HR Eng The Final

Human Rights
Training Manual
Human Rights Training Manual
Copyright
2015 by Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

" * *
Friedrich Naumann Foundation

for Freedom in Myanmar
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) is the non-profit Foundation for
liberal policy from Germany. FNF is dedicated to promoting liberal democracy, rule of law,
pluralism, market economies, and respect for human rights. It was founded in 1958 by,
amongst others, President Theodor Heuss, the first President of the Federal Republic of
Germany after World War II. The Foundation operates in more than 70 countries around
the world. Its Head Office of FNF is located in Potsdam, Germany.
Myanmar has been moving towards a more democratic system since late 2010. This provides
FNF with the opportunity to support the multiple reform processes to create an open
society in which people can live in dignity and peace. The foundation is committed to
building a peaceful and progressive Myanmar. To accomplish this, FNF supports its partners
effort in promoting civic education, fostering democratic governance, protecting fundamental
freedoms, and strengthening the environment of market economies in Myanmar.
FNF Myanmar works with the government, parliaments, civil society organizations, research
institutes, and change agents and multipliers. Working hand-in-hand with its local partner
organizations, FNF provides policy advise and consultancy for laws drafting, publishes
reports and research findings. The Foundation organizes trainings, workshops, and expert
talks about democracy, rule of law, decentralization, and entrepreneurship. FNF Myanmar
is particularly committed to making positive contributions to the current remarkable
democratic transitions in the country.
FNF Myanmar Office

No. 35 B/15, New University Avenue Road,
Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar
09 262981350; fnfmyanmar@fnst.org
www.fnfmyanmar.org
www.facebook.com/fnf.myanmar
Table of Contents
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 1
HOW TO USE THIS TOOL KIT ................................................................................................... 2
ART OF FACILITATION.................................................................................................................. 3
BACKGROUND READING............................................................................................................ 5
SECTION 2: ACTIVITIES................................................................................................................. 9
USEFUL TOOLS FOR FACILITATORS
ACTIVITY -1 SAILING TO A NEW LAND............................................................................. 14
ACTIVITY -2 INTRODUCTION TO THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF............ 21
HUMAN RIGHTS (UDHR)
ACTIVITY -3 STORYTELLERS, POETS & ARTISTS............................................................ 26
ACTIVITY -4 THREE GENERATIONS OF RIGHTS........................................................... 28
ACTIVITY -5 HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NEWS................................................................... 32
ACTIVITY -6 TALKING ROUND HUMAN RIGHTS.......................................................... 35
ACTIVITY -7 _ PRIVILEGED WALK........................................................................................... 37
ACTIVITY -8 _ PERPETRATOR, VICTIM, BYSTANDER & HEALER.............................. 41
ACTIVITY -9 NO RIGHTS WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITIES............................................ 44
ACTIVITY -10 CONFLICTING RIGHTS/WHERE TO HUMAN RIGHTS BEGIN.... 53
ACTIVITY -11 _ HUMAN RIGHT QUOTATIONS................................................................... 58
SECTION 3: MODEL WORKSHOP.............................................................................................. 64
FACILITATORS NOTES.................................................................................................................. 66
SECTION 4: ACTIVITIES................................................................................................................. 87
USEFUL TOOLS FOR FACILITIATORS
ACTIVITY -1 HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION MECHANISM....................................... 94
ACTIVITY -2 CONFLICT OF RIGHTS..................................................................................... 98
ACTIVITY -3 RIGHTS IN THE COURT................................................................................... 104
ACTIVITY -5 HUMAN RIGHTS IN MYANMAR/SOUTH EAST ASIA.......................... 111

ACTIVITY -6 TELL ME YOUR STORY.................................................................................... 115
ACTIVITY -7 NGO CAROSEL ................................................................................................... 123
ACTIVITY -8 LIVING HUMAN RIGHTS................................................................................. 134
ACTIVITY -9 WHERE DO YOU STAND?............................................................................... 136
SECTION 5: MODEL WORKSHOP.............................................................................................. 140
FACILITATORS NOTES.................................................................................................................. 142
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................... 149
SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF THE UDHR.................................................................................... 150
INTRODUCTION
What is the goal of this tool kit?
Friedrich Naumann Foundations (FNF) Human Rights Tool Kit is designed to introduce
Myanmar adults to basic concepts related to human rights. It aims to support learners in
understanding the rights they have as humans and citizens of Myanmar and to empower
them to claim their rights while respecting and protecting the rights of others.
The activities included in this tool kit engage learners through three kinds of learning
developing knowledge of human rights, the skills to implement rights and the values
necessary to support the development of a culture of rights. The tool kit adopts an
experiential approach to learning emphasizing opportunity for direct experience, exchange
and reflection.
What is in the toolkit?

The tool kit includes the following:

A selection of icebreakers and energizers

Tips on the art of facilitation
Experiential lesson plans complete with handouts, teaching materials and facilitators
notes
A sample 2-day workshop outline
A teaching materials grab-bag that includes some of the key resources needed to
facilitate a dynamic and active workshop.
SECTION :1
How to use the toolkit

This toolkit is designed to engage groups of adult learners in a process that extends over two
full days. However the specific activities can also be used on their own or combined with
existing curriculum to create custom workshops of various lengths and intensities. Use the
provided 2-day workshop outline or design your own workshop by identifying activities and
lessons that best meet your groups needs.
Feedback
Help us to develop this toolkit to better meet your needs and the needs of your community.
If you have any feedback on the design and/or content of this toolkit or suggestions on
how it can be improved please contact us at fnfmyanmar@fnst.org .

2
HOW TO USE THIS TOOL KIT

This tool kit is designed to support the delivery of a two day, introductory workshop on
human rights.
The tool kit includes three sections:
Section 1
Section 1 contains background information on how to be a good

human rights educator
Section 2
Section 2 contains resources, methods and tools to help facilitate a

participatory workshop as well as specific activities for groups to
explore human rights issues.
Section 3
Section 3 contains a model workshop, complete with facilitators notes,

that integrates the activities presented in Part 2. Facilitators can choose
to use this workshop plan exactly as written or build on the ideas and
tools presented in this tool kit to develop their own unique two-day
program.
Participatory learning promotes teaching techniques that relate to learners life experiences
and appreciate what they already know. The learner, not he teacher is at the centre of the
experience and share ownership for his/her own learning. In this collaborative context, the
word facilitator is more appropriate than teacher for all concerned should be peers,
engaged in a common effort towards a shared goal. Together they examine their own
experiences and seek to come to individual conclusions. The goal is not some right answer
or even consensus, but the exploration of ideas and issues. However, mastering the art of
facilitation requires both practice and a clear understanding of the goals and methods
involved.
THE ART OF FACILITATION
What is a Facilitator?
A Facilitator:
establishes a collaborative relationship
with participants, in which the
facilitator is first among equals, but
responsibility for learning rests with
the whole group;
helps to create and sustain an
environment of trust and openness
where everyone feels safe to speak
honestly and where differences of
opinion are respected;
ensures that everyone feels included
and has an opportunity to participate;
A facilitator is not:
the person in charge: The whole
group is responsible for learning. The
facilitators role is to help that learning
happen more effectively. Nor does the
facilitator have the sole control of the
agenda. Participants should have a
voice in determining the topics
covered.
a lecturer: The facilitator is a co-learner,
exploring all subjects as an equal
partner and contributing individual
experience to that of others.
provides a structure for learning, which

might include setting and observing
meeting times, opening and closing
sessions, and keeping to an agenda;
makes sure the housekeeping is
done, such as preparing materials,
setting up the meeting space, notifying
participants, and seeing that necessary
preparations are made.
necessarily an expert: Although

preparing each session, the facilitator
may not know as much about a subject
as some other members of the group.
the center of attention: A good
facilitator generally speak less than
other participants; instead she or he
draws them into the discussion.
an arbiter: In collaborative learning, no
one, least of all the facilitator,
determines that some opinions are
correct or more valid.
the maid: While the facilitator takes
initial leadership in coordinating the
sessions, she or he should not become
the only person who takes responsibility.
In a true collaboration, no one is stuck
cleaning up the mess or attending to
administrative details every time.
PERSONAL CHECK LIST FOR FACILITATORS

Be very clear about your role: your behavior more than your words will convey
that you are not the teacher but a fellow learner.
Be aware of your eyes: maintain eye contact with participants.
Be aware of your voice: try not to talk too loudly, too softly, or too much.
Be aware of your body language: consider where you sit or stand and other
ways in which you may unconsciously exercise inappropriate authority.
Be aware of your responsibility: make sure everyone has a chance to be heard
and be treated equally; encourage differences of opinion but discourage argument;
curb those who dominate; draw in those who are hesitant.
Be aware when structure is needed: explain and summarize when necessary;
decide when to extend a discussion and when to go on to the next topic; remind
the group when they get off the subject.
Be aware of your power and share it: ask others to take on responsibilities
whenever possible (e.g., taking notes, keeping time, and, ideally, leading discussion).
Adapted from:
The Human Rights Education Handbook: Effective Practices for Learning, Action, and Change
General
Brander, Patricia (ed) (2012) Compass: manual for human rights education with young
people Hungary: Council of Europe.
University of Minnesota , Lifting the Spirit: Human Rights and Freedom of Religion or
Belief - http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/hreduseries/TB5/PDFs/lifting_the_
spirit.pdf
Conflict of Rights
Myanmar human rights situation
Myanmar Rule of Law Assessment - http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs15/Myanmar-Ruleof-Law-Assessment-3-5-13.pdf
Responsibility to respect, protect and fulfill
IHRP - www.ichrp.org/files/reports/43/108_report_en.pdf
United Nations Population Fund - http://www.unfpa.org/human-rights-based-approach
Siliadin vs. France
European Human Rights Court - http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/pages/search.
aspx?i=001-69891#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-69891%22]}
BACKGROUND READING
Transitional Justice
International Centre for Transitional Justice - http://www.ictj.org/about/transitional-justice
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
United Nations - http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/Introduction.aspx
UDHR: an introduction - http://www.humanrights.com/what-are-human-rights/universaldeclaration-of-human-rights.html
Human Rights
Training Manual
I n t r o d u c t i o n
SECTION 2
ACTIVITIES
USEFUL TOOLS FOR FACILITIATORS
ACTIVITY -1
SAILING TO A NEW LAND
ACTIVITY -2
NTRODUCTION TO THE UDHR
ACTIVITY -3
STORYTELLERS, POETS & ARTISTS
ACTIVITY -4
THREE GENERATIONS OF RIGHTS
ACTIVITY -5
HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NEWS
ACTIVITY -6
TALKING ROUND HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTIVITY -7
PRIVILEDGE WALK
ACTIVITY -8
PERPETRATOR, VICTIM, BYSTANDER & HEALER
ACTIVITY -9
NO RIGHTS WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITIES
ACTIVITY -10
CONFLICTING RIGHTS/WHERE TO
HUMAN RIGHTS BEGIN
ACTIVITY -11
HUMAN RIGHT QUOTATIONS
USEFUL TOOL FOR FACILITATORS
SECTION :2
ENERGIZERS
Lap Sit:
We-Haul:
All Aboard:
Variation:
Make a tight circle, everyone facing the

same direction, with both hands on the
shoulders of the person in front of you.
Everyone sits back slowly onto the knees
of the person behind them. If everyone
falls down, laugh and try again.
Find a piece of cardboard or something

small and slightly off the ground. The
group must find a way to get everyone off
the ground and onto the stump. Do careful
spotting here. This is a great, quick initiative
to do on the fly.
The group circles up with arms over each

others shoulders. Put a bunch of random
objects on the ground for them to transport
from one place to the next. They have to pick
up the objects and move them all together as
a group, without using their hands at all.
Write little tags on the objects that the

group is moving (UDHR articles, human
rights values, rules and expectations for the
workshop). Use this activity as a warm-up
and a way of introducing the next topic or
reviewing something already covered.
Shoes:
Everyone is blindfolded, takes shoes off

and instructors put them in the middle of
the circle. Everyone tries to find their own
shoes and put them back on.
Human Knot:
Circle up the group. Reach out and hold

hands with different people in the circle (just
not next to you). Untangle to form a circle.
Silent Calendar:
Explain that the whole group must line up

in order of the day and month they were
born, but they cannot use words to
accomplish this.
The Storm:
Assign different sounds and gestures to

small groups of participants (e.g., wind,
rain, lightning, thunder, etc.) and then
narrate the soft beginnings of the storm,
conducting the various sounds like an
orchestra (e.g., And then the lightning
flashes! And the thunder roars!) through
to the conclusion of the storm.
To the Lifeboats!:
First demonstrate a lifeboat: two people

hold hands to form the boat; passengers
stand inside the circle of their hands. Then
explain that everyone is going on a voyage:
10
At first the sea is calm and everyone is

enjoying the trip. Then, suddenly, the ship
hits a rock. Everyone must get into a
lifeboat in groups of three (or one, or four,
etc.). Participants then scramble to form
lifeboats and take in the proper number
of passages. Usually someone drowns.
Then take up the narrative again. Now the
ship continues peacefully ... but suddenly a
hurricane begins. The ship is sinking.
Everyone to the lifeboats in groups of
two. Continue like this through several
shipwrecks.
INTRODUCTIONS/
ICEBREAKERS
Group Still Life or Installation:
Each person brings a meaningful object

from home to contribute to an opening
display as a way of introducing something
important about them.
Silent Introduction:
GREAT for modeling the fact that people

can communicate without words! Participants
are paired-up, and they have a few minutes to
introduce themselves by using only gestures
and expressions. After a few minutes, the
pairs come back, and each participant takes a
turn at telling the group what he/she learned
about the other person.
Like Portraits, but without the drawing.

Each person pairs off with another, asks
several questions. Then each partner
introduces the other to the whole group.
Some leading questions might be:
1. What makes you unique?
2. What person in your life has helped
to make you the strong leader you
are?
3. When you hear the phrase a
human right, what do you think
about?
4. What animal bests represents you?
5. Who is the best storyteller in your
family or community?
6. What event in your life has most
affected your worldview?
7. What brought you here?
In the Same Boat
Explain that participants must locate others

who share the same characteristic. Then call
out some categories (e.g., those born in the
same decade or month; those with the same
number of children or siblings; those who
speak the same language at home or the
same number of languages). Under the
right circumstances, more sensitive
categories might be used (e.g., those whose
skin tone is the same; number of times
arrested).
Musical Chairs:
Arrange chairs in a close circle and ask

participants to sit down. Stand in the middle
of the circle and explain that you are going
to state your name and make a statement
about yourself. When you do, everyone for
whom that statement is also true must
change c h a i r s . (e.g., I am X and am lefthanded, I am X and I have three daughters,
or I am X and I dislike eating ___). Try to
get a chair for yourself. The person left
without a chair then makes a similar
statement about herself or himself.
Continue until most participants have had a
chance to introduce themselves in this way.
Portraits:
Provide participants with plain paper and a

pen. Ask participants to find a partner whom
they dont know. Explain that each person is
to draw a quick sketch of the other and to ask
some questions (e.g., name, hobby, a surprising
fact) that will be incorporated into the portrait.
Allow only a short time for this and encourage
everyone to make their portraits and names
as large as possible. Then ask each
participant to show his or her portrait and
introduce the original to the group. To
facilitate learning names, hang the portraits
where everyone can see.
Teamwork:
Divide participants into small teams and

allow them time to discover the
characteristics they have in common (e.g.,
culture, appearance, personal tastes,
hobbies). Ask each team to give itself a
name and be able to explain it. Groups then
introduce themselves to the whole group,
naming the team members and explaining
their name.
Line-up:
Interviews:
Organize the participants into two or more

groups of 8 to 20 people. Tell participants
that this is a competition and that they will
need line themselves up in a particular way
as a fast as possible. When the group is
lined-up they should clap to indicate that
they are finished.
Possible prompts:
Line up in order by shoe size, line up in

order by length of arms reach, line up in
order alphabetically by first name, line up in
order by date of birth from January to
December, line up in order by number of
brothers and sisters you have, line up in
order by age, line up in order by length of
time in your current occupation, line up in
order by number of animals you own etc.
11
FORMING GROUPS
with the matching puzzle pieces.
Animal Scrabble:
Variation:
Create small animal cards, as many types of

animals as work groups needed for the
exercise. Write the same number of slips as
the number of people that will form each
group. Each participant is asked to take one
slip of paper. Participants read the slip of
paper by keep the word a secret. Participants
must find the rest of the group, but no
talking is allowed. Instead they have to
make the sound of the animal. As soon as
participants find one another they should
stick together and continue calling until
they find all their animal friends.
Intentionally pick the photos so that you

can use them to introduce or review a topic.
Picture Puzzles:
Make index cards ahead of time. On each

pair of cards, write a famous pair that serves
as a way for participants to form pairs. For
example, write curry on one card and
rice on the other. Other ideas: Aung San
Suu Kyi and NLD or Human and Rights.
You can choose topics that relate to your
topic such as addition and subtraction or
you may also want to write definitions on
one set of cards and vocabulary words on
the other. In order for participants to form
Create picture puzzles (take a picture and

cut it into different pieces), create as many
different puzzles as work groups are
needed. For example if you need 5 groups
you will need 5 puzzles. The total number
of puzzle pieces should match the total
number of participants. Put all the pieces
into a bag/basket. Each participant takes a
turn picking a puzzle piece out of the
container. Participants must find the people
12
Magic colours:
Use coloured paper, differently coloured

sweets or other objects to divide participants
up. Think of ways you can integrate the
coloured objects into your workshop. For
example: print name tags and handouts on
different coloured paper then have
participants reorganize themselves into
colour groups.
Pairs:
valuable lesson etc.
Role Play:
If you decide to use a case study as part of

your class or training session, consider
adding role playing to the analysis. Assign
different roles based on the case, and then
give each of your participants a card
describing their role. Then, ask them to
form groups based upon the role they have
been assigned.
Pose a summarizing question (e.g., What

remarks that you have heard here today will
you especially remember as meaningful?
or What idea can you take home to use in
your community?) or an open-ended
statement (e.g., Try to think of a word or
phrase that sums up your feelings at the end
of todays session or I still wonder...).
Ask participants to respond in turn.
Variation:
REVIEWS/CLOSINGS
Releasing the Dove of Peace:
Use a story to introduce a topic. Have

participants form groups based on
characters from the story.
Ball Toss:
Participants toss a ball from one to another.

