From 9 to 20 September 2019, 24 defenders attended GHR 45th Geneva Course for defenders from the regions. The Course took place during the first two weeks of the 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (9 – 27 September 2019).
The 45th Geneva Course of GHR ‘on the Human Rights Council, international human rights and humanitarian law, international procedures and diplomacy’ (9 to 20 September 2019)was attended by 24 defenders from Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Myanmar, Laos, West-Papua, Indonesia, India, Cameroon, Mali, France, and students from France, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Switzerland. It coincided with the first two weeks of the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council.
GHR Geneva Courses are unique. They combine the theory, the exchanges on the experience of the participants (field situations) and the exposure to the multilateral reality, which the trainees monitor. The 45th Geneva Course had two parts: the General Course (Week-1) on the international system; and the Course on the proceedings of the Council (Week-2) with daily morning classes to discuss the debates in the HR-Council, to learn drafting communications to the UN special procedures, and to analyze the reports submitted by the Experts and the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR). In the Council’s meetings they attended every afternoon, the trainees from the regions were assisted by GHR Department of Human Rights Policy Studies (HPS).
GHR training team was composed of Ms. Maryna Yazianok (Belarus), Ms. Maheshwari (India), Nicolas Zoller (Switzerland), Edward Flynn (Ireland) and Adrien-Claude Zoller.
The classes included courses on: the international system (international human rights law, humanitarian and criminal laws, international relations, the IGO’s, the UN structure, organs and programmes); the UN and human rights; the human rights standards; the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms; transitional justice; enforced or involuntary disappearances; the UN Special procedures; the OHCHR reports to the Council; writing communications to the UN special procedures; economic, social and cultural rights; Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); country situations in the Council; the UN & Indigenous Peoples; the Universal Periodic Review (UPR); Women’s rights; International Humanitarian Law; International Criminal Law; human rights defenders and reprisals; human rights treaty bodies; and the human rights implementation in the countries.
21 participants obtained the Course’s certificate.
documents for the next Geneva Course: 24 February to Friday 6 March 2020 during HRC 43rd session
GHR GTP GSC 46-1_Geneva Course 2020-02_24-03-06-during HRC 34th-Presentation
GHR GTP GSC 46-2_Geneva Course 2020-02_24-03-06-during HRC 34th-Program
GHR GTP GSC 46-3_Geneva Course 2020-02_24-03-06-during HRC 34th-Application Form
GHR GTP GSC 46-4_Geneva Course 2020-02_24-03-06-during HRC 34th-Estimated Expenses
