24th Human Rights and People's Diplomacy Training Program

The 24th Human Rights and People's Diplomacy Training Program, Nepal was organized by DiplomacyTraining Program in partnership with INSEC, Nepal. It was a 17 day training program from November 3 to November 19, 2014 with participants from 14 different countries of Asia Pacific. The main objective of the training program was to increase the capacity of civil society advocates to engage effectively with governments and others – locally, nationally and internationally. To equip participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage in dialogue and build their support networks. 

The target groups of the training program was human rights defenders working with NGOs in the Asia-Pacific region committed to developing and sharing their knowledge and skills in human rights advocacy. I had participated the training program as a participant from Bangladesh.

From the training program we, the participants, have learned many things. We have learnt about the UN Human Rights Mechanism- The International Bill of Human Rights, UN Special Procedures, Charter and Treaty Body activity, UPR Process. We have practical sessions on how UN Treaty Body or UPR session is done and what is the role of country representatives, UN Officials and Civil Society activist during these special sessions at United Nations.

During the training we have also learned about the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Paris Principles. We have visited the head office of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Nepal and learned how they are working to protect human rights violation in Nepal. We have learnt about the structure of NHRC Nepal and the activities of different groups. I and some of the training participants have also visited the district office of INSEC at Pokhara and learned about their activities that how the defenders are working on investigating and collecting information about rights violations and their approaches to deal with their activities. We have learned that most the defenders are also involved in different local news agencies and they actually maintain very good relation with the local legal officers and political leaders or they (defenders) have known persons who have connections with them. The other group went to the NHRC Nepal district office in Pokhara.

From the training we have gained idea more about how to develop advocacy and campaign strategies for the NGOs or for the local community to deal with human rights violation issues. We had also practice session on this.

We have learned that how we can relate the Normative Content of General Comments from United Nations with problems of our community and what kind of actions should be taken to minimize the problems with using Human Rights Based Approach by the responsible authority. We have learned about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how to craft common SDGs for all countries as well as thinking over the measures to undertake to reach the goals. We have also learned about Right to Development Declaration by UN and we had practice session on this. We have worked in groups and performed as local NGO where other groups remain as governments and the NGO have to present about a village problem and ask the local government to take necessary steps to fix the problems.

 We have also gained knowledge about how we can use social media for our campaign and advocacy activity. Beside this we have also learned using media and dealing with the reporters of media during interview or live programs.

During the training program we had participants cooking session where participants from different countries cooked their own and traditional foods. All the foods were so delicious and that they we found ourselves how good cook we are but wasting our talent in vain. On the cultural night every participant wore their traditional dress and we found the cultural diversity of our region.

We have session on lobbying where participants share their success and failure during their lobbying in their country. From that session we have gather practical knowledge about lobbying and for the practical exercise I went to the Royal Norwegian Embassy Nepal. There we met Mr. Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, Minister Counselor/Deputy Head of Mission and we had chat on the Human Rights and lobby activities. I also shared about my works as an FK Fellow at Nepal with him.

We have learned about the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and Responsibility of Governments. We have also learnt how to minimize the risk of a human rights defender.

From the training program we have get knowledge about 14 different countries, from Asia Pacific, human rights situations and how the governments are responding to these problems. In the meeting with Mr. Jose Ramos Horta we have learnt how he had lobbied, negotiated and dealt with the diplomats of other countries to free Timor Leste from the Indonesian Army Occupation which gave a the idea of real UN diplomatic postures.

 We are really very lucky to have John Pace, Virginia Danda, Patrick Earle, Philip Chung, Joshua Cooper and other very talented and experienced trainers who gave a lot to the participants to work in future. INSEC Nepal had done an incredible job in organizing along with DTP Team. It would be suggestion to all the human rights advocates around the Asia-Pacific region to apply for this training program in future and enhance their capacity to work ahead.

Training for the HR WATCHDOGS

SAMATA Foundation, Nepal has organized a 3 days training program on Capacity Enhancement of Dalit Human Rights Defenders on Dalit Human Rights Monitoring. This training held from September 15 to September 17 at Hotel Hardik, Bagbazar, Nepal. This program is a continuation of SAMATA Foundation's European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) Project. This is the second phase of Dalit Human Rights Defenders (DHRDs) Training program. The first phase of this training program was held in 2013. This three days program was inaugural by the welcome speech of Mr Padam Sundas, Chairperson, SAMATA Foundation in the morning of September 15. The training ended with the presentation of DHRDs next activity planning and Participants were awarded with certificated on the evening of 18th September with a Valedictory Ceremony Program.
This training program aims to enhance capacity on monitoring Dalit Human Rights through- sharing learning's and challenges faced by the defenders during Cast Based Discrimination (CBD) and Human Rights Violation, providing inputs to reinforce the learning on CBD mechanisms and new progress in the country, providing practical knowledge on following up cases and their interventions and ensuring practical planning on Dalit Human Rights activities and involvement of DHRDs.
After getting the training the defenders returned to their areas and start working as the Human Rights watchdogs to identify any kind of violation in the society or in their community. These defenders will also help people to reach local police station, filing cases or FIR and contact with the networks for further activities. I feel lucky to be a participant of this program.