Each person who catches the ball states one
thing she or he learned or can use from the
workshop.
Variations:

Share valuable lessons/concepts

learned
First person states a concept, next
person states an example of
concept in action and then states
another concept, repeat.
Use to review a process, timeline,
order
Collective Summary:
Each participant in turn removes the object

from a group display and explains what he
or she is taking away from the workshop.
The facilitator mimes holding a significant

object (e.g., bird, newborn baby) and invites
each participant to say something to it as it
is passed from one participant to another.
After the object has been passed to
everyone, they draw into a tight circle and
collectively let it go.
a pair, they must first be able to correctly

identify the word and its definition.
Slide Show:
The facilitator has taken photos of the

session, including each participant. As a
reflection on the Human Rights Learning
Community, a brief comment on the
contribution each participant has made in
unison with the slide presentation is given.
Timeline:
Write key concepts, lessons,

experiences, discussions and
other highlights form the
workshop on cards. Give each
participant a card and have them
order themselves chronologically.
Bring the two ends of the line
together so that everyone can see
one another. Go around the
circle and have participants share
their personal highlight/most
13
ACTIVITY -1
SAILING TO A NEW LAND

OBJECTIVES :

To introduce the concept of human rights.

To introduce the relationship between human needs and human
rights.
To establish the principle of human dignity and its relationship to
human rights.
60 minutes
MATERIALS :
flip chart paper, markers, glue/tape, set of Needs and Wants Cards, envelopes for
each group of participants.
1. WARM-UP: Talking circle

Divide the group into As and Bs and

have participants form a Talking Circle
As standing in a circle facing
outwards and Bs in a circle facing
inwards so that each person faces
someone else. Read out a prompt and
have the pairs exchange ideas on the
prompt. After a few minutes keep the
Bs standing still and have the As rotate
a 3 people to their right. Ask the second
prompt. Repeat till finished.
>> 10 minutes

After participants have finished

discussing review the prompts as a
group.
Explain that this activity will explore
these three questions.
Suggest prompts:
o What are human rights?
o Where do they come from?
o Why do you feel it is important to
learn about human rights?
What are human rights?

Where do they come from?
Why do you feel it is
important to learn about
human rights?
14
TIME
Step 1:
Organize participants into their nametag groups
Ask participants to imagine that they are
about to sail to a new continent. There
are no people living there so when they
arrive they will be pioneers establishing a
new county.
Give each group an envelope with all
the NEEDS and WANTS cards in,
explaining that these are the things
they are packing to take with them for
life in the new country. Ask each group
to open the envelope and spread out
all of their cards and examine them.
Draw attention to the blank cards.
Invite participants to add some
additional things the think they might
need or would like to have.
Step 2:
Explain that the boat is setting sail now
and begin a narrative like this:
At first the trip is very pleasant. The sun is shinning
and the sea is peaceful. However a big storm comes
up suddenly and the ship is rocking. In fact its
about to sink! You must three of your cards
overboard to keep the boat afloat.
Ask every group to decide what to give up.
Explain that they wont be able to get these
things back later. Have the groups put the
cards they are discarding in a separate pile.
Step 3:
Return to the narrative:
At last the storm is over. Everyone is relieved.
However a weather report comes that a cyclone is
heading straight for the ship. If you are going to
survive the storm, you must through overboard
another three cards! Remember, dont throw away
anything you may need to rebuild your new country.
Remind participants to keep their discarded
piles separated!
>> 45 minutes
Step 4:
Return to the narrative:
That was a close escape! However, we are almost at
the new continent. Everyone is very excited. Bust
just as we sight land on the horizon, a giant whale
crashes into the boat and makes a hole in the side.
You must make the ship even lighter! Throw away
three more cards.
Step 5:
Announce that the finally they have reached
the new continent safely and are ready to
build a new country. Ask each group to tape
their cards to a piece of flip chart paper or
write down the NEEDS/WANTS they are
bringing to the new country so that we can
review them as a group.
Step 6:
Have each group hang their sheet at the
front of the room and explain what they
are bringing to the new land and why. After
each description ask the whole group, Are
they missing anything they will need to
survive? To grow and develop?
2. ACTIVITY: Sailing to a new land
For large groups get all of the sheets up at

the front of the class. As a large group
compare the lists noting the similarities and
the differences. Have groups explain why
they all agree that certain cards are
important. Have groups with unique cards
explain their reasoning.
Step 7:
Debrief the activity by asking questions
such as these:
How did you decide what to keep and
what to throw over board?
Which cards caused the most
disagreement? Why?
What do you think about your final
choices? Will people just be able to
survive or will they be able to rebuild
their country?
15
16
Do all people have the same needs?

Who may have different needs?
How would you explain the difference

between a NEED and a WANT?
3. PRESENTATION: Defining human rights

Step 1:
Give a 10-15 presentation defining human
rights and some of the core human rights
>> 10 minutes
values. Use the following as sample to

help you prepare a visual to present
participants.
What are Human Rights?

Human rights reflect basic human needs. They establish basic standards without which
people cannot live in dignity. To violate someones human rights is to treat that person
as though he or she were not a human being. To promote human rights is to demand
that the human dignity of all people be respected.
Human rights are held by all persons equally, universally and forever.
Human rights are universal: they are always the same for all human beings
everywhere in the world. You do not have human rights because you are a citizen
of any country but because you are a member of the human family.
Human rights are inalienable: you cannot lose these rights any more than you
can cease to be a human being.
Human rights are indivisible: no one can take away a right because it is less
important or non-essential
Human rights are interdependent: Human rights violations are interconnected;
loss of one right detracts from other rights. Similarly, promotion of human rights
in one area supports other human rights.
In claiming these rights, everyone also accepts responsibilities to respect the
rights of others and to protect and support people whose rights are abused or
denied. Meeting these responsibilities means claiming solidarity with all other
human beings
4. CONCLUSION
foundational principles of human

rights.
When discussing indivisibility highlight
that human rights recognize that to live
a life of dignity is to go beyond just
staying alive. A life of dignity is a life
wherein each individual has what he/
she needs to live well and develop.
>> 2 minutes
Conclude by emphasizing that this two-day

workshop will explore the freedoms
expressed by human rights as a basic

necessity of human life and human dignity.
Adapted from:
Flowers, Nancy (ed) (2007) Compasito: Manual on human rights children Strasbourg: Council of
Europe, Activity 26, 149-156.
Fountain, Susan (1993) Its Only Rights: A Practical Guide to Learning about the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, New York: UNICEF.
Flowers, Nancy (1998) Human Rights Here and Now, Minnesota: University of Minnesota, Activity 1,
38-42.
Step 2:
Explain that the most basic needs of
human beings are sometimes referred
to as rights and that human rights are
based on the things that everyone
needs to survive, grow and develop
well and live a life of dignity.
Read through the flip chart and
introduce participants to these
17
HANDOUT: NEEDS AND WANTS CARDS
18
Opportunities to Share My Opinions
Clean Environment
Money to Spend as I Like
Mobile Telephone
Clean Water
Opportunities to Rest and Play
Umbrella
Television and Newspaper
Computer and Access to the Internet
Opportunities to Practice My Religion
Fair Treatment and Non-discrimination
Comfortable Home
Fashionable Clothes
Sweets
Holiday with Family and Friends
Mobile Phone
Nutritious Food
Laptop
Protection from Abuse
Bicycle
Education
Jewelry
Doctors
Warm clothes
19
20
Parents
Watch
Toys and Games
Mosquito Net
Medication and Immunization against

Disease
Opportunities to Practice My Culture and

Language
Democratic Elections and Rules
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS
Objectives:

To introduce the UDHR in relation to real-world situations

To introduce the historical background to the development of
the UDHR
To introduce some of the debate around the usefulness and
relevance of human rights to todays life and world situation.
TIME
75 minutes
Materials:
Flip chart paper, tape, markers, UDHR handout #1, UDHR handout #2
1. WARM-UP: Making the links

Give each group a card with one of the

following words on it. If there are too
many groups give more than one group
the same term or add related terms.
Give groups a few minutes to
brainstorm what they know about each
term.
Ask each group to share and record
their comments on a piece of flip chart
>> 10 minutes
ACTIVITY -2
at the front of the room. Try and elicit

information about Myanmars colonial
experience.
Next ask participants to see if they can
make any links between these different
events/things. As participants identify
links draw a line (in a different colour
marker) connecting the two events/
things.
Example:
Member states of the United Nations created the UDHR.
Circle the term UDHR and explain that this session is devoted to exploring the
question Where do human rights come from? and understanding the significance
and contents of the UDHR.
21
World War II
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Colonialism
United Nations
* Alternative: If you are short on time you can skip this introduction and just elicit student
knowledge on the UDHR before providing the short introductory presentation.
2. PRESENTATION: Introduction to UDHR

Do some background reading on the
history of human rights facilitating this
session.
Distribute a simplified version of the
UDHR.
Provide a 10 min introduction to the
UDHR. Use the following as sample
>> 10 minutes
to help you prepare a visual to present

to the participants.
After the presentation explain that the
next activity is designed to provide an
introduction to the UDHR in relation
to real-life situations.
What is the Universal Declaration of Human Right?

The notion of human rights has roots in many traditions and cultures
Two major influences in the mid-20th century propelled human rights into the
global arena: Colonialism and World War II
The UDHR was adopted by the United Nations on Dec. 8, 1948
It contains 30 articles that together form a comprehensive statement on economic,
social, cultural, political and civil rights.
It is the most important global human rights instrument and has inspired the
development national constitutions as well as the international human rights
protection system.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt of the United
States holding a Declaration of Human
Rights poster in Spanish {November 1949}
22
Step 1:
Divide students into four groups (A, B,
C, D). With a large class, you can create
multiple A groups, multiple B groups,
multiple C groups, and multiple D
groups.
>> 20 minutes
Distribute UDHR handout #1; give

appropriate version of the handout (A,
B, C, or D) to each group.
3. ACTIVITY: UDHR IN THE REAL WORLD
Give these instructions:

Working alone, read each statement on your handout and indicate with a check ( ) whether they strongly
agree (SA), agree (A), are uncertain (U), disagree (D), or strongly disagree (SD) with the statement. Be
ready to share the reason for your responses to the rest of the group.
To the facilitator: If necessary model an example on the board.
Step 2:
Ask students to discuss their responses
with members of their group (A, B, C,
or D). Ask students to do the following
(if necessary, write instructions on the
blackboard):
o Compare your responses with group
members.
o Explain your reason for each response.
o Ask group members questions if you do
not understand their reasons.
Step 3:
Distribute UDHR handout #2; give
appropriate version (A, B, C, or D) to
each group. Announce the following
and give students the opportunity to
discuss.
Each of the situations on the handout matches up
with a right included on the UDHR. Match each
situation on Handout #1 to the appropriate
Universal Declaration of Human Rights article(s).
23
For more advanced groups you can

have participants use the complete
version of the UDHR handed out
earlier.
Step 4:
Ask groups to identify the situation
4. ACTIVITY: UHDR jigsaw

Step 1:
Create new student groups--ideally with
at least one representative from original
groups A, B, C, and D--in the fastest way
possible (in each group number off 1-4
and then regroup 1s together, 2s together
etc.)
5. Closing
>> 15 minutes
Step 2:
Ask students to do the following in their
new groups:
Identify the situation and Universal
Declaration of Human Rights article that
caused the most discussion (controversy,
debate, interest) in original group.
Explain diverse opinions of classmates.
Answer questions from new group members.
>> 10 minutes
Step 1:
Bring attention back to the flip chart
you made to introduce the UDHR and
underline the word DECLARATION.
Explain that the UDHR is not an
enforceable law.
Step 2:
Ask students the following question:
If the UDHR is not an enforceable law
does it have any value?
Potential answers:
o It has inspired and influenced many
national, regional and international
human
rights
developments
including the development of
human rights laws and mechanisms
at the local, national, regional and
international level.
o It outlines a values system, a map
for creating the type of society that
we want to live in.
24
and UDHR article that caused the

most discussion (or controversy,
debate, interest) among them. Tell
students to be prepared to explain
group selection (and reasons for the
selection) to other students in class.
o Its inspirational, aspirational and

empowering.
o Its a nice idea but not practical
o Gives us a language to use to talk
about real life problems.
o It become an inspirational vision
for those willing to struggle to
secure rights for themselves and
others and launched an international
human rights revolution.
Transition by explaining that to
understand the modern global human
rights system one must have an
understanding of the UDHR since it
was the initiative the spurred the
contemporary
human
rights
movement.
Explain that this workshop will look
more deeply at the significance of the
UDHR and some if the ideas that it
inspired.
>> 00 minutes
You can extend this session with any of the

following discussion questions. You can
also assign questions as journaling prompts.
1. Which UDHR articles do you find
most interesting? Most important?
Least important? Why?
2. Are universal standards, such as
those listed in the UDHR, possible
in todays world? Why? Why not?
3. Do you think the United Nations

should enforce the UDHR? Why?
Why not?
4. What would society be like if
everyone followed the UDHR?
5. Why do you think so many nations
have not been able to live up to the
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights?
Adapted from:
Stoller, Fredrika L. Language and Civil Society Civic Education E-Journal, accessed from < http://
americanenglish.state.gov/resources/language-and-civil-society-e-journal-civic-education> on 21 December,
2014.
6. Extension
25

26
ACTIVITY -3
STORYTELLERS, POETS & ARTISTS

Objectives:

To reinforce understanding/familiarity of the UDHR

To encourage participants to connect emotionally as well as
intellectually to human rights
Materials
TIME
60 minutes
excluding
warm-up
flip chart, markers, tape, UDHR article cards
1. WARM-UP: Gallery Walk >> 15 minutes

See Workshop #1 Outline
2. ACTIVITY: Creative Expression >> 60 minutes

Step 1:
After a few volunteers have shared
their reflections on their favourite art
pieces have participants regroup into
their working groups. If you are

working with a large group reshuffle
the participants into smaller groups
(ideally three people).
Instead of having groups come to the

front of the room have groups set up
displays around the classroom space
and have group do a second gallery
walk with each group speaking to their
piece.
Variations: Adjust this session to suit the

needs and personality of your particular
group. Some ideas may include:
Alternative: Instead of having participants

explore specific rights you can have them
select specific human rights issues
(prostitution, trafficking, schooling in
indigenous languages)
o
Who does this issue affect? Who

are you reaching out to?
o Is there a challenging question
that you are trying to explore?
o What message are you trying to
convey?
o How can you ensure whole group
participation in this project?
Step 3:
Give participants 30-45 minutes to
work on developing their creative
piece.
Have each group present their pieces.
Invite questions and comments from
the group and give time to allow the
presenting group time to respond.
Dont make it open. Have all groups

writing a poem or drawing a poster etc.
Limit creativity based on what materials
you have available or how much time
you have.
Bring in random materials and have
people create sculptures.
Conduct this session outside and have
people create sculptures using natural
materials.
Create a collective UDHR art piece by
having giving each group a different
puzzle piece to decorate. Prepare the
pieces ahead of time so that they all fit
together.
Step 2:
Explain that each group is going to
select a right enshrined in the UDHR
and create a presentation that examines
it through art, storytelling, poetry or
acting. Alternatively you can have
groups blindly pick a UDHR card out
of a hat.
Write the following guidelines on a flip
chart to help guide participants in
preparing their piece.
o Which right are you exploring?
o What are the main threats to this
right?
o What does the enjoyment of this
right look like? Feel like?
o What is your message?
Adapted from:
Flowers, Nancy (2000) The Human Rights Education Handbook: Effective Practices for Learning,
Action, and Change Minnesota: University of Minnesota.
27
ACTIVITY -4
THREE GENERATIONS OF RIGHTS

