"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person..."

Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Human rights-based approach (HRBA) is a framework development approach built upon the international human rights standards and the activities aimed at the promotion and protection of human rights in all areas. It focuses on ensuring sustainability and empowerment of the communities. Specifically, since the state cannot satisfy the needs of people in full, support should be granted to the communities so that they are able to help themselves.

Throughout three days of the training, Kyryl Pylypenko and Vitalii Morhun, experts of Tamarysk Centre for Civic and Cultural Initiatives, helped the participants to puzzle this topic out.

A total of 24 civic activists from nine oblasts – Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Kyiv, Luhansk, Poltava, Ternopil, Kharkiv and Chernihiv – took part in the training.

 

Their profile was quite diverse – these were the representatives of non-governmental sector, public authorities, lawyers, human right defendants, and researchers. Everyone came with his or her individual knowledge and experience that s/he was able to share during the event. Everyone demonstrated an individual approach to the cases and exercises offered at the training.

During the event, the participants mastered four issues and developed the ideas for next projects on HRBA application in the following areas:

• Safe roads
• Raising legal awareness of the public
• Solid household waste management
• Participation of the disabled people into the community life.

The participants contributed to a friendly atmosphere at the training. They were really excited about the common work and went back to their communities committed to develop HRBA projects and keep protecting and promoting the human rights.

Common work on the cases and informal communication helped the participants to get along and foster new networks and partnerships.

The participants will also remember this training due to an extraordinary event – a son Danylo was born to one of the trainers, Vitalii. Congratulations to the courageous dad and his wonderful wife Iuliia! Let their young family be happy, harmonious and enjoy their life!

The impressions of the participants are the most important proof of success:

- "To better understand the concepts behind HRBA, more time is necessary for the training. I'd like to thank the trainers, supervisor and those who made this event happen!"
- "All the information was extremely valuable and useful. I just learned about the HRBA approach, but it proves to be very helpful and interesting. The training was wonderful, I'd like to allocate more time to practice this approach."
- "HRBA has no fruitless elements. From now on, I'll rest all my project activities upon this approach and apply it across my everyday public and political activities, when developing the programmes and planning the events."
- "What stroke me the most at the training was how HRBA was different from the charity-oriented approach and why HRBA is truly important."
- "It was extremely cheerful to see the first moments of Vitalii's happiness. We were like: "Really? Who?" and he was like: "Yes!!! Son!!!" The training was unforgettable. A warm atmosphere, interesting people, a bulk of helpful information and knowledge. Everything was on the top level! I'm still impressed. Thank you so much to everyone!!!"

The next step is a grant competition for the participants. They will be invited to submit their HRBA project proposals for grant support.

A new coalition is now being established aiming at advancement and dissemination of HRBA among civic activists all over Ukraine.

Although the training is over, HRBA promotion continues. The new manual on applying HRBA at the activity level is about to be published soon. The participants of the training will also receive its copies.

The trainers would like to particularly thank two incredible women – Ruslana Burova from NGO MART and Olha Martynovska from Donetsk office of the Committee of Voters of Ukraine. They inspired, supported, shared valuable advice and helped to navigate every issue of HRBA. Thank YOU! We wish you success, inspiration, active teams, vibrant projects and thankful beneficiaries.

The training was delivered by Tamarysk Centre for Civic and Cultural Initiatives within the framework of Democratization, Human Rights and Civic Society Development Programme in Ukraine implemented by UN Development Programme in cooperation with NGO MART and financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

 

Source: http://tamarisk.org.ua/trening-z-ppl-u-misti-dnipro/