TEEJ: The fest for Women

I have passed more than a week in my host organization here in Nepal. I have got a calendar from the office where the holidays are mentioned. I found that August 28th was a holiday and planning to visit some place in Kathmandu Valley. But it shocked me when I heard that this is special holiday only for the women staffs of my office. Then I asked my colleagues about the day. From them I have learnt that this "Teej" festival is the fasting festival for the women. That's why they got special holiday. Married women used to visit their parents house to meet them. On this festivals women dance in joy, pray for their husband, children and family.
To celebrate the day all the male staffs including the FK Fellows of SAMATA Foundation, we organize the lunch for our female staffs. All the male staffs gave some money and from that we money cooking staffs were bought. The day was on 26 August, Tuesday. Me and Sonu Kumar Yadav (FK Fellow from India), both of us, were very much excited about this program. We along with Surya (intern at SAMATA Foundation) assisted our Maya Didi, Chief of the Kitchen, in cooking that day's lunch. She cooked some special dishes like-Polau, Chicken Curry, Rajam and also brought Dai for us. Being a vegetarian Sonu prepared a veg-dish with Panir for the vegetarians including him. At lunch time all the female staffs were given priority to take the food first and we all had lunch together at ground floor of the office. It was really a nice day and good way to respect women. This event was a great experience for me to learn and respect my mother, sisters, relatives, female friends and other women in a very different way. And yes I agreed, this day women should be given special holiday.

Here I am sharing the story on "Teej" to understand the festival. It's collected from internet-
Teej" is the fasting festival for women. It takes place in August or early September in every year. The festival is a three-day long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. Through this religious fasting, hindu women pray for marital bliss, well being of their spouse and children and purification of their own body and soul.
Traditionally, the ritual of Teej is obligatory for all Hindu married women and girls who have reached puberty. Exception is made for the ones who are ill or physically unfit. In such circumstances a priest performs the rites. According to the holy books, the Goddess Parbati fasted and prayed fervently for the great Lord Shiva to become her spouse. Touched by her devotion, he took her for his wife. Goddess Parbati, in gratitude sent her emissary to preach and disseminate this religious fasting among mortal women, promising prosperity and longevity with their family. Thus was born the festival of Teej.
The first day of Teej is called the "Dar Khane Din". On this day the women, both married and unmarried, assemble at one place, in there finest attires and start dancing and singing devotional songs. Admist all this, the grand feast takes place. The jollity often goes on till midnight, after which the 24 – hour fast commences. Some women without a morsel of food or drops of water while others take liquid and fruit
Gaily dressed women can be seen dancing and singing on the street leading to Shiva temples. But the main activities take place around the Pashupatinath temple where women circumambulate the Lingam, the phallic symbol of the lord, offering flowers, sweets and coins. The main puja (religious ceremony) takes place with offerings of flowers, fruits etc made to Shiva and Parbati, beseeching their blessing upon the husband and family. The important part of the puja is the oil lamp which should be alight throughout the night for it is bad omen if it dies away.
The third day of the festival is Rishi Panchami. After the completion of the previous day's puja, women pay homage to various deities and bathe with red mud found on the roots of the sacred Datiwan bush, along with its leaves. This act of purification is the final ritual of Teej, after which women are considered absolved from all sins. The recent years have witnessed alteration in the rituals, especially concerning the severity, but its essence remains. No matter how agonizing the fast may be Nepalese women have and will always continue to have faith in the austerities of Teej.

Mental Health Matters

"As we mark International Youth Day 2014, let us enable youth with mental health conditions to realize their full potential, and let us show that mental health matters to us all." - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Youths are the future leaders of the world. Around one quarter of the present world population is youth at present world. The future of the world is shaping by these youth leaders all over the world. Along with their contribution to the society, these youths have their high expectations and imagination to change the world. Now a day, it has been seen that youths are facing different types of ill mental conditions. Even they often experience stigma and discrimination which may lead them to eliminate and/or discourage form brining the positive changes to the society. They cannot overcome themselves from their poor conditions and unable to adapt different situations.
On 17 December 1999, in its resolution 54/120, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day. (Source: UN Website). This year the United Nations declared the theme of this day as "Youth and Mental Health."
On the day of International Youth Day 2014, 12 August, Center for Human Rights Studies (CHRS) organized a program at office with its staffs, volunteers and well wishers. CHRS staffs as well as FK Fellows-Rowshan Akhter Urmee, Mofaq Kharul Taufiq and Shahadat Hossian shared their experiences during working in a new country and their mental situations at that time. They also shared their way to manage their situations and how they successfully completed their fellowship program and got oriented with a very new culture, norms and values. CHRS acting coordinator and also FK Fellow Farhadul Islam described that why mental health is very important for every youth. He said that about 26 percent of the world population today is youth and this percentage is growing rapidly. During their youth age youths face mental pressure and also mental stress due to unemployment, education, from failure in love or job sectors. So it is important for every youth to learn how to keep mentally sound in critical situations. As I have just completed the Prep Course of FK Exchange Program, I shared my learning with others. I also shared they way of managing stress in an unfamiliar environment and how to perform well keeping oneself mentally sound. The program ended with an open discussion session where all people, present in the program, shared their most stressful/shameful situations they faced in their life and how they manage to minimize their stressor overcome their situations. This discussion helped all to understand that what kind of problems youths are facing in Bangladesh and prepare one for managing those problems.