Objectives:

Introduce the three generations of rights

To establish the principle of responsibility and its relation to
human rights.
To explore the question of who is responsible for respecting,
protecting and fulfilling human rights.
45 minutes
Materials:
flip chart, markers, tape, UDHR article cards, four pillars illustration
1. WARM-UP: energizer >>

Optional energizer
2. PRESENTATION: 3 generations of rights

Using the model below prepare 3 flip

charts, one for each category of rights.
Explain that there are different types
of human rights and the ones included
in the UDHR can be divided into three
broad categories
Explain each category or have a
volunteer read through the different
definitions.
Civil and Political Rights

Civil rights guarantee that each person has
the right to political equality, and to be free
from discrimination.
Political rights guarantee that each person has
the right to participate and be represented
in their government and political system.
28
TIME
>> 45 minutes
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Economic rights guarantee that each person
has the right to work, earn a regular wage,
join trade unions, and receive an income
that supports a good quality of life.
Social rights guarantee each person the right
to a fair standard of living including
housing, medical care, food, clothing and
all other necessary social services.
Cultural rights guarantee each person the
right to religious or spiritual belief, or the
right to not practice any religion. They also
include the right to ethnic, racial or cultural
expression.
Solidarity rights
Solidarity rights allow citizens to live in a safe,
Solidarity rights include:

Environmental rights, which guarantee each
person the right to good environmental
conditions, including clean air, clean water,

and protection from harmful waste.
Developmental rights, which guarantee people
the right to develop freely, without
interference from other countries or
corporations, and the right to sovereignty
over ones land and resources.
peaceful and healthy environment. They are

collective rights; they apply to communities
not individuals.
Sample:
Civil & Political Rights 1st Generation
Civil rights guarantee that each person has the right to political equality, and to be
free from discrimination.
Political rights guarantee that each person has the right to participate and be
represented in their government and political system.
3. ACTIVITY: Categorizing rights >>

Step 1:
Refer the participants back to the rights
they just showcased during the
creativity session. Which category do
these rights belong to?
Place 1-2 rights as a group to model
the exercise.
Distribute UHDR article cards evenly
amongst the groups. Participants work
in their small groups to decide which

categories the articles theyve been
given fall under. Give participants
10mins to complete this task.
Step 2:
Have each group send a representative
to the front of the room and place
their article under the correct category.
29
You can either have each participant

explain the reasoning behind their
decision as they come up or wait till all
of the rights have been placed and
have the entire class review the
categorization and make corrections if
necessary.
Alternatively you can have participants
reference the UDHR and assign each
group a different category to work on:
civil, economic, cultural etc.
4. PRESENTATION: RENE CASSINS HOUSE >>

As an alternative way of understanding
the rights included in the UDHR (and
subsequent human rights documents)
you can show participants the image
of Rene Cassins house.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has

30 articles. One of its drafters, a French scholar
and diplomat, Ren Cassin, said its many
provisions could be seen altogether as if they are the
pillars of a house holding up a broad roof. Each
pillar supports human rights of a different kind.
i. The right to be me
ii. Dont interfere with us
iii. I can help decide
iv. I need care and work
v. Roof something to hold all these rights
together
Highlight how the four pillars work

together to provide a safe place for the
family to live in harmony with their
surroundings. This is a powerful
metaphor for what human rights aim
to achieve.
Do some background reading on Rene
Cassin before facilitating this activity.
Have participants to look at the rights

included under each pillar and
comment why they fit into these
categories.
5. PRESENTATION: the value of interdependence >>

Step 1:
Write the following terms on the
board/flip chart. Ask students to
review the meaning (referencing
Activity #1),
Human rights are:

UNIVERSAL
INALIENABLE
INDIVISIBLE
30
Step 2:
Explain that these categories of rights
are referred to as generations because
civil and political rights were once seen
as being more fundamental than
economic, social and cultural rights
and solidarity rights. This belief is no
longer held because it is widely
accepted that human rights are
INTERDEPENDENT (write this
next to the other three key terms).
Review that INTERDEPENDENT
means that rights cannot be separated
Example: our right to participate in

government can be impacted by
whether our right to adequate health
care and/or our right to education are
fulfilled.
6. ACTIVITY: creating a web of rights >>

Step 1:
Invite participants to stand up and
make circle.
Put the UDHR cards in a bag or hat
and hand them around the circle. Have
each participant take one card. After
everyone has a card go around the
circle, each person reading out the
right they are holding and then taping
or pining it to his/her shirt.
Ask each person to reflect on their
right for a few minutes, thinking about
how this right supports and is
supported by the other rights
represented in the circle.
Step 2:
After giving participants time to think
hand the ball of string to one of the
participants. Have that person describe
out loud how their right is connected
to another right in the circle. Toss the
ball to the person holding the
corresponding right. Repeat until every
person in the circle has spoken. The
ball of string may be tossed to someone
who has already spoken.
7. CLOSING: discussion >>

Debrief this activity (remain standing,

sit where you are, or have participants
take their seats.
While it is commonly accepted that
human rights are interdependent we
must also remember that the UDHR
was written in 1948, in response to the
events of World War II.
Ask students to consider these two
questions:
1. Which UDHR articles, if any, are no
longer needed today? Are all of these
rights important for the people of your

country?
2. What would be the danger of accepting
that human rights are not indivisible or
interdependent?

from one another. That the denial of

one right affects the enjoyment of
other rights and that rights cannot be
denied because they are less important
or less fundamental
Possible answers: Governments could

use this as an excuse for not fulfilling
their peoples rights and/or prioritizing
some rights over others.
Hear a few ideas from the participant
group before closing the activity.
31
ACTIVITY -5
HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE NEWS

Objectives:

To enhance awareness of human rights events that are taking place in our own
communities
To give participants the opportunity to practice applying the
human rights terms and concepts theyve learned towards a
practical task
To practice identifying human rights violations
60 minutes
To understand the connection between human rights and the
media
TIME
Materials:
newspapers, markers, flip chart paper, sticky tape, glue, scissors, UDHR cards
1. WARM-UP: discussion

>> 5-10 minutes
Write the following quotation on the board:
Information is the oxygen of democracy.
- Article 19, an NGO campaigning for the freedom of expression
32
Ask participants what they think this

statement means.
Can relate it to anything weve learned
about human rights so far?
Is this statement true in Myanmar?
Possible responses:
freedom of expression is a human
rights
freedom of expression enables other
rights, for example participation in
society
2. SMALL GROUP WORK: Working with Newspapers

>> 40 minutes
d) Analyze each of the news pieces:
i. What specific rights are
involved in the story? Find
the article numbers of the
UDHR that covers each right
and write the article number
next to the story.
ii. Which category or rights do
they fall under?
iii. How might the violation of
these rights prevent people
from enjoying other rights
(or)
How does the protection/
enjoyment of these rights
enable people to enjoy other
rights?
Step 1:
Give each working group several
newspapers/journals, scissors, sticky
tape, glue, markers and flip chart paper.
Explain the activity writing directions
on a flip chart if needed.
a) Each group will construct a poster
using stories from the newspaper.
Look for stories from three
categories:
i. Rights being practiced or
enjoyed
ii. Rights being denied or
violated
iii. Rights being protected
b) Tell groups to not just look for
news stories but also features such
as sports, announcements and
advertisements.
c) When they find an article that
relates to human rights, they
should cut it out and paste it onto
their poster in the appropriate
category.
Step 2:
Have members from each group
present their poster.
Depending on time choose one or two
stories and explain their analysis of the
story in terms of the UDHR.
3. DISCUSSION/DEBRIEFING
>> 15 minutes
Discuss the activity, asking question such as

these:
What categories or rights stories were
the easiest to find? Hardest to find?
Why?
Did some articles of the UDHR come
up more often than others? Did others
not come up at all? How can you
explain this?
How many articles explicitly mentioned

human rights? How many concerned
human rights but did not use those
words? Why do you think human rights
were not mentioned?
Based on these news stories, what
seems to be the state of human rights
in the world today? In South East Asia?
In Myanmar? In your community?
33
34
What is being done to protect human

rights in these stories? Who is taking
action?
4. ADAPTATIONS >>

Depending on the level of your group

include international newspapers in
addition to local newspapers. It might
be interesting to see how the global
media portrays Myanmar.
For more advanced groups: have
participants compare the coverage of
the same story in different newspapers.

What differences can they observe in
importance given in the same story? In
the emphasis given to different features
of the story? What do they make of
these differences?
Adapted from:
Flowers, Nancy (ed) (2007) Compasito, Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
TALKING 'ROUND' RIGHTS

Objectives:

To engage the entire group in a discussion

To collectively review learning from Day 1
To preview topics covered in Day 2
TIME
15-30 minutes
Materials:
flip chart, markers, tape
Consider how this activity can encourage less vocal participants to participate in discussion.
They may feel more comfortable talking in a smaller group or commenting on other peoples
opinions. It is also a good way of having a whole group discussion without the facilitator
having to act as a chairperson, or one or two people dominating. Everyone has a say
1. WARM-UP: energizer

>> 5-10 minutes
ACTIVITY -6
Optional Energizer
2. ACTIVITY: Discussion stations >>

Step 1:
Write the following four questions onto
separate pieces of flip chart.

Sheet 1: Rights we have

Sheet 2: Consequences when rights
are not respected

Sheet 3: What can I do to promote
respect of rights?

Sheet 4: What can the government
do to promote the respect of rights?
Step 2:
Divide into working groups. Give
each group a different coloured
marker and a sheet of flipchart
paper with a topic on it. Give the
group a few minutes to write their

answers to the question on the flip
chart. When the time is up ask the
group to rotate clockwise to the
next sheet.
The group should read the ideas
generated by the previous group
and then tick [] the ideas they
agree with, cross [x] those ideas
they disagree with, put a question
mark (?)next to those ideas they are
not sure about, and add or amend
other ideas.
After a couple of minutes tell the
group to rotate clockwise to the
next sheet and continue the rotation
35
until the sheets return to their

original position. If you dont have
room to rotate to the papers, then
simply rotate the sheet of paper
instead.
3. CLOSING

>>>
Connect activity to agenda for

today looking more closely at our
personal experience with human
rights, who is responsible for
4. ADAPTATIONS

Step 3:
Each group gives feedback about
the ideas generated, the areas of
agreement and the areas of
disagreement, etc. Note the areas
of agreement and difference.
promoting human rights (us,

governments, other) and how
human rights show up in our
communities.
>>>
Adjust the questions depending on what questions you feel are most relevant to your
group
Adapted from:
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (2008) Inspiring Practices Ireland: Northern Ireland
Human Rights Commission.
36
PRIVILEGE WALK
Objective:

To have participants reflect on their own position in life and empathize with
other who face different challenges.
To develop an understanding of how privilege and discrimination
within society can erode the human rights principle of equality.
To develop an understanding of human dignity
15-30 minutes
TIME
Materials:
Copies of the UDHR, the list of privilege prompts, open space sufficient for
participants to stand in the center and move back 12 steps or forward 12 steps
1. WARM-UP: agree, disagree

Inform participants that we need an

open space for this next activity and
have them help to clear the room.
When the room is clear have everyone
gather in the middle.
Tell participants that you are going to
>> 5-10 minutes

read out some statements. If they
agree with the statement to stand on
one side of the room and if the
disagree with this statement to stand
on the other side of the room. Read
the quote on equality last.
ACTIVITY -7
Human rights are ideals. They are not practical.

Children dont need to hear about human rights.
Men have more rights than women.
Human rights are a luxury that only rich countries
can afford.
You cant enjoy your human rights unless you have
enough to eat.
Equality is a right that we will never truly achieve.
37
Have one or two volunteers from each

side share the reasoning behind their
position.
Explain that this next activity is to look

critically at the fundamental human
rights value of equality.
2. ACTIVITY: Step forward, step back

Step 1:
Draw or mark off a line on the floor
with chalk or outside on the ground.
Explain that this is the starting line and
the goal of the game is to find out who
among them will reach the finish line
first. Identify the finish line 12 steps
forward and ask everyone to put his or
her toes on the line. After everyone is
in a center starting area, ask a series of
questions, connected with required
moves --so many steps forward or
>>
backward. (See attached statements).

Remind everyone to respond as
honestly as possible and that this is a
safe space.
Step 2:
Continue in this same manner through
the advantages and disadvantages on
the list. When a large gap has developed
between the participants ask them to
turn and face each other.
3. DISCUSSION: understanding privilege


such as these:
o What do the starting and the
finish lines represent?
o Now that you know where you
stand, how do you feel? Why do
you feel good? bad? What do you
feel about the others? Is it okay to
be at the back?
o Why do you think some are in
front of the line and some are
lagging behind? How do you
account for this?
o Do you think it is just and humane
that some are in front and some
are at the back?
o Why do you think some situations
ask you to step forward not
backward and others backward
and not forward?
o What do you think are the needs
of those who have not reached
the finish line?
Step 3:
Synthesize the answers of the
participants by noting that the starting
38
>>
line represents the human dignity that

we people inherently possess. Explain
that according to the UDHR we are all
born free and equal in dignity and
rights but that unfortunately, some
members of the community are not
really equal in rights and dignity. As
we go through life there are different
factors that prevent us from fully
enjoying our human rights which is
why we occupy different distances.
Explain that the finish line represents
fullness of being human. Our human
dignity protected and respected. It is
what we all aspire for. The distance
between the starting and the finish
lines tells us that we need a certain
standard of living to enable us to
protect our dignity. What constitutes
such living standards is what we call
human rights. Draw attention to
Article 25 of the UDHR.
Further explain that there are special
human rights documents established
to protect and support groups that
have faced long-standing discrimination
and need special measures to help
Examples:
* Have copies (particularly of the
conventions Myanmar is a signatory of)
available for participants to look at during
Break and Lunch.

International Convention on the

Elimination of Racial Discrimination
(1965)
Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW, 1979) *
Convention on the Rights of the Child

(1989) *
Convention on the Protection of the
Rights of Migrant Workers and
members of their Families (1990)
Convention on the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities (2006) *
* Myanmar is a state party of these treaties
Step 4:
Ask those who found themselves
furthest behind what they could do to
move forward?Ask those over the
finish line what they could do to help
some of those behind.?
4.CLOSING: discussion on the relevance of human rights>>

Conclude with a discussion about the

idea that wherever a participant finds
herself/himself standing, their dignity
deserves to be equally respected and
protected and the their human rights
promoted.
Ask participants to take their seats or
to sit down where they are. Conclude
the activity by asking the following
questions.
Why are human rights important?

Why learn about human rights?

After participants have had a chance

present some of the reasons why
human rights is a powerful tool for
social change. Use the following as
sample to help you prepare a visual to
present to the participants.
them get to the front of the room, ie:

live their lives with dignity.
HUMAN RIGHTS: a powerful tool for social change

Human rights clearly identify a goal that we as a human family can work towards a
world in which every individual can live a life of dignity.
Human rights provides us with the language and concepts to help identify the
challenges that prevent us from achieving this goal.
By linking rights to responsibilities human rights helps to identify a road map/plan
and tools for overcoming these challenges.
39
SENSITIVITY WALK: prompts
40
If you parents had enough money to support you as a child, take 1 step forward.
If you were born with or have acquired a physical disability, take 2 steps back.
If you live in a house or flat that you own, take 2 steps forward.
If you have a monthly income that you think is adequate for your family needs, take 2 steps forward.
If you believe that you were paid less because of your race, gender, or ethnicity, take 1 step back.
If you went to school speaking a language other than Burmese, take 1 step back.
If you have adequate health care and clean water for your family, take 3 steps forward.
If you are a woman, take 3 steps back.
If you are unemployed, take 2 steps back.
If you were ever called names because of your race, class, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, take 1 step
back.
If you studied the culture of your ancestors in elementary school, take 1 step forward.
If you ever had to skip a meal or were hungry because there was not enough money to buy food when you were
growing up, take 1 step back.
If you saw members of your race, ethnic group, gender or sexual orientation portrayed on television in
degrading roles, take 1 step back.
If you get time off for your religious holidays, take 1 step forward.
If you were raised in an area with armed conflict, take 2 steps back.
If you can wear whatever clothes you like without fear of your morality being judged, take 2 steps forward.
If your hometown growing up had a high school, take 2 steps forward.
** Add to/Adjust these statements depending on the make-up of the group you are
working with.
PERPETRATOR, VICTIM,
BYSTANDER & HEALER
Objective:

To encourage participants to connect their own experiences to

what they are learning about human rights
To deepen awareness around our role in promoting human
rights
Materials:
TIME
75 minutes
depending on
size of group,
dont rush
Perpetrator, Victim, Bystander, Healer handout, pen
1. WARM-UP: group reading

>> 5 minutes
Reading a poem (see Workshop #1: Facilitators Notes)
2. ACTIVITY: journaling
ACTIVITY -8
>> 15-20 minutes
Step 1:
Divide participants into small groups
and give each a paper divided into four
quadrants
with
the
headings
Perpetrator, Victim, Bystander, and
Healer.
41
iii. when their own rights were

violated
iv. when they witnessed someone
whose rights were being violated
and took action
Step 2:
Finding their own space, ask

participants to journal on an example
of a time when they played each of
these roles. In other words a time:
i. when they stood by and did
nothing
ii. when they violated someones
rights
To create a reflective environment play

some relaxing music, dim lights etc. If
participants cannot think of a time
when they played one of these roles
(though encourage them to reflect
deeply) have them reflect on a time
when theyve seen someone else in
these roles.
Give participants 15-20mins to
complete this task reminding them
that they should be prepared to share
with the group.
3. Activity: Sharing and witnessing
turn to share one category before

going on to the next. Connect this
experience of sharing and listening to
the idea of transitional justice and
witnessing (see background reading
list).
Step 1:
Ring the bell and have participants
reform their working groups. Ask
participants to share their journal
entries in turn. They can either share
all four examples at once or each take a
4. CLOSING: discussion

>> 40 minutes
>> 10 minutes
Debrief with the whole group. Ask

volunteers for a few examples. Ask
what feelings and new understanding
the activity elicited. In conclusion
emphasize that everyone plays all these
roles at one time or another. Ask what
qualities and understanding a person
needs to continue to promote human
rights in their daily lives.
Close the activity by asking participants

whether we as individuals have a
responsibility to promote human rights
and if so what that ideally looks like.
*This activity is designed to transition into

the next activity that looks at who is
responsible for respecting, fulfilling and
protecting human rights.
Adapted from:
Flowers, Nancy (2000) The Human Rights Education Handbook: Effective Practices for Learning,
Action, and Change Minnesota: University of Minnesota.
42
PERPETRATOR
VICTIM
BYSTANDER
HEALER
HANDOUT: PERPETRATOR, VICTIM, BYSTANDER & HEALER
43

44
ACTIVITY -9
NO RIGHTS WITHOUT
RESPONSIBILITIES
Objective:

To understand the connection between rights and responsibilities.

