERRC staff in Equitas' annual International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) in 2003 and 2004

    This project is made possible thanks to :
  • The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) CEE Branch

 

 
 
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