Pacific NHRIs undertake new APF course on human rights community-led development

Twelve participants from national human rights institutions (NHRIs) across the Pacific have successfully completed a new APF blended learning course on human rights community-led development (HRCLD).

The course is designed to support NHRIs, and institutions looking to expand their work to include human rights, to strengthen their understanding of HRCLD as an approach to engaging with communities.

Staff from the NHRIs of the Cook Islands, Fiji and Samoa completed the course, which consisted of an online component held in the APF Community from 17 October to 11 November 2022, and a five-day in-person workshop held in Nadi, Fiji from 21 - 25 November. 

Representatives from the Pacific Community (SPC)’s Human Rights and Social Development Division also attended the course and workshop, which were facilitated by APF Manager of Capacity Development, Aishath Fasoha, and APF Consultant, Jill Chrisp.

A human rights community-led development approach supports communities to understand when their human rights are violated and to speak out on human rights issues affecting them. 

By facilitating structures and processes that enable people to address these issues, HRCLD also supports communities to:

• Strengthen their resilience, cohesion and self-reliance
• Increase equality, inclusion and non-discrimination 
• Improve economic, social, cultural, civil and political conditions. 

The APF has also developed a HRCLD Guide with an accompanying online and face-to-face capacity development programme. To inform the development of these resources, an expert reference group consisting of representatives from the NHRI of Fiji, Samoa and the Ombudsman Office of Cook Islands contributed to the development of the programme.

Following the blended learning course, the APF will support NHRIs through a mentoring programme as they undertake initiatives with identified community groups.

Date: 15 December 2022