To understand what it means to respect, protect and fulfill rights.
To reflect on the role of government, civil society and individuals
in promoting human rights.
TIME
60 minutes
Materials:
copies of Siwas story, flip chart paper, markers, Siwas picture cards (optional)
1. WARM-UP: brainstorm

>> 5 minutes
On flip chart right the words RIGHTS

and RESPONSIBILITIES
Ask participants what the difference is

between these two terms and how they
are related.
Provide a 10-min presentation on

Rights and Responsibilities. Do
background reading before facilitating
this section.
Use the following as sample to help

you prepare a visual to present
participants.

Rights and responsibilities cannot exist without each other

If someone has a right they have a corresponding responsibility not to abuse
other peoples rights.
Example: Your right to freedom of speech is limited by your responsibility to not say untrue
things that will degrade or lead to discrimination of another person.
Our human rights responsibilities can be broken down into three parts. The
responsibility to RESPECT, PROTECT and FULFILL.
Take the right to education as an example, government have the following
responsibilities:
o Respect: They should laws that unfairly prevent certain groups (women,
minorities, disabled) from attending school.
o Protect: They should ensure that administrators and teachers do not unfairly
discriminate against certain students or families.
o Fulfill: They should build schools in remote communities and supply them
with adequate resources and teachers.
2. PRESENTATION: Rights and responsibilities >> 10 minutes
3. ACTIVITY: the responsibility to respect, protect and fulfill

>> 15 minutes

order to respect, protect and fulfill this right?
Assign or have each group select a

human right from the UDHR and
discuss the following:
What might the government have to do in
Give groups 5-10mins to discuss using

the sample above as a model
Have groups share their answers.
4. CASE STUDY: Who else has responsibilities? >> 15 minutes

Step 1:
Distribute copies of the story
Have groups read the story together
and answer the following questions:
a) What rights are being violated/
protected?
b) Who is doing the violating? What
are they doing?
c) Who is doing the protecting?
What are they doing?

Possible responses:
a) Articles 1,3, 4, UDHR,
b) Mrs. X and Mrs. Y forcing her to
work without compensation
c) Neighbors, Legal Aid helping
Siwa claim her right to freedom
(article 1,3), right not to be
enslaved (article 4)
45
Step 2:
Have groups share their answers
Share details from the actual case this
story is based on (European Court of
Human Rights case Siliadin v. France,
No. 73316/01)
Debrief by asking questions such as
these:
o Could this happen in Myanmar?
Have you heard of similar cases?
o Do people help each other in
Myanmar the way Siwas neighbor
helped her?
Alternative: Prepare cards with key

moments from the story written on it or
cards with pictures from the story. Have
someone from the group come to the front
of the room, order the pictures and
summarize the story. This will provide the
group with a visual as a basis for the
discussion.
5. PRESENTATION: Human Rights as law

Explain that while the UDHR is not

legally binding it has inspired the
creation of human rights laws locally,
nationally, regionally and internationally.
Since the UDHR was created in 1948 it
has served as the model for many
national constitutions (the legal
structure of many countries)
When human rights are made into
national law it is the governments
principle duty to respect, protect and
6. CLOSING

46
o What resources are available to

people in Myanmar or Myanmar
citizens
abroad
who
are
experiencing
>> 10 minutes
fulfill them.
In the case of Siwas story the European
Human Rights Act alongside the
French legal system has laws forbidding
slavery (modeled after the UDHR)
However individuals, NGOs and other
members of civil society also play an
important role in promoting human
rights, particularly in countries that do
not have well-developed legal
infrastructure.
>> 5 minutes
Ask participants if they can think of

any government or non-governmental
organizations that promote human
rights locally.
Have participants think back to the

Perpetrator, Bystander, Victim and
Healer activity to recall the role
individuals can play in promoting
human rights.
Siwa was born in the African country of

Togo in 1978. She lived with her uncle
because her parents had died when she was
a child.
When she grew older, Siwa realised that the
world was much bigger than just her
country and that there were other interesting
places to visit as well. But like most people
in her country, Siwa was poor and didnt
have the money to travel.
When Siwa turned 15 years old her uncle
came up with a plan. He suggested sending
Siwa to a rich country to live with Mrs X, an
acquaintance of his. Siwa was excited by the
idea of traveling and was eager to go. The
uncle agreed with Mrs X that she would
buy Siwa a plane ticket to France (her home
country) and that Siwa would live at her
house and help the family with the
housework until she had earned the price
of her plane ticket. So Siwa, with her
passport and a tourist visa, boarded a plane
and flew to France. She was looking forward
to all the new things she would be
experiencing There, Mrs. X had promised
to send her to school and to take care of
her legal papers so that she could travel
freely and explore this new country.
However, once Siwa arrived at Mrs. Xs
house, things started to go wrong. Mrs. X
was not as friendly as the girl had imagined.
She expected Siwa to take care of her
children and do all the housework by
herself. When Siwa asked about school,
Mrs. X said that it could wait.
After a while Mrs. X told Siwa that she was
going to live with Mrs. Y to help take care of
her young children. Siwa hoped that now she
could finally start going to school and
enjoying her stay in this new country. Sadly,
however, Mrs. Y was worse than Mrs. X. Life
became even harder for Siwa. Now she had
to start work early in the morning and could
not go to bed until late at night. And even
then she couldnt get a good nights sleep as
she was sleeping on the floor in the childrens

room and had to take care of the baby, who
woke up crying several times during the
night. Besides cleaning, cooking and caring
for the children, she was not even allowed to
leave the house to walk around in the city.
Life was miserable. Siwa regretted ever
leaving Togo.
One morning Siwa managed to get
permission to go to religious services. But
instead of going there, she gathered her
courage and knocked on the door of a
neighbor's house. She asked the young
couple living there for help and told her
story. The couple was shocked. They could
not imagine someone being treated like a
slave in modern times.
The couple took Siwa into their house and
reported her case to the police. When the
police investigated, they charged Mrs. X
and Mrs. Y. However, Siwa was not satisfied
with having these individuals punished. She
wanted to make sure that no other child like
her would ever have to face a similar
situation. She tried to get a lawyer to help
her but she couldnt afford the fees. Luckily
a local legal aid organization that supports
the rights of migrants and refugees decided
to help her and covered her legal costs.
HANDOUT: SIWAS STORY
Therefore, with the help of the legal aid

organization, Siwa filed a case in the European
Court of Human Rights, asking the country
where Mrs. X lived to change its laws to
protect children from this kind of slavery.
The Court agreed with Siwa and that country
was forced to take care to prevent similar
incidents of forced work in the future. Finally,
Siwa was happy. She had not only managed
to escape from the imprisonment in Mrs. Ys
house, but she had also made sure that no
other child in that country would have to
experience what she did.
Source: Adapted from the European Court of
Human Rights case Siliadin v. France, No.
73316/01.
47
ACTIVITY -9-b
NO RIGHTS WITHOUT
RESPONSIBILITIES
Objective:


in promoting human rights.
60 minutes
Materials:
copies of Siwas story, flip chart paper, markers, Siwas picture cards (optional)

>> 5 minutes
On flip chart right the words RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES

Ask participants what the difference is between these two terms and how they are
related.
Note participants responses on the flip chart.
RIGHTS
RESPONSIBILITIES
48
TIME
Provide a 10-min presentation on

Rights and Responsibilities. Do
background reading before facilitating
this section.

you prepare a visual to present to the
participants.

Rights and responsibilities cannot exist without each other

If someone has a right they have a corresponding responsibility not to abuse
other peoples rights.
Example: Your right to freedom of speech is limited by your responsibility to not say untrue
things that will degrade or lead to discrimination of another person.
Our human rights responsibilities can be broken down into three parts. The
responsibility to RESPECT, PROTECT and FULFILL.
Take the right to education as an example, government have the following
responsibilities:
o Respect: They should laws that unfairly prevent certain groups (women,
minorities, disabled) from attending school.
o Protect: They should ensure that administrators and teachers do not unfairly
discriminate against certain students or families.
o Fulfill: They should build schools in remote communities and supply them
with adequate resources and teachers.
3. ACTIVITY: Respect, protect and fulfill

Assign or have each group select a

human right from the UDHR and
discuss the following:
>> 15 minutes
order to respect, protect and fulfill this right?

What might the government have to do in
Give groups 5-10mins to discuss

using the sample above as a model
Have groups share their answers.
4. ACTIVITY: Who else has responsibilities?

Step 1:
Hang the images of Siwas story up at
the front of the room. Tell participants
that these pictures represent a story.
Ask them to guess what the story is
about.
Variations:
Give one image per person and have
them piece together the story as a
group and then retell it.
Handout the comic strip version of
2. PRESENTATION: Rights and Responsibilities >> 10 minutes
>> 30 minutes
the images and have participants try

and retell the story.
Jumble the images. Have participants
reorder the images and then tell the
story.
Omit this activity if short on time.
Step 2:
Distribute copies of Siwas story.
Have groups read the story together
and answer the following questions:
49
a) What rights are being violated/

protected?
b) Who is doing the violating? What
are they doing?
c) Who is doing the protecting?
What are they doing?
Possible responses:
a) Articles 1,3, 4, UDHR,
b) Mrs. X and Mrs. Y forcing her
to work without compensation
c) Neighbors, Legal Aid helping
Siwa claim her right to freedom
(article 1,3), right not to be
enslaved (article 4)
Step 3:
Have groups share their answers
Share details from the actual case this
story is based on (European Court of
Human Rights case Siliadin v. France,
No. 73316/01)
Debrief by asking questions such as
these:
o Could this happen in Myanmar?
Have you heard of similar cases?
o Do people help each other in
Myanmar the way Siwas neighbor
helped her?
5. PRESENTATION: Human Rights Protection Mechanisms

>> 15 minutes
Step 1:
Use Siwas story to introduce a 1015min presentation on international
human rights protection mechanisms.
participants.
Briefly talk about the role of NGOs,

reference Siwas story
Ask participants if they can think of
any government or non-governmental
organizations that monitor human
rights or promote them locally.
HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION MECHANISMS

Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948)
Does not place any legal obligations on states.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights & International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, with optional protocols (1976)
Gives the rights in the UDHR legal force.
States that ratify these treaties promise to establish and implement national laws
that support the rights contained in these documents.
Reservations can be submitted.
UDHR + ICCPR + ICESCR = International Bill of Rights
Including the ICCPR and ICESCRs there are nine binding core human rights
treaties
ICERD International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
CAT
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment

or Punishment
CRC
50
1965
1966
1966
1979
1984
1989
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and
Members of Their Families
1990
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced
Disappearance
2006
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2006
After ratifying states are responsible for:

Submitting reports to supervisory committees
NGOs can submit shadow reports
There are special organizations that oversee specific rights, ie: International
Labour Organization
Regional bodies that also monitor States performance
How to submit a compliant?
1. Exhaust domestic channels
2. Submit complaint to regional/international bodies
3. Complaint must relate to an international human right and the applicant must
have suffered a severe disadvantage
Myanmar human rights framework
UN member state 1948
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW)
Myanmar Human Right Commission
6. ACTIVITY: Make posters

Distribute handout on Human Rights

Protection Mechanisms
Ask participants to work in their
groups to create a visual representation
of the International Human Rights
Protection System. Each group should
include the following and show the
relationship between them.
o UDHR
7. CLOSING

ICMW

CPED

CRPD
>> 45 minutes
o Human Rights Treaties

o Regional Human Rights Bodies
o Nation States
Give participants 30mins to create
their posters. Have break and then
come back and present posters. Invite
students to come to the front of the
class or do a gallery walk.
>> 2 minutes
Close the session by explaining that

FNF Workshop #2 looks more closely
at how we as citizens can engage with

human rights protection mechanisms.
51
HANDOUT: SIWAS STORY

Siwa was born in the African country of
Togo in 1978. She lived with her uncle
because her parents had died when she was
a child.
When she grew older, Siwa realised that the
world was much bigger than just her
country and that there were other interesting
places to visit as well. But like most people
in her country, Siwa was poor and didnt
have the money to travel.
When Siwa turned 15 years old her uncle
came up with a plan. He suggested sending
Siwa to France to live with Mrs X, an
acquaintance of his. Siwa was excited by the
idea of traveling and was eager to go. The
uncle agreed with Mrs. X that she would
buy Siwa a plane ticket to France and that
Siwa would live at her house and help the
family with the housework until she had
earned the price of her plane ticket. So
Siwa, with her passport and a tourist visa,
boarded a plane and flew to France. She
was looking forward to all the new things
she would be experiencing there. Mrs. X
had promised to send her to school and to
take care of her legal papers so that she
could travel freely and explore this new
country.
However, once Siwa arrived at Mrs. Xs
house, things started to go wrong. Mrs. X
was not as friendly as the girl had imagined.
She expected Siwa to take care of her
children and do all the housework by
herself. When Siwa asked about school,
Mrs. X said that it could wait.
After a while Mrs. X told Siwa that she was
going to live with Mrs. Y to help take care of
her young children. Siwa hoped that now
she could finally start going to school and
enjoying her stay in this new country. Sadly,
however, Mrs. Y was worse than Mrs. X.
Life became even harder for Siwa. Now she
had to start work early in the morning and
could not go to bed until late at night. And
even then she couldnt get a good nights
52
sleep as she was sleeping on the floor in the

childrens room and had to take care of the
baby, who woke up crying several times
during the night. Besides cleaning, cooking
and caring for the children, she was not even
allowed to leave the house to walk around in
the city. Life was miserable. Siwa regretted
ever leaving Togo.
One morning Siwa managed to get
permission to go to religious services. But
instead of going there, she gathered her
courage and knocked on the door of a
neighbor's house. She asked the young
couple living there for help and told her
story. The couple was shocked. They could
not imagine someone being treated like a
slave in modern times.
The couple took Siwa into their house and
reported her case to the police. When the
police investigated, they charged Mrs. X
and Mrs. Y. However, Siwa was not satisfied
with having these individuals punished. She
wanted to make sure that no other child like
her would ever have to face a similar
situation. She tried to get a lawyer to help
her but she couldnt afford the fees. Luckily
a local legal aid organization that supports
the rights of migrants and refugees decided
to help her and covered her legal costs.
Therefore, with the help of the legal aid
organization, Siwa filed a case in the European
Court of Human Rights against the French
government to change its laws to protect
children from this kind of slavery. The Court
agreed with Siwa and the French government
was forced to take care to prevent similar
incidents of forced work in the future. Finally,
Siwa was happy. She had not only managed
to escape from the imprisonment in Mrs. Ys
house, but she had also made sure that no
other child in that country would have to
experience what she did.
Source: Adapted from the European Court of
Human Rights case Siliadin v. France, No.
73316/01.
CONFLICTING RIGHTS
Objective:

To illustrate that human rights can sometimes conflict

To illustrate how human rights mechanisms can be used to resolve
these conflicts
To understand that rights can be limited
TIME
45 minutes
Materials:
Conflict rights handout, flip chart, markers

>> 10 minutes
Do background reading background

reading before facilitating this section.
Write a Conflicts of Rights on a flip
chart/board and ask participants what
they think this means.
Definition: Conflicts of rights refers

to clashes that may occur between
different human rights or between the
same human rights of different
persons.
ACTIVITY -10
53
of
expression
vs.
Jewish
communitys right not to be
discriminated against.

