HUMAN RIGHTS BASED APPROACH CAN MAXIMISE WORK EFFECTS

The application of the human rights-based approach (HRBA) in the work of the civil society organisations, with focus on the project cycle was the theme of the two-day online workshop, which took place on 15 and 16 September 2021, implemented by the “All for Fair Trials” Coalition on behalf of Civica Mobilitas (CM).

Thirty representatives of the institutional and action grantees of CM received theoretical and practical knowledge about the application of HRBA in all phases of the project cycle: problem analysis, project activities planning and design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the completed activities.

According to HRBA, the focus in all phases of the project cycle should be placed on the human rights. “With the acquired knowledge the organisations can maximise the effects of their work, especially when it comes to the inclusion of the various marginalised and vulnerable groups, which is difficult to achieve when using the standard approach”, says Darko Avramovski from All for Fair Trials. Representatives of the Coalition add that the training enabled the participants to learn how to recognise the persons whose rights are affected by a certain situation, as well as to identify all responsible services that have formal or informal obligation to implement these rights.

The participants had group discussions and detected implementation and/or violation of the human rights in varoius sectors and agreed that the application of the HRBA should be actively used. “The first thing I will do in our organisation after this training is to talk to the legal services. I will require from them that everyone involved in project writing and implementation is introduced to this approach so that we can start implementing it successfully in our overall work”, says Blagorodna Koceva from HOPS – Healthy Options Project Skopje.

It is important to dedicate attention to the capacity building of the right holders, but also of the duty bearers, activities in which the civil society organisations can directly contribute, was the conclusion of the workshop.

The workshop “Human Rights Based Approach” was implemented by the “All for Fair Trials” Coalition, institutional grantee of Civica Mobilitas, based on the “to peer learning“ principle. It is part of the Civica Mobilitas Learning Programme.