** 1st INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN RIGHT TO PEACE **
As part of our human rights focus, Dr Daniel Nina is attending a very special conference on human rights. As you may well know, our associate Jokin Alberdi, lives in the Basque country in Spain. Jokin has designed our course on Human Rights Development Indicators, which takes a very critical, in-depth look at the Human Rights Development Indicators used to monitor and track human rights developments internationally.
This highly acclaimed course will be offered in both South Africa and Puerto Rico this year. See our training page for details.
More about this conference follows:
In order to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Basque Government, through its Department of Justice, Employment and Social Security, has organised the 1st International Conference on the Human Right to Peace, to be held on the 6, 7 and 8 May, 2004 in the city of Donostia-San Sebastian.
In an international context still characterised by the use of violence as a method of political action and in light of the debate regarding the role international institutions should play in resolving conflicts in the world, the main aim of the conference is to further the debate on the Human Right to Peace, in the hope of making progress as regards its definition, implementation and protection.
We will post a report from Daniel on the conference shortly.
** RIGHTS TO SAFETY, SECURITY AND DIGNITY **
The Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Trust is restoring the dignity or women, children and men who have been victims of domestic violence or sexual assault.
This organisation is servicing under-developed rural communities in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, and Southern Hemisphere is helping them in terms of:
a) Conducting an organisational capacity assessment and making recommendations regarding improving organisational development
b) Training in Monitoring and Evaluation and helping to implement M&E systems and
c) Conducting an evaluation of their programmes which include Trauma Councelling and Running Break the Silence Campaigns.
Using participatory multi-method evaluation techniques, we have some profound data to share with the organisation.
** Human Rights and HIV / AIDS **
"The goal of realizing human rights is fundamental to the global fight against AIDS. And in a world facing a terrible epidemic - one that has already spread further, faster and to more devastating effect than any other in human history - winning the fight against AIDS is a precondition for achieving rights worth enjoying."
- Dr. Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director, Speech to the 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Geneva, 19 March 2003
It is with this in mind that we have recently completed our report on the Soul City / Old Mutual Community HIV and AIDS Mobilisation Project.
The aim of this project was to train community members to be facilitators of HIV / AIDS awareness in their communities.
The project was implemented in communities where the Old Mutual Foundation supported the Rural Economic Development (REDI) Network. The community facilitators were trained in the use of the Soul City materials.
Our evaluation found that amazing work can be done and communities mobilised into action, in even remote rural communities, if the following core criteria are in place:
1. Well selected people are trained and provided with in-depth knowledge on HIV and AIDS
2. People are trained in faciltiation skills
3. Funding is available to fund the training and the roll-out of the activities following the training
4. There are supportive community networks in place, such as the REDI network
5. Training materials are made available.
All these factors combine to bolster the self-efficacy of the facilitators who work together in teams. And if people believe in themselves, they really can achieve amazing things !!!
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