Can participants think of any other

examples?
Present when and why rights can be
limited.
Transition: Explain that human rights
protection mechanisms are not only
serve as a way to support people who
have experienced human rights
violations but are also in place to help
mediate conflicts of rights and make
decisions on limitations of rights.
2. ACTIVITY: Identifying conflicts or rights

3.

54
Same rights, different people:

two patients who need a new heart
in order to survive; however, there
is only one available heart for
transplantation.
Different rights, same person:
euthanasia, when one persons
right conflicts with his/her right
to die or be free from degrading
treatment.
Different human rights of
different people conflict: a proNazi demonstration in a
predominantly
Jewish
neighborhood. Rights of freedom
Distribute conflicts of rights handout.

In partners participants read through
the scenarios on the handout and
answer the following questions.
o What right is being limited? In
your opinion is it a reasonable
limitation? Provide reasons for
your position.
o What rights are in conflict? Refer
to the UDHR.
o What are some of the ways in
which this conflict might be
resolved?
o Which types of solutions do you
think are preferable?

think would be most likely to
actually occur?
o Are there any solutions in which
both parties could get their needs
met?

CLOSING: debate is good

Emphasize that there no clear answers
to the questions raised by these cases,
they continue to be a source of heated
debate.
Debate is good indicates that human
rights are ever changing and evolving.
Human rights is not an ideology but a
developing philosophy or way of
understanding our world. Laws are
rules based in ideas of human rights
but these ideas and laws can change.
Slavery used to be debated but now is
>> 30 minutes
Emphasize that it is ok if participants

are confused or are unsure of what a
just resolution of the scenario would
look like. Conflicts or right can be very
complex which is why there are
mechanisms in place to deal with them.
>> 2 minutes
universally accepted as a violation of

human rights.
Dont be discouraged by the lack of
clarity. Contribute to the resolution of
the debate by making your own
judgments on the issues by referring
back to the human rights values of
equality and dignity. If an individual
lacks human dignity and equality then
the spirit of human rights is being
violated.
Working with a partner, read through the

scenarios and determine whether they
represent a right being limited or a conflict
of rights. Then answer the following
questions:
o What right is being limited?
In your opinion is it a
reasonable
limitation?
Provide reasons for your
position.
o What rights are in conflict?
Refer to the UDHR.
o What are some of the ways
in which this conflict might
be resolved?
o Are there any solutions in
which both parties could get
their needs met?
o Which types of solutions do
you think would be most
likely to actually occur?
a) A same-sex couple wants to get
married. They find a beautiful
wedding hall that they would like
to rent by the owner refuses to
rent it to them saying that it is his
religious belief that same-sex
people should not be allowed to
marry.
b) A blind man uses a service dog in
order to perform his duties as a
teacher in a local school. A student
at that school has a severe allergy
to dogs and wants the teachers
dog banned from the school
premises.
c) A popular newspaper recently
published private pictures of a
politician leaving a drug treatment
centre. The politician is very
embarrassed and wants the news
paper to apologize and remove
the pictures from their website.
d) The Myanmar military has
recently joined a conflict in a

neighboring country. In protest to
the militarys involvement in this
conflict a group of high school
students decide to black wear
armbands to school. The school
suspends them and sends them
home stating that the suspension
will continue till the students
agree to take their armbands off.
e) Arranged marriages are common
practice in many cultures, where
young women and also men
are expected and obliged to marry
someone who has been chosen by
their family, often at a very young
age. An international NGO is
running a campaign to stop this
potentially dangerous cultural
practice.
f) A new hair salon advertises that it
is women-only establishment and
does not accept male customers.
When a man wanting a hair wash
complains the salon explains that
their all-female staff are not
comfortable providing treatment
to men.
g) A new religious-based private
school requires new students to
sign a document outlining
Community Standards which
includes a clause prohibiting
homosexual behavior. When
students complain the school
maintains that if students dont
like the rules they can choose to
attend a different school.
h) A teenage boy in a crowded
cinema shouts Fire! His actions
cause major chaos in the cinema,
including some minor injuries
and damage to property.
HANDOUT: Conflicts of Rights
55

56
HANDOUT: Conflicts of Rights answer key

questions:
o What right is being limited?
In your opinion is it a
reasonable
limitation?
Provide reasons for your
position.
o What rights are in conflict?
Refer to the UDHR.
o What are some of the ways
in which this conflict might
be resolved?
o Are there any solutions in
which both parties could get
their needs met?
o Which types of solutions do
you think would be most
likely to actually occur?
married. They find a beautiful
wedding hall that they would like
to rent by the owner refuses to
rent it to them saying that it is his
religious belief that same-sex
people should not be allowed to
marry.
Right
to
freedom
from
discrimination, article 2
Right to marry, article 16
Right to freedom of religion,
article 18
Would students feel differently if
it was a restaurant owner refusing
a table to a same-sex couple
celebrating their anniversary?
b) A popular newspaper recently
embarrassed and wants the news
paper to apologize and remove
the pictures from their website.
Right to privacy, article 12

Right to freedom of
expression, article 19
c) The Myanmar military has
recently joined a conflict in a
neighboring country. In protest to
the militarys involvement in this
conflict a group of high school
students decide to black wear
armbands to school. The school
suspends them and sends them
home stating that the suspension
will continue till the students
Limitation on right to freedom of
Actual case from the US during
the Vietnam War. Court decided
in favour of the students claiming
that the armbands were not
disruptive and represented pure
expression.
d) Arranged/forced marriages are
common practice in many
cultures, where young women
and also men are expected and
obliged to marry someone who
has been chosen by their family,
often at a very young age. An
international NGO is running a
campaign to stop this potentially
dangerous cultural practice.
Right to culture, article 27
e) A new hair salon advertises that it
is women-only establishment and
does not accept male customers.
When a man wanting a hair wash
complains the salon explains that
their all-female staff are not
comfortable providing treatment
to men.
Right
to
freedom
from
discrimination, article 2
Case law in some countries argue
shouts Fire! His actions cause

major chaos in the cinema,
including some minor injuries and
damage to property.
Limitation on the right to freedom
of expression, article 19
Legitimate to maintain order and
protect public safety
h) A rise in the price of oil and rice
has led to rioting in the streets.
The government issues a curfew
requiring all citizens to remain
indoors after 9pm.
Limitation on the right to freedom
of movement, article 13.
Legitimate if it is to protect safety
that this type of distinction is

allowable. A womens only business
is based on an actual difference
rather than a perceived difference
which is the basis of discrimination..
f) A new religious-based private
school requires new students to
sign a document outlining
Community Standards which
includes a clause prohibiting
homosexual behavior. When
students complain the school
maintains that if students dont
like the rules they can choose to
attend a different school.
Right to freedom of religion, article
18
g) A teenage boy in a crowded cinema
57

58
ACTIVITY -11
HUMAN RIGHTS QUOTATIONS

Objective:

To synthesize learning in a creative way

To reinforce key vocabulary, concepts and perspectives associated
with the theme of the workshop
To give participants some inspiring words to take away with them
TIME
30-60 minutes
Materials:
flip chart, human rights quotation cards
1. WARM-UP: grouping

>> 5 minutes
After participants have shared their

maps explain that for this final activity
we will be making new groups.
Hand out the quotation cards and ask
participants to form a new group with
people holding the same quotation.
Give participants a few minutes to

rearrange themselves.
Alternative: Model the activity by writing a
quotation on a piece of flip chart and asking
the group what it means to them.
Ask student groups to discuss the

quotation assigned to them to
determine its position, directly or
indirectly stated, about human rights.
Put the following questions on a flip
chart to guide student discussion:
1. What does the author of this quotation think
about human rights?
2. Can you connect this quotation to anything
weve learned over the past two days?
3. ACTIVITY: Jigsaw
Remind participants that each and

every participant must be prepared to
report on group deliberations/
opinions. Give participants 10mins to
discuss.
Move around the room and observe
the conversations. Support when
necessary
(review
quotations
beforehand so that you can guide
participants appropriately).
>> 15 minutes
Step 1:
Put students in new groups; the new
groups should be made up of students
who can report on different quotations
(in each group number off 1-4 and
then regroup 1s together, 2s together
etc.). Ask students to take turns reading
their quotations to new group members
and sharing the insights they uncovered
in their first groups.
Ask groups to select one of the
quotations, from those represented in
4. CLOSING
their groups, as their favorite. The

group should be able to defend their
choice.
Step 2:
Ask groups to report on their favorite
quotation about human rights. Ask
volunteers to explain their groups
reason(s) for selecting the quotation as
their favorite.
Invite participants to share other
meaningful quotes that inspire them.
2. ACTIVITY: What are people saying about human rights?

>> 15 minutes
>> 15 minutes
Thank everyone for being here and

congratulating everyone on taking the
initiative to learn more about human
rights.
Close the activity with a few comments
such as these:
o The global human rights
movement that started with the
drafting of the UDHR has been
described as one of the most
significant developments of the
modern era.
It is by no means a perfect system

but as these quotations illustrate,
they have generated important
discussion and dialogue around
the questions of what type of
society we want to live in and have
led to the development of new
tools and mechanisms that
support our pursuit of this society.
59
FACILITATORS NOTES: Human Rights Quotations
a) Values are invisible like the wind.

From the flutter of leaves you know
there is wind. And you realize values
through the actions of people.
va Ancsel
f) Ubuntu: A person is a person

through other people.
An African notion; way of seeing life.
b) The law does not change the heart,

but it does restrain the heartless.
Martin Luther King
g) If you have come to help me, you

are wasting your time. But if you
have come because your liberation
is bound up with mine, then let us
work together.
Lilla Watson,
Indigenous Australian visual artist
c) Civilization should be judged by its

treatment of minorities.
Mahatma Gandhi
h) Poverty is like living in jail, living

under bondage, waiting to be free.
A person from Jamaica living in poverty
d) If we dont believe in freedom of

expression for people we despise,
we dont believe in it at all.
Noam Chomsky

e) I may detest what you say, but I will
defend to the death your right to
say it.
Voltaire (1694-1778)
60
i)
Poverty is pain; it feels like a disease.

It attacks a person not only
materially but also morally. It eats
away ones dignity and drives one
into total despair.
A woman in Moldova living in poverty
j)
Liberty, freedom and democracy

are very fuzzy words, but human
rights are very specific.
Joichi Ito
** I have only expanded some of the quotations. I think its better for FNF to select the
quotes it likes and I can expand them further.
a) Values are invisible like the wind.
From the flutter of leaves you know
there is wind. And you realize values
through the actions of people.
- va Ancsel
Our values are reflected in how we behave
towards and treat others. If we believe
in human rights values we should work
towards embodying these values in our
everyday interactions. Values are also
powerful. Like the wind you cant seem
them but when translated into action
they can be a powerful force for
change.
- Perpetrator, Bystander, Victim
and Healer
- Rights and responsibilities
b) The law does not change the heart,
but it does restrain the heartless.
- Martin Luther King
Those who believe in human rights do not
need law to compel them to live these
values. However laws can be useful in
holding those who violate human
rights accountable for their actions.
- Introduction to the UDHR
c) Civilization should be judged by its
treatment of minorities.
- Mahatma Gandhi
As we go through life there are different
factors that can prevent us from
enjoying our rights equally. Human
rights draws attention the injustice of
this in equality and provides us with a
strategy to help remedy it. If we want
to live in a society that is defined by
human rights values it is our
responsibility to support everyone to
live lives of dignity.

- Sensitivity Game
- Rights and Responsibilities
d) If we dont believe in freedom of
expression for people we despise,
we dont believe in it at all.
- Noam Chomsky
I may detest what you say, but I will
defend to the death your right to
say it.
- Voltaire (1694-1778)
Ubuntu: a person is a person through
other people
- An African notion; way of
seeing life
Enjoying human rights means respecting,
protecting and enabling other peoples
rights.
- Rights, Duties and Responsibilities
Making the links
Human Rights Quotations possible interpretations
e) If you have come to help me, you

are wasting your time. But if you
have come because your liberation
is bound up with mine, then let us
work together.
- Lilla Watson, Indigenous
Australian visual artist
Human rights are intrinsically connected
and cannot be viewed in isolation from
each other. The enjoyment of one
right depends on the enjoyment of
many other rights and no one right is
more important than the rest.
- Three Generation of Human
Rights
- Interdependence string game
61

62
f) Poverty is like living in jail, living

under bondage, waiting to be free.
- A person from Jamaica living in
poverty
g) Liberty, freedom and democracy

are very fuzzy words, but human
rights are very specific.
- Joichi Ito
Poverty is pain; it feels like a disease. It

attacks a person not only materially
but also morally. It eats away ones
dignity and drives one into total
despair.
- A woman in Moldova living in
poverty
One of the strengths of human rights as a

tool for social change is that it provides
change makers with a strategy. By
empowering individuals as rightsholders and identifying methods of
claiming rights a human rights gives us
a clear language to describe injustice
and options for correcting these
situations. Human rights dont just
describe a situation they describe a
process.
- Human rights as a tool for social
change
- Human rights as law
Human rights are intrinsically connected

and cannot be viewed in isolation from
each other. The claim that some rights
(civil and political) are more important
than others (economic, social and
cultural) is unfounded.
- Three Generations of Human
Rights
- Interdependence string game
Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself.
-Confucius
As you would have people do to you, do to them; and what you dislike to be done to you,
dont do to them.
-Prophet Mohammed
The world is a dangerous place, not becauseof those who do evil, but because of those who
look on and do nothing.
-Albert Einstein
Washing ones hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side
with the powerful, not to be neutral.
-Paulo Freire
Be yourself the change you would like to see in the world.
-Gandhi
To see what is right and to no do it is to want of courage.
-Confucius
Words and thoughts concerning compassionate action that are not put into practice are like
beautiful flowers that are colorful but have no fragrance.
-Thich Nhat Hanh
Extra Quotes:
In the end history will judge us, not by what we say but by what we do.
-Kofi Annan
Values are not there to serve philosophers or theologians, but to help people live their lives
and organize their societies.
-Kofi Annan
I have the right to be equal when difference makes me inferior, and the right to be different
when equality ignores the characteristics that define me.
-Boaventura Sousa Santos
Everyone has the right to have ambitions and a responsibility to try to achieve them as much
as they can.
-Simon Stevens
63
WORKSHOP -1
INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS

Day 1
Time
9-9:15am
30mins
Energizer: name tag
introductions
Objective
Icebreakers
9:15-10am
30mins

Agenda, Introductions,
Create safe space
Goal Setting
10-11:00am
60mins

Activity - 1: Sailing to a
New Land
11-11:15
BREAK
15mins
11:15-12:30pm 75mins
Activity - 2: Intro to UHDR

activity & presentation

Where do human rights

come from?
What kind of rights do I have?
12:30-1:30pm 60mins LUNCH

1:30-1:45pm
64
Duration Activity
15mins
Gallery Walk
Inspiration
1:45-2:45pm 60mins

Activity - 3: Story-tellers,
Poets & Artists
Connect emotionally with

human rights
2:45-3:30pm 45mins

Activity - 4: Three Generations What is interdependence?

of Human Rights
3:30-3:45pm
BREAK
15mins
3:45-4:45pm 60mins

Activity - 5: Human Rights in How can I recognize human

the News
rights around me?
4:45-5pm
15mins

Review day/Closing one

Review learning, preview
word whip, plus/delta sheets Day 2
with post-its
Time
Duration Activity
Objective
9-9:15am
15mins
Warm-up and review
9:15-9:45am 30mins

Handshakes and highlights
Activity - 6: Talking round

Review and preview
human rights
9:45-10:30am 45mins
Activity - 7: Privilege Game

Why are human rights

important?
Barriers to enjoying equality
and HRs
10:30-10:45am 15mins
BREAK
10:45-12:00pm 75mins

Energizer
Journal prompt
Session - 8: Perpetrators,
Victims, Bystander, Healer
12:00-1pm
LUNCH
60mins
Linking learning to personal

experience Understanding
agency
1-2pm
60mins

Session - 9: Responsibility - Who looks after human

presentation
rights?
Rights holders vs. duty bearers What resources are available
(governments, individuals,
to me?
organizations)
What is my role?
2-2:15pm
BREAK
15mins
Day 2
2:15-3:45pm 90mins
Activity - 10: Where do human Why are human rights so

rights begin?
controversial?

