Human Rights Advocates Training Program at Columbia University

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