Columbia U NY Human Rights Training Program

From: Human Rights Advocates Training Program <[email protected]>

Dear friends and colleagues:

I am delighted to announce that the application for the 2003 session of
the annual Human Rights Advocates Training Program at Columbia
University is now available.  I would like to take this opportunity to
introduce the Program and to encourage you to disseminate this
application to human rights activists based in developing countries.
Please feel free to make multiple copies for further distribution.

Each year, the Center for the Study of Human Rights hosts a four-month
intensive training program for human rights activists. The Human Rights
Advocates Training Program seeks to equip emerging human rights leaders
with the tools and information necessary to resolve human rights issues
in their own communities, and with the resources needed to link their
issues to a broader struggle.  To accomplish this, the Advocates Program
utilizes a combination of theory and practice, complementing academic
training in the principles and theories of human rights with practical
workshops on issues such as human rights advocacy, reporting, and
fundraising. Advocates also participate in visits to international human
rights institutions and local community based organizations in New York
City and Washington, DC.

Based on the premise that human rights are inter-related and universal,
the Advocates Program brings together activists from around the world
working on a wide range of human rights issues.  In addition to
supporting emerging leaders from countries with significant abuses of
civil and political rights, the Program supports areas of struggles such
as indigenous rights, Roma rights, and gay and lesbian rights, exposing
Program participants to a broad vision of human rights. The Program
reinforces the indivisible and inter-connected nature of all human
rights by bringing together activists working on civil and political
rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights.

The Program is designed for lawyers, journalists, teachers, community
organizers, and other human rights activists working for
non-governmental human rights organizations. Participants are selected
on the basis of their previous work experience and commitment to the
human rights field, as well as the appropriateness of a rigorous
semester-long training at Columbia. Preference is given to candidates
from areas where human rights work is most difficult, and where the
existing human rights networks are least developed. In addition,
priority is given to applicants who have had limited opportunities to
study or travel abroad.

Advocates must currently be working for a human rights organization, and
must commit to returning to that organization upon completion of the
Program. Fluency in English is required.  Up to fourteen applicants are
accepted to the program, which takes place from January to May each
year.

Attached please find an overview and the 2003 application packet. The
completed application is due by 5:00 PM on August 1, 2002.  Please note
that late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

For further information or to download additional copies of the
application, please refer to our website at
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/humanrights/training.htm

Warm Regards,

Holly Bartling
Director of Training