Connect human rights to our

communities
3:45pm-4:30pm 45mins

Session - 11: Human Rights Synthesize learning

quotes
4:30-5pm
30mins

Closing Activity ceremony/ Review learning/Look

circle activity
forward
65
WORKSHOP -1
Introduction to Human Rights

DAY 1:
1. Energizer and Introductions (15-30 mins)
Objective:
To encourage participants to get to know one another
To create a warm and safe learning environment
To understand participants backgrounds and starting points
Procedure:
Prepare two nametags per person, one to pin/tape on themselves and one blank one
for them to hold.
Ask participants to write the name they would like to be addressed by during the
workshop on both nametags.
Invite participants to mingle around the room, when they meet someone they should
introduce themselves and exchange second nametags. After participants are finished
they should find a new partner but this round they should introduce their first
partner to their second partner by first pointing him/her out (he/she may not be
near by) and then relaying the information that he/she shared. Participants exchange
nametags again and move on to a third partner.
Continue in this way until everyone has had a chance to meet a number of other
participants. The atmosphere should be lively and loud.
Model how to do this activity before inviting participants to mingle on their own.
Closing have participants remake the circle. Ask volunteers to introduce someone
else in the group. In smaller groups you can go around the circle till everyone has
had a turn. After youve been introduced you introduce the person on the nametag
you are holding.
Possible guidelines for introductions:
Name tag introductions
Introduce yourself (Name and organization if relevant)
Why he/she is here.
Interesting fact about yourself
Something you value (honesty, integrity etc.) or something silly
* Adjust prompts depending on your group
TRANSITION
After introductions have been made ask participants to look at the colour of their nametag.
Tell participants to form a group with the people who have the same colour nametag and sit
down with them.
66
2. Agenda, goals and expectations (30 mins)

Present agenda (prepare on flip chart). Invite participants to ask questions

Introduce importance of ground rules in creating a safe and productive learning
environment. Have participants work in pairs or their name tag groups to help
establish their own rules or have some base rules drawn up and have participants add
to it.
3. Activity - 1: Sailing to a new land defining human

rights, needs and wants (60 mins)
Objectives:
Define human rights by looking at human needs and human wants
Human rights = our most basic needs to live life with dignity
Introduce core human rights values: universal, equality, inalienable, indivisible,
interdependent
Procedure:
Divide the entire group into As and Bs.
Continue with talking circle activity as a warm-up.
Work through activity: see lesson plan
BREAK (15 mins)
* Before the workshop starts prepare nametags in as many colours as the number of groups
you want. The total number of nametags should match the total number of participants.
TRANSITION (15 mins)

Energize and divide the participants into new group using Animal Scrabble. Explain that
these groups will be their working groups for the rest of the workshop. Their task now is to
come up with a team name. Give groups 5 minutes to come up with a name and have them
share it with the plenary. Have participants sit down in their groups. Alternatively keep
participants in nametag groups and substitute another energizer.
4. Activity - 2: Introduction to the UDHR (75mins)

Objectives:
To explain where human rights come from
To introduce participants to the UDHR
To help participants connect the UDHR to real-life situations
Procedure:
Write UDHR on a flip chart, elicit what students know about this document
Underline RIGHTS and elicit examples of rights the UDHR might include
Explain that this session is devoted to looking more closely at the UDHR and the
rights it includes.
Work through activity see lesson plan
67
LUNCH (60 mins)

Before the beginning of the workshop or during lunch while participants are eating, hang
the included pieces of human rights artwork around the room (or select your own). Select
some mood music or better yet some human rights/peace themed music from your area. As
lunch is winding down turn on the music and invite participants to take their seats. Announce
the following:
To being this afternoons session Id like to give you all the chance to appreciate some of the beautiful human
rights themed artwork we have displayed in the rooms. Take the next 10-15 mins (depending on the size of
the space) to enjoy these different pieces from around the world. As you appreciate them please consider these
questions:
What message is the artist trying to communicate?
What specific right(s), if any is represented?
How does the piece make you feel?
When I ring the bell please stand next to your favourite piece.
Debrief by asking a few volunteers to share about their favourite piece.
Activity - 3: Story-tellers, Poets and Artists (60 mins)

Objectives:
To encourage participants to connect emotionally as well as intellectually to human
rights
Procedure:
See above
TRANSITION (5 mins)
After each group has presented their artwork have participants sit back down with their
working groups. Keep the artwork up in a prominent place.
5. Activity - 4: Three Generations of Human Rights and the

Value of Interdependence (45 mins)
Objectives:
To introduce different ways of thinking about the types of human rights we have
To introduce and emphasize the importance of human rights values of indivisibility
and interdependence
Procedure:
Hang up the prepared flip charts labeled: Civil & Political Rights, Economic Social
& Cultural Rights and Solidarity Rights
68
Explain that the human rights including those that are and are not found in the
UDHR are often organize into these three different categories.
Work though activity see lesson plan
BREAK (15mins)
TRANSITION (5 mins)
Ring the bell to bring everyone back together. Ask participants to sit in their working groups.
To transition from the break explain that the motivation behind this workshop is to both
introduce the group to fundamental concepts related to human rights but to also provide
them with skills to identify and analyze real world human rights situations.
6. Activity - 5: Human rights in the news (60 mins)

Objective:
communities
To give participants the opportunity to practice applying the human rights terms and
concepts theyve learned towards a practical task
To understand the connection between human rights and the media
Procedure:
Write the media and human rights quotation on a flip chart. Have students reflect on
its meaning.
Hand out different journals/newspapers, glue, flip cart paper and markers
7. Closing (15-30 mins)

Have participants stand in a circle and ask each person to think of one word that
expresses how they feel in this moment. Do a one-word whip around the circle
with each person sharing a word. If you have more time provide a prompt or give
each person allotted time to share.
Handout post-its/sticky notes. Ask participants to write down one plus (something
that the enjoyed about today) and one delta (one thing that could be improved about
how the workshop is being run or something they want to learn more about) and
have them stick it on two flip charts that youve already prepared somewhere in the
rooms. Use these comments to make adjustment to the next days schedule.
69
DAY 2:
1. Warm-up (15 mins)
Objective:
To build positive energy for the day
To review learning from yesterday
Procedure:
Introduce a creative handshake, works better if the handshake is connected to any
interesting story.
Have the participants move around the room and find a partner and discuss the first
prompt. Give partners a few minutes to share before introducing a second handshake.
Repeat sharing the second prompt.
Debrief ask a few volunteers to demonstrate their handshakes and share something
that they discussed
Prompts:
Introduce yourself then:
1. Share something you learned from the day before
2. Share something youd like to explore further today.
3. Silly question (pick something from this list or make up your own)
o If you were going to get a tattoo what would it be and where would you get it?
o Your happiest childhood memory
o What superpower would you want and why?
Extension: On the final round have participants design their own handshake. If you need
to debrief a question or activity during the workshop have participants find their handshake
partner, do the handshake and then discuss the prompt.
Alternative: do this as a Talking Circle: Divide participants into two groups, on standing in
a circle facing outwards and the other facing inwards so that each person faces someone else.
These pairs exchange views on the first prompt. After a set period, ask everyone on the
inside to move 1-3 people to their right and read the second prompt. Repeat.
2. Activity - 6: Talking round human rights (30 mins) intro

agenda for the day
*If you are short on time skip this activity. Write the agenda for the day on a piece of flip
chart present it to the group and move directly into the Privilege Walk.
Objective:
To review what we learnt the day before
To preview what we are going to cover today
Procedure:
Before the training starts create four different stations. For large groups set up a
70
TRANSITION
Explain that today we will be looking more closely at the question of Whos responsible for
human rights? Well examine both our individual responsibility and power to promote
human rights as well as the responsibilities of government and other actors.
3. Activity - 7: Privilege Walk (45-60 mins)

Objective:
To have participants reflect on their own position in life and empathize with other
who face different challenges.
To develop an understanding of how privilege and discrimination within society can
erode the human rights principle of equality.
Procedure:
Have participants clear the space so that everyone can line up side by side and take
12 step forwards as well as 12 steps backwards. If necessary move the group outside.
BREAK (15 mins)
second set of four stations on the other side of the room, divide the group in two
and have each half rotate through the four stations. Review the sheets with the same
question on it side by side at the end of the session.
Working through activity: see lesson plan
TRANSITION (5 mins)
Ring the bell to bring everyone back together. Prepare a poem on the theme of the power
of words, reflection, meditation, human rights etc. preferably from the region and have the
poem written out, line by line on enough pieces of paper to be divided amongst the members
group. Have each participant, in order, read a line of the poem. Give some background on
the poem and then explain that this next session is going to start with a writing activity.
Include a few suitable poems in the education pack.
4.Activity - 8: Perpetrator, Bystander, Victim, Healer (75mins)

Objective:
To encourage participants to connect their own experiences to what they are learning
about human rights
To deepen awareness around our personal role in promoting human rights
Procedure:
While participants are still standing in a circle explain that they will be given 15-20
mins to journal on four different experiences a time when they were a perpetrator,
bystander, victim and a healer.
71
LUNCH (60 mins)

TRANSITION
Facilitate an energizer. One idea is to have participants get back into their secret handshake
partners, review their handshakes and then have everyone close their eyes. Move participants
around the room and have people find their partner while keeping their eyes closed. They
will need to shake hands with people around them until they find a handshake they recognize!
5. Activity - 9: No Rights Without Responsibilities (45-60mins)

Objective:
To reflect on the role of government, civil society and individuals in promoting
human rights.
Procedure:
Hang up a flip chart with the words RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES written on it
Ask participants what the difference is between these two terms and how they are related.
** if you need more time for this activity cut the following Where do you stand? activity
6. Activity - 10: Where do universal human rights begin?

(90mins)
Objective:
To stimulate discussion about views and feeling people have about rights.
To build association of human rights with places in everyday life
To encourage evaluation of human rights climate in community
Procedure:
Hang up the AGREE/DISAGREE signs.
Read statements and have participants organize themselves on a continuum
Or
Hang up Eleanor Roosevelt quotation and skip Where do you stand? activity
7. Activity - 11: Human rights quotations (30-60mins)

Objective:
To reinforce key vocabulary, concepts and perspectives associated with the theme of
the workshop
72
8. Closing (30 mins)

Objective:
To review and summarize learning
To create a sense of community
Procedure:
Clear the room
Have the participants stand in a circle. Invite everyone to close their eyes and think
of one highlight from this workshop, a key learning that they will take home with
them. Once youve given everyone a chance to think of something have them open
their eyes.
Ask participants to arrange themselves in a line chronologically according to their
highlight moment/key learning
Have each participants share 1-2 sentences about their moment/learning
Optional End with a poem or a reading. Maybe read a lyric out from a famous song
written about human rights and then play the song as the participants mingle and get
ready to leave.
** If it the mood is right you can organize a fire ceremony. Have a fire or candle in the
middle or the space. Explain the significance of the candle to human rights activism globally
(Amnesty International). Hand out candles to each participant. Have each person light their
candle in turn, speak briefly to what they are taking away from this experience and then place
their candle in an appropriate place where it can be left to burn.
Procedure:
Distribute quotation cards randomly and have participants find their groups.
Being round one of discussion before reorganizing groups for round two.
Work though activity see lesson plan.
Options:
After everyone has shared take care of any necessary paperwork. Hand out resource
packs or circulate a contact list.
Pluses and deltas from the second day of the workshop. Other forms of evaluation.
73
WORKSHOP -1

Day 1
Time
9-9:15am
30mins
Energizer: name tag
introductions
Objective
Icebreakers
9:15-10am
30mins

Agenda, Introductions,
Create safe space
Goal Setting
10-11:00am
60mins

Activity -1: Sailing to a

New Land
11-11:15
BREAK
15mins
11:15-12:30pm 75mins
Activity -2: Intro to UHDR

activity & presentation

Where do human rights

come from?
What kind of rights do I have?

1:30-1:45pm
74
Duration Activity
15mins
Gallery Walk
Inspiration
1:45-2:45pm 60mins

Activity -3: Story-tellers,

Poets & Artists
Connect emotionally with

human rights
2:45-3:30pm 45mins

Activity -4: Three Generations What is interdependence?

of Human Rights
3:30-3:45pm
BREAK
15mins
3:45-4:45pm 60mins

Activity-5: Human Rights in

the News
How can I recognize human

rights around me?
4:45-5pm
15mins

Review day/Closing one

Review learning, preview
word whip, plus/delta sheets Day 2
with post-its
Time
Duration Activity
Objective
9-9:15am
15mins
Warm-up and review
9:15-9:45am 30mins

Handshakes and highlights
Activity -6: Talking round

Review and preview
human rights
9:45-10:30am 45mins
Activity -7: Privilege Game

Why are human rights

important?
Barriers to enjoying equality
and HRs
10:30-10:45am 15mins
BREAK
10:45-12:00pm 75mins

Energizer
Journal prompt
Session -8: Perpetrators,
Victims, Bystander, Healer
12:00-1pm
LUNCH
60mins
Linking learning to personal

experience Understanding
agency
1-2pm
60mins

Session -9: Responsibility - Who looks after human

presentation
rights?
Rights holders vs. duty bearers What resources are available
(governments, individuals,
to me?
organizations)
What is my role?
2-2:15pm
BREAK
15mins
Day 2
2:15-3:45pm 90mins
Activity -10: Where do human Why are human rights so

rights begin?
controversial?

Connect human rights to our

communities
3:45pm-4:30pm 45mins

Session -11: Human Rights Synthesize learning

quotes
4:30-5pm
30mins

Closing Activity ceremony/ Review learning/Look

circle activity
forward
75
WORKSHOP -1
Introduction to Human Rights

DAY 1:
1. Energizer and Introductions (15-30 mins)
Objective:
To encourage participants to get to know one another
To understand participants backgrounds and starting points
Procedure:
Prepare two nametags per person, one to pin/tape on themselves and one blank one
for them to hold.
Ask participants to write the name they would like to be addressed by during the
workshop on both nametags.
Invite participants to mingle around the room, when they meet someone they should
introduce themselves and exchange second nametags. After participants are finished
they should find a new partner but this round they should introduce their first
partner to their second partner by first pointing him/her out (he/she may not be
near by) and then relaying the information that he/she shared. Participants exchange
nametags again and move on to a third partner.
Continue in this way until everyone has had a chance to meet a number of other
participants. The atmosphere should be lively and loud.
Model how to do this activity before inviting participants to mingle on their own.
Closing have participants remake the circle. Ask volunteers to introduce someone
else in the group. In smaller groups you can go around the circle till everyone has
had a turn. After youve been introduced you introduce the person on the nametag
you are holding.
Possible guidelines for introductions:
Name tag introductions
Introduce yourself (Name and organization if relevant)
Why he/she is here.
Interesting fact about yourself
Something you value (honesty, integrity etc.) or something silly
* Adjust prompts depending on your group
TRANSITION
After introductions have been made ask participants to look at the colour of their nametag.
Tell participants to form a group with the people who have the same colour nametag and sit
down with them.
76

Present agenda (prepare on flip chart). Invite participants to ask questions

Introduce importance of ground rules in creating a safe and productive learning
environment. Have participants work in pairs or their name tag groups to help
establish their own rules or have some base rules drawn up and have participants add
to it.
3. Activity -1: Sailing to a new land defining human

rights, needs and wants (60 mins)
Objectives:
Define human rights by looking at human needs and human wants
Human rights = our most basic needs to live life with dignity
Introduce core human rights values: universal, equality, inalienable, indivisible,
interdependent
Procedure:
Divide the entire group into As and Bs.
Continue with talking circle activity as a warm-up.
BREAK (15 mins)
* Before the workshop starts prepare nametags in as many colours as the number of groups
you want. The total number of nametags should match the total number of participants.

Energize and divide the participants into new group using Animal Scrabble. Explain that
these groups will be their working groups for the rest of the workshop. Their task now is to
come up with a team name. Give groups 5 minutes to come up with a name and have them
share it with the plenary. Have participants sit down in their groups. Alternatively keep
participants in nametag groups and substitute another energizer.
4. Activity -2: Introduction to the UDHR (60-75 mins)

Objectives:
To explain where human rights come from
To introduce participants to the UDHR
To help participants connect the UDHR to real-life situations
Procedure:
Write UDHR on a flip chart, elicit what students know about this document
Underline RIGHTS and elicit examples of rights the UDHR might include
Explain that this session is devoted to looking more closely at the UDHR and the
rights it includes.
77
LUNCH (60 mins)

Before the beginning of the workshop or during lunch while participants are eating, hang
the included pieces of human rights artwork around the room (or select your own). Select
some mood music or better yet some human rights/peace themed music from your area. As
lunch is winding down turn on the music and invite participants to take their seats. Announce
the following:
To being this afternoons session Id like to give you all the chance to appreciate some of the beautiful human
rights themed artwork we have displayed in the rooms. Take the next 10-15 mins (depending on the size of
the space) to enjoy these different pieces from around the world. As you appreciate them please consider these
questions:
What message is the artist trying to communicate?
What specific right(s), if any is represented?
How does the piece make you feel?
When I ring the bell please stand next to your favourite piece.
Debrief by asking a few volunteers to share about their favourite piece.
Activity -3: Story-tellers, Poets and Artists (60 mins)

Objectives:
To encourage participants to connect emotionally as well as intellectually to human
rights
Procedure:
See above
TRANSITION (5 mins)
After each group has presented their artwork have participants sit back down with their
working groups. Keep the artwork up in a prominent place.
5. Activity -4: Three Generations of Human Rights and the

Value of Interdependence (45 mins)
Objectives:
To introduce different ways of thinking about the types of human rights we have
To introduce and emphasize the importance of human rights values of indivisibility
and interdependence
78
Procedure:
Hang up the prepared flip charts labeled: Civil & Political Rights, Economic Social
& Cultural Rights and Solidarity Rights
Explain that the human rights including those that are and are not found in the
UDHR are often organize into these three different categories.
Work though activity see lesson plan
BREAK (15 mins)

TRANSITION
Ring the bell to bring everyone back together. Ask participants to sit in their working groups.
To transition from the break explain that the motivation behind this workshop is to both
introduce the group to fundamental concepts related to human rights but to also provide
them with skills to identify and analyze real world human rights situations.
6. Activity -5: Human rights in the news (60 mins)

Objective:
communities
To give participants the opportunity to practice applying the human rights terms and
concepts theyve learned towards a practical task
To understand the connection between human rights and the media
Procedure:
Write the media and human rights quotation on a flip chart. Have students reflect on
its meaning.
Hand out different journals/newspapers, glue, flip cart paper and markers

79
DAY 2:
Objective:
Procedure:
Introduce a creative handshake, works better if the handshake is connected to any
interesting story.
Have the participants move around the room and find a partner and discuss the first
prompt. Give partners a few minutes to share before introducing a second handshake.
Repeat sharing the second prompt.
Debrief ask a few volunteers to demonstrate their handshakes and share something
that they discussed
Prompts:
1. Share something you learned from the day before
2. Share something youd like to explore further today.
Extension: On the final round have participants design their own handshake. If you need
to debrief a question or activity during the workshop have participants find their handshake
partner, do the handshake and then discuss the prompt.
Alternative: do this as a Talking Circle: Divide participants into two groups, on standing in
a circle facing outwards and the other facing inwards so that each person faces someone else.
These pairs exchange views on the first prompt. After a set period, ask everyone on the
inside to move 1-3 people to their right and read the second prompt. Repeat.
2. Activity -6: Talking round human rights (30mins) intro

agenda for the day
*If you are short on time skip this activity. Write the agenda for the day on a piece of flip
chart present it to the group and move directly into the Privilege Walk.
Objective:
To review what we learnt the day before
To preview what we are going to cover today
Procedure:
Before the training starts create four different stations. For large groups set up a
80
TRANSITION
Explain that today we will be looking more closely at the question of Whos responsible for
human rights? Well examine both our individual responsibility and power to promote
human rights as well as the responsibilities of government and other actors.
3. Activity -7: Privilege Walk (45-60 mins)

Objective:
To have participants reflect on their own position in life and empathize with other
who face different challenges.
To develop an understanding of how privilege and discrimination within society can
erode the human rights principle of equality.
Procedure:
Have participants clear the space so that everyone can line up side by side and take
12 step forwards as well as 12 steps backwards. If necessary move the group outside.
BREAK (15mins)
second set of four stations on the other side of the room, divide the group in two
and have each half rotate through the four stations. Review the sheets with the same
question on it side by side at the end of the session.
Working through activity: see lesson plan
TRANSITION (5mins)
Ring the bell to bring everyone back together. Prepare a poem on the theme of the power
of words, reflection, meditation, human rights etc. preferably from the region and have the
poem written out, line by line on enough pieces of paper to be divided amongst the members
group. Have each participant, in order, read a line of the poem. Give some background on
the poem and then explain that this next session is going to start with a writing activity.
Include a few suitable poems in the education pack.
4. Activity -8: Perpetrator, Bystander, Victim, Healer (75mins)

Objective:
To encourage participants to connect their own experiences to what they are learning
about human rights
To deepen awareness around our personal role in promoting human rights
Procedure:
While participants are still standing in a circle explain that they will be given 15-20
mins to journal on four different experiences a time when they were a perpetrator,
bystander, victim and a healer.
81
LUNCH (60 mins)

TRANSITION
Facilitate an energizer. One idea is to have participants get back into their secret handshake
partners, review their handshakes and then have everyone close their eyes. Move participants
around the room and have people find their partner while keeping their eyes closed. They
will need to shake hands with people around them until they find a handshake they recognize!
5. Activity -9: No Rights Without Responsibilities (120mins)

Objective:
To reflect on the role of government, civil society and individuals in promoting
human rights.
Procedure:
Hang up a flip chart with the words RIGHTS and RESPONSIBLITIES written on it
Ask participants what the difference is between these two terms and how they are related.
** if you need more time for this activity cut the following Where do you stand? activity
6. Activity -10: Conflicting Rights (30-45 mins)

Objective:
To illustrate how human rights mechanisms can be used to resolve these conflicts
Procedure:
Write Conflict of Rights on a flip chart and hang it at the front of the room.
Ask participant what they think a conflict of rights is.
Work through activity see lesson plan.
7. Activity -11: Human rights quotations (30-60 mins)

Objective:
To reinforce key vocabulary, concepts and perspectives associated with the theme of
the workshop
Procedure:
Distribute quotation cards randomly and have participants find their groups.
Being round one of discussion before reorganizing groups for round two.
Work though activity see lesson plan.
82
Objective:


Procedure:
Clear the room
their eyes.
Optional End with a poem or a reading. Maybe read a lyric out from a famous song
written about human rights and then play the song as the participants mingle and get
ready to leave.
** If it the mood is right you can organize a fire ceremony. Have a fire or candle in the
middle or the space. Explain the significance of the candle to human rights activism globally
(Amnesty International). Hand out candles to each participant. Have each person light their
candle in turn, speak briefly to what they are taking away from this experience and then place
their candle in an appropriate place where it can be left to burn.
Options:
Pluses and deltas from the second day of the workshop. Other forms of evaluation.
8. Closing (30 mins)
83
Human Rights
Training Manual
A
SECTION 2:
ACTIVITIES
USEFUL TOOLS FOR FACILITATORS
ACTIVITY -1
HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION MECHANISM
ACTIVITY -2
CONFLICT OF RIGHTS
ACTIVITY -3
RIGHTS IN THE COURT
ACTIVITY -4
HUMAN RIGHTS IN MYANMAR/SOUTH EAST
ASIA
ACTIVITY -5
TELL ME YOUR STORY
ACTIVITY -6
NGO CAROUSEL
ACTIVITY -7
LIVING HUMAN RIGHTS
ACTIVITY -8
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
USEFUL TOOL FOR FACILITATORS
SECTION : 3
ENERGIZERS
Lap Sit:
We-Haul:
All Aboard:
Variation:
Make a tight circle, everyone facing the

same direction, with both hands on the
shoulders of the person in front of you.
Everyone sits back slowly onto the knees
of the person behind them. If everyone
falls down, laugh and try again.
Find a piece of cardboard or something

small and slightly off the ground. The
group must find a way to get everyone off
the ground and onto the stump. Do careful
spotting here. This is a great, quick initiative
to do on the fly.
The group circles up with arms over each

others shoulders. Put a bunch of random
objects on the ground for them to transport
from one place to the next. They have to pick
up the objects and move them all together as
a group, without using their hands at all.
Write little tags on the objects that the

group is moving (UDHR articles, human
rights values, rules and expectations for the
workshop). Use this activity as a warm-up
and a way of introducing the next topic or
reviewing something already covered.
87
Shoes:
Everyone is blindfolded, takes shoes off

and instructors put them in the middle of
the circle. Everyone tries to find their own
shoes and put them back on.
Human Knot:
Circle up the group. Reach out and hold

hands with different people in the circle (just
not next to you). Untangle to form a circle.
Silent Calendar:
Explain that the whole group must line up

in order of the day and month they were
born, but they cannot use words to
accomplish this.
The Storm:
Assign different sounds and gestures to

small groups of participants (e.g., wind,
rain, lightning, thunder, etc.) and then
narrate the soft beginnings of the storm,
conducting the various sounds like an
orchestra (e.g., And then the lightning
flashes! And the thunder roars!) through
to the conclusion of the storm.
To the Lifeboats!:
First demonstrate a lifeboat: two people

hold hands to form the boat; passengers
stand inside the circle of their hands. Then
explain that everyone is going on a voyage:
88
At first the sea is calm and everyone is

enjoying the trip. Then, suddenly, the ship
hits a rock. Everyone must get into a
lifeboat in groups of three (or one, or four,
etc.). Participants then scramble to form
lifeboats and take in the proper number
of passages. Usually someone drowns.
Then take up the narrative again. Now the
ship continues peacefully ... but suddenly a
hurricane begins. The ship is sinking.
Everyone to the lifeboats in groups of
two. Continue like this through several
shipwrecks.
INTRODUCTIONS/
ICEBREAKERS
Each person brings a meaningful object

from home to contribute to an opening
display as a way of introducing something
important about them.
Silent Introduction:
GREAT for modeling the fact that people

can communicate without words! Participants
are paired-up, and they have a few minutes to
introduce themselves by using only gestures
and expressions. After a few minutes, the pairs
come back, and each participant takes a turn
at telling the group what he/she learned about
the other person.
Like Portraits, but without the drawing.

Each person pairs off with another, asks
several questions. Then each partner
introduces the other to the whole group.
Some leading questions might be:
1. What makes you unique?
2. What person in your life has helped
to make you the strong leader you
are?
3. When you hear the phrase a
human right, what do you think
about?
4. What animal bests represents you?
5. Who is the best storyteller in your
family or community?
6. What event in your life has most
affected your worldview?
7. What brought you here?
In the Same Boat:
Explain that participants must locate others

who share the same characteristic. Then call
out some categories (e.g., those born in the
same decade or month; those with the same
number of children or siblings; those who
speak the same language at home or the
same number of languages). Under the
right circumstances, more sensitive
categories might be used (e.g., those whose
skin tone is the same; number of times
arrested).
Musical Chairs:
Arrange chairs in a close circle and ask

participants to sit down. Stand in the middle
of the circle and explain that you are going
to state your name and make a statement
about yourself. When you do, everyone for
whom that statement is also true must
change chairs . (e.g., I am X and am lefthanded, I am X and I have three
daughters, or I am X and I dislike eating
___). Try to get a chair for yourself. The
person left without a chair then makes a
similar statement about herself or himself.
Continue until most participants have had a
chance to introduce themselves in this way.
Portraits:
Provide participants with plain paper and a

pen. Ask participants to find a partner
whom they dont know. Explain that each
person is to draw a quick sketch of the
other and to ask some questions (e.g., name,
hobby, a surprising fact) that will be
incorporated into the portrait. Allow only a
short time for this and encourage everyone
to make their portraits and names as large
as possible. Then ask each participant to
show his or her portrait and introduce the
original to the group. To facilitate learning
names, hang the portraits where everyone
can see.
Teamwork:
Divide participants into small teams and

allow them time to discover the
characteristics they have in common (e.g.,
culture, appearance, personal tastes,
hobbies). Ask each team to give itself a
name and be able to explain it. Groups then
introduce themselves to the whole group,
naming the team members and explaining
their name.
Line-up:
Interviews:
Organize the participants into two or more

groups of 8 to 20 people. Tell participants
that this is a competition and that they will
need line themselves up in a particular way
as a fast as possible. When the group is
lined-up they should clap to indicate that
they are finished.
Possible prompts:
Line up in order by shoe size, line up in

order by length of arms reach, line up in
order alphabetically by first name, line up in
order by date of birth from January to
December, line up in order by number of
brothers and sisters you have, line up in
order by age, line up in order by length of
time in your current occupation, line up in
order by number of animals you own etc.
89
FORMING GROUPS
Animal Scrabble:
Create small animal cards, as many types of

animals as work groups needed for the
exercise. Write the same number of slips as
the number of people that will form each
group. Each participant is asked to take one
slip of paper. Participants read the slip of
paper by keep the word a secret. Participants
must find the rest of the group, but no
talking is allowed. Instead they have to
make the sound of the animal. As soon as
participants find one another they should
stick together and continue calling until
they find all their animal friends.
Picture Puzzles:
Create picture puzzles (take a picture and

cut it into different pieces), create as many
different puzzles as work groups are
needed. For example if you need 5 groups
you will need 5 puzzles. The total number
of puzzle pieces should match the total
number of participants. Put all the pieces
into a bag/basket. Each participant takes a
turn picking a puzzle piece out of the
container. Participants must find the people
with the matching puzzle pieces.
90
Variation:
Intentionally pick the photos so that you

can use them to introduce or review a topic.
Magic colours:
Use coloured paper, differently coloured

sweets or other objects to divide participants
up. Think of ways you can integrate the
coloured objects into your workshop. For
example: print name tags and handouts on
different coloured paper then have
participants reorganize themselves into
colour groups.
Pairs:
Make index cards ahead of time. On each

pair of cards, write a famous pair that serves
as a way for participants to form pairs. For
example, write curry on one card and
rice on the other. Other ideas: Aung San
Suu Kyi and NLD or Human and Rights.
You can choose topics that relate to your
topic such as addition and subtraction or
you may also want to write definitions on
one set of cards and vocabulary words on
the other. In order for participants to form
a pair, they must first be able to correctly
identify the word and its definition.
If you decide to use a case study as part of

your class or training session, consider
adding role playing to the analysis. Assign
different roles based on the case, and then
give each of your participants a card
describing their role. Then, ask them to
form groups based upon the role they have
been assigned.
Collective Summary:
Use a story to introduce a topic. Have

participants form groups based on
characters from the story.
Pose a summarizing question (e.g., What

remarks that you have heard here today will
you especially remember as meaningful?
or What idea can you take home to use in
your community?) or an open-ended
statement (e.g., Try to think of a word or
phrase that sums up your feelings at the end
of todays session or I still wonder...).
Ask participants to respond in turn.
Group Still Life or Installation: Each
participant in turn removes the object from
a group display and explains what he or she
is taking away from the workshop.
REVIEWS/CLOSINGS
Releasing the Dove of Peace:
Variation:
Ball Toss:
Participants toss a ball from one to another.

Each person who catches the ball states one
thing she or he learned or can use from the
workshop.
Variations:

Share valuable lessons/concepts

learned
First person states a concept, next
person states an example of
concept in action and then states
another concept, repeat.
Use to review a process, timeline,
order
The facilitator mimes holding a significant

object (e.g., bird, newborn baby) and invites
each participant to say something to it as it
is passed from one participant to another.
After the object has been passed to
everyone, they draw into a tight circle and
collectively let it go.
Slide Show:
The facilitator has taken photos of the

session, including each participant. As a
reflection on the Human Rights Learning
Community, a brief comment on the
contribution each participant has made in
unison with the slide presentation is given.
Role Play:
Timeline:
Write key concepts, lessons,

experiences, discussions and
other highlights form the
workshop on cards. Give each
participant a card and have
them
order
themselves
chronologically. Bring the two
ends of the line together so
that everyone can see one
another. Go around the circle
and have participants share
their personal highlight/most
valuable lesson etc.
91
Human Rights Squares

Instructions: Using members of the group as sources of information, get an answer for
as many squares as you can and write it in the square. Each answer should come from a
different person, who must initial that square for you. Stop when time is called.
What are the different
Three examples of human
A right your parents have/
categories of human rights?
rights.
had that you do not.
Name of an organization
Name of a document that
Someone who is/was a
that defends human rights.
proclaims human rights.
defender of human rights.
A right of yours that is
Type of human rights abuse
What are some of the
respected.
that most disturbs you.
principles
that
human rights?
Singer who sings about
People that are denied the
rights
right to establish their own
Film/video about rights.
nation/homeland.
92
define
Rights that is often denied
Right sometimes denied to
in your country.
women.
Book about rights.
Instructions: Using members of the group as sources of information, get an answer for
as many squares as you can and write it in the square. Each answer should come from a
different person, who must initial that square for you. Stop when time is called.
What are the different
categories of human rights?
Civil and political
Economic, social
and cultural
Solidarity
Three examples of human

rights.
A right your parents have/

had that you do not.
Name of an organization
that defends human rights.
Amnesty

International
Human Rights
Watch
Karen Human

Rights Group
Name of a document that

proclaims human rights.
Universal

Declaration
of
Human Rights
International
Covenant of Civil
and Political Rights
Someone who is/was a

defender of human rights.
Gandhi
Nelson Mandela
Aung San Suu Kyi
Martin Luther King
A right of yours that is

respected.
Type of human rights abuse

that most disturbs you.
What are some of the

principles
that
define
human rights?
Equality
Universality
Inalienability
Indivisibility
Interdependence
Singer who sings about

rights
People that are denied the

right to establish their own
nation/homeland.
Kurds
Kachin
Karen
Palestinians
Film/video about rights.

Hotel Rwanda
Blood Diamond
Killing Fields
Gandhi
Right sometimes denied to

women.
Freedom
of
movement
Freedom to marry
Right to security of
person
Book about rights.

Freedom from Fear
Kite Runner
Hunger Games
Bob Marley
John Lennon
Ani Defranco
Bob Dylan
Nina Simone
Rights that is often denied

in your country.
Human Rights Squares - answer key
93
ACTIVITY -1
HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

OBJECTIVES :

MATERIALS :
TIME
75 minutes
Siwa story cards, flip chart paper for each group, markers, tape
1. WARM-UP: Preview Siwas story >> 15 minutes

94
To review learning from Workshop #1

in promoting and protecting human rights human rights.
Do background reading before

facilitating this session.
Hang the pictures of Siwas story up at
the front of the room.
In small groups have participants recall
Siwas story. Encourage them to make
notes and to write down as much detail
as they can remember.
Invite one volunteer to come to the
front of the room, re-order the pictures
and recount the story
When he/she is done have the rest of

the group fill in details.
Alternative: Invite as many volunteers
as there are photos to come to the
front of the room. Each volunteers
selects a photo and then the volunteers
order themselves so as to correctly
represent the story. Participants each
recount the part of Siwas story their
photo represents
Step 1:
Use Siwas story to introduce a 1015min presentation on international
human rights protection mechanisms
different courts (national/regional/
international) and how they interact
with each other, the role of NGOs and
civil society, individual citizens
Use the following as a sample to help
participants.
Step 2:
Debrief with questions such as:
o Has anyone heard of the Myanmar
Human Rights Commission?

What do you now about it?
o Do you feel that childrens rights
are adequately protected in
Myanmar? Why or why not?
o Do you feel that womens rights
are adequately protected in
Myanmar? Why or why not?
o What do you feel are some of the
barriers to the enjoyment of
human rights in Myanmar?
Try and elicit lack of knowledge of human
rights mechanisms and mistrust as a way to
front-load the discussion on the Role
of the Courts.
3. ACTIVITY: Make posters >> 45 minutes

Step 1:
Show participants the included poster
of the Human Rights Protection
Mechanism
Explain that students are going to
work in small groups to posters that
visually represent different case studies
of the Human Rights Protection
Mechanism in action.
Optional: One group can create their
own visual representation of the
International Human Rights Protection
System including: UDHR, Human
Rights Treaties, Regional Human
Rights Bodies, Nation States.
Give participants 20-30mins to read

their case studies and create their
posters. Invite students to come to the
front of the class and present their
posters or do a gallery walk.
If you are working with a large group
have more than one group illustrating
each case study.
Distribute the handout on Human
Rights Protection Mechanisms for
participants to use as a resource.
2. PRESENTATION: intro to human rights mechanisms

>> 15 minutes
*Option: If you are short on time, take a

break and have participants introduce their
posters before starting Activity #2.
4. CONCLUSION >> 2 minutes

Close the session by explaining that the

rest of the workshop will focus on how
we can engage with these different

actors/mechanisms.
95
HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION MECHANISMS

Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948)
Does not place any legal obligations on states.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights & International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, with optional protocols (1976)
Gives the rights in the UDHR legal force.
States that ratify these treaties promise to establish and implement national laws
that support the rights contained in these documents.
Reservations can be submitted.
UDHR + ICCPR + ICESCR = International Bill of Rights
Including the ICCPR and ICESCRs there are nine binding core human rights
treaties
ICERD International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 1965
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
1966
ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
1966
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
1979
CAT
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment

or Punishment
1984
CRC
1989
ICMW International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and

Members of Their Families
1990
CPED International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced

Disappearance
2006
CRPD Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2006
After ratifying states are responsible for:

Submitting reports to supervisory committees
NGOs can submit shadow reports
There are special organizations that oversee specific rights, ie: International
Labour Organization
Regional bodies that also monitor States performance
How to submit a compliant?
1. Exhaust domestic channels
2. Submit complaint to regional/international bodies
3. Complaint must relate to an international human right and the applicant must
have suffered a severe disadvantage
Myanmar human rights framework
UN member state 1948
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW)
Myanmar Human Right Commission
96
Case Study: Mexico, North America

In 2004 the Committee on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW) completed an inquiry
into the rape, abduction and murder of
women in the Ciudad Juarez area of
Chihuahua in Mexico. The Committee
concluded that Mexico had failed to protect
women against gender-based violence,
violating their most fundamental human
rights. It made many clear recommendations
for action. As a result:
The womens groups argued that the

Austrian state had failed to do enough to
protect the lives of the two women and that
this violated their rights guaranteed under
the CEDAW.
The CEDAW Committee agreed with
them. In August 2007 they found that
Austria had failed to protect the womens
lives and made clear recommendations
about what Austria should do to avoid the
same violations of womens human rights
in the future.
New laws have been passed on

equality between men and women
and womens access to a life free
from violence
As a result a series of new policy measures

have been introduced and the process of
legal reform to protect Austrian women
from violence has gained real momentum.
A Special Attorneys Office has

been set up to monitor investigations
into femicide, and
Case study: Ecuador, South America
The womens movement has been

given a formal role in monitoring
and developing regulations to
ensure the law is properly
implemented.
Case study: Austria, Europe

In 2004 two Austrian womens organizations
filed complaints under the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
on behalf of two women, Sahide and
Fatma. Each woman had been killed by
their husband after suffering repeated
abuse. They had each brought various
violent incidents to the attention of the
Austrian authorities, did not get sufficient
support, and were ultimately murdered.
In 2001 Mr. Diogenes Monserrate Mendoza

Bravo submitted a complaint to the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights
on his behalf and that of his 16-year old
son, Fausto Fabricio Mendoza Giler, who
the Ecuadoran National Police had brutally
beaten and killed. Despite the fact that the
police officers responsible were clearly
identified, no one was prosecuted for the
crime. The Commission helped to mediate
a friendly agreement between the victims
and government through communications
and meetings.
CASE STUDIES:
the International Human Rights Protection System in Action
As a result, Ecuador accepted responsibility

for the violation of the victims rights,
provided the victims with monetary
compensation for the damages suffered,
and agreed to prosecute those responsible,
though prosecutions have not yet occurred.
97
ACTIVITY -2
CONFLICT OF RIGHTS
Objectives:


To illustrate how human rights mechanisms can be used to resolve
these conflicts
TIME
60-75minutes
Materials:
Conflict rights handout, flip chart, markers
1. WARM-UP: brainstorm >> 10 minutes

chart/board and ask participants what

they think this means. Note down their
ideas on the flip chart.
Do background reading background

reading before facilitating this section.
Write a Conflicts of Rights on a flip
Conflicts of
Rights
2. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION >> 20 minutes

Step 1:
Present definition and examples on a
separate flip chart (prepare before
session)
98
Use the provided example to help you

develop your own visual.
Transition: Explain that human rights

protection mechanisms are not only
serve as a way to support people who
have experienced human rights
violations but are also in place to help
mediate conflicts of rights and make
decisions
on
limitations
and
qualifications of rights.
3. ACTIVITY: Identifying conflicts or rights >> 30-40 minutes

Step 1:
Distribute conflicts of rights handout.
In partners participants read through
the scenarios on the handout and
answer the following questions.
your position.
to the UDHR.
resolved?
think are preferable?
actually occur?
met?
Emphasize that it is ok if participants
4.
are confused or are unsure of what a

just resolution of the scenario would
look like. Conflicts or right can be very
complex that is why there are
mechanisms in place to deal with them.
Step 2:
Review the handout and participants
responses as a group.
Use the answer key provided to prompt
participants to reflect more deeply
Elaborate by providing context to
some of the scenarios, especially the
true cases.
Encourage discussion with questions
such as:
o Which scenario generated the
most discussion? Why?
o Which conflict do you imagine
would be the most difficult to
resolve? Why?
o Can you think of any other
conflicts of rights?
Step 2:
Can participants think of any other
examples?
Present when and why rights can be
limited. For example: your right to free
movement can be restricted during
times of conflict as a means to maintain
public order and safety. This sometimes
takes the form of a curfew.
CLOSING: debate is good >> 2-5 minutes
Step 1:
Emphasize that there no clear answers
to the questions raised by these cases,
they continue to be a source of heated
debate.
Debate is good indicates that human
rights are ever changing and evolving.
Human rights is not an ideology but a
developing philosophy or way of
understanding our world. Laws are
rules based in ideas of human rights

but these ideas and laws can change.
Slavery used to be debated but now is
universally accepted as a violation of
human rights.
Dont be discouraged by the lack of
clarity. Contribute to the resolution of
the debate by making your own
judgments on the issues by referring
back to the human rights values of
99
equality and dignity. If an individual

lacks human dignity and equality then
the spirit of human rights is being

violated.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt of the United

States holding a Declaration of Human
Rights poster in Spanish {November 1949}
SAMPLE FLIP CHARTS:

HUMAN RIGHTS can be organized into three broad groups
Absolute Rights: these can never be withheld or taken away, such as the right not to
be subjected to torture or inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment (UDHR,
article 5).
Limited Rights: these may be limited under certain circumstances. For example the
right to freedom of movement, curfews may be implemented to maintain public order
and safety.
Qualified Rights: these are rights that require a balance between the rights of you as
an individual and the needs of the wider community. These rights can be limited if
absolutely necessary and proportionate. For example your right to freedom of
expression can be limited if you are inciting racial hatred.
100
Are related to limited rights and qualified rights.

A Conflict of Rights refer to clashes that may occur between different human
rights or between the same human rights of different persons.
Same rights, different people: two patients who need a new heart in order to survive;
however, there is only one available heart for transplantation.
Different rights, same person: euthanasia, when one persons right conflicts with
his/her right to die or be free from degrading treatment.
Different human rights of different people: a pro-Nazi demonstration in a
predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Rights of freedom of expression vs. Jewish
communitys right not to be discriminated against.
HANDOUT: Conflicts of Rights

Working with a partner, read through the scenarios and determine whether they
represent a right being limited or a conflict of rights. Then answer the following
questions:
o What right is being limited? In your opinion is it a reasonable limitation?
Provide reasons for your position.
o What rights are in conflict? Refer to the UDHR.
o What are some of the ways in which this conflict might be resolved?
o Are there any solutions in which both parties could get their needs met?
o Which types of solutions do you think would be most likely to actually
occur?
CONFLICT OF RIGHTS
a) A same-sex couple wants to get married. They find a beautiful wedding hall that
they would like to rent by the owner refuses to rent it to them saying that it is his
religious belief that same-sex people should not be allowed to marry.
b) A blind man uses a service dog in order to perform his duties as a teacher in a
local school. A student at that school has a severe allergy to dogs and wants the
teachers dog banned from the school premises.
c) A popular newspaper recently published private pictures of a politician leaving a
drug treatment centre. The politician is very embarrassed and wants the news
paper to apologize and remove the pictures from their website.
d) The Myanmar military has recently joined a conflict in a neighboring country. In
protest to the militarys involvement in this conflict a group of high school
students decide to black wear armbands to school. The school suspends them
and sends them home stating that the suspension will continue till the students
101

102
e) Arranged marriages are common practice in many cultures, where young women
and also men are expected and obliged to marry someone who has been
chosen by their family, often at a very young age. An international NGO is
running a campaign to stop this potentially dangerous cultural practice.
f) A new hair salon advertises that it is women-only establishment and does not
accept male customers. When a man wanting a hair wash complains the salon
explains that their all-female staff are not comfortable providing treatment to
men.
g) A new religious-based private school requires new students to sign a document
outlining Community Standards which includes a clause prohibiting homosexual
behavior. When students complain the school maintains that if students dont
like the rules they can choose to attend a different school.
h) A teenage boy in a crowded cinema shouts Fire! His actions cause major chaos
in the cinema, including some minor injuries and damage to property.
HANDOUT: Conflicts of Rights answer key

marry.
Right to freedom from discrimination,
article 2
Right to freedom of religion, article 18
Would students feel differently if it was
a restaurant owner refusing a table to a
same-sex couple celebrating their
anniversary?

questions:
your position.
to the UDHR.
resolved?
met?
actually occur?
b) A popular newspaper recently

embarrassed and wants the news paper
to apologize and remove the pictures
from their website.
Right to privacy, article 12
Right to freedom of expression, article
19

married. They find a beautiful wedding
hall that they would like to rent by the
owner refuses to rent it to them saying
that it is his religious belief that samesex people should not be allowed to
c) The Myanmar military has recently

joined a conflict in a neighboring
country. In protest to the militarys
involvement in this conflict a group of
high school students decide to black
wear armbands to school. The school
d)
Arranged/forced
marriages
are
common practice in many cultures,
where young women and also men
are expected and obliged to marry
someone who has been chosen by their
family, often at a very young age. An
international NGO is running a
campaign to stop this potentially
dangerous cultural practice.
Right to culture, article 27
e) A new hair salon advertises that it is
women-only establishment and does
not accept male customers. When a
man wanting a hair wash complains
the salon explains that their all-female
staff are not comfortable providing
treatment to men.
Right to freedom from discrimination,
article 2
Case law in some countries argue that
this type of distinction is allowable. A

womens only business is based on an
actual difference rather than a perceived
difference which is the basis of
discrimination..
f) A new religious-based private school
requires new students to sign a
document outlining Community
Standards which includes a clause
prohibiting homosexual behavior.
When students complain the school
maintains that if students dont like the
rules they can choose to attend a
different school.
Right to freedom of religion, article 18
g) A teenage boy in a crowded cinema
shouts Fire! His actions cause major
chaos in the cinema, including some
minor injuries and damage to property.
Limitation on the right to freedom of
Legitimate to maintain order and protect
public safety
h) A rise in the price of oil and rice has
led to rioting in the streets. The
government issues a curfew requiring
all citizens to remain indoors after
9pm.
Limitation on the right to freedom of
movement, article 13.
Legitimate if it is to protect safety
suspends them and sends them home

stating that the suspension will
continue till the students agree to take
their armbands off.
Limitation on right to freedom of
Actual case from the US during the
Vietnam War. Court decided in favour
of the students claiming that the
armbands were not disruptive and
represented pure expression.
103
ACTIVITY -3
THE ROLE OF THE COURTS

Objectives:

To review the role of domestic courts in protecting/promoting

human rights
To introduce participants to how a court functions
To reinforce learning around conflicting rights and how these
conflicts can be resolved
TIME
120-135
minutes
Materials
Tinker puzzle pieces, handouts, flip chart, markers
1. WARM-UP: Tinker Puzzles >> 10-15 minutes

Create three picture puzzles using the pictures included with this lesson.
o Vietnam war
o War Protesters
o Students with black arm bands
Vietnam war
War Protesters
Students with black arm bands
104
Hand out the puzzle pieces and have

participants find the other members of
their group.
Ask students to reflect on the picture.
o What is happening in the picture?
o What rights, if any, are
represented?
Hang copies of each of the photos at
the front of the room and have groups
share their ideas on the picture their
puzzle represents.
Explain to students that these photos

represent a real human rights case that
took place in the United States in 1965.
Ask students if they would like to
know the real story behind the pictures.
* Alternative: If you are working with a

large group make multiple copies of all
three pictures and divide the group into
even smaller working groups.
2. PRESENTATION: Tinker vs. Des Moines Scenario

>> 30 minutes
Step 1:
Provide a brief introduction to the
Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent
School District case
Distribute the handout and have
participants read the scenario and
discuss the following questions
1. Do you agree or disagree with the
Supreme Courts decision?
2. Which rights (if any) are in conflict
in this case?
3. The Court had no trouble finding
that wearing an armband is
speech even though nothing
was said out loud what are some
other ways people can speak
without saying anything?
4. School officials may not punish
student speech unless they can
clearly demonstrate that it will
cause a substantial disruption of
normal school activities. What is a
substantial disruption? What if
an argument broke out in the
3. ACTIVITY: Mock Trial
cafeteria? What if a fight occurred

in a busy hallway?
5. In your opinion, when should
school administrators punish
student speech? Is it enough to be
afraid that there might be a
disruption?
Step 2:
Close the discussion by inviting a few
volunteers to share highlights from
their discussions
Encourage participants to relate the
discussion to their experiences in
Myanmar In what ways do people in
Myanmar speak without saying
anything? Are students in Myanmar
allowed to freely express their
opinions? Can they think of an
example where it might be useful to
limit freedom of expression? For
example, to maintain safety and
security?
>> 60 minutes
Step 1: Setting the scene

Set the scene. Explain to participants
that a similar case has recently
arisen in Myanmar.
Theingi Tun is a high school student who supports
the Free Marriage Law, new piece of legislation
that will make enable same sex couples to legally

marry. Theingi Tun gets some Vote yes on the
Free Marriage Law campaign buttons and pins
them to her book bag and clothing for five straight
days. Several students make negative comments to
Theingi Tun when they see the buttons, but there
105

106
are no incidents until the fifth day, when Theingi

Tun and another student, Kyaw Win, get into a
heated debate while walking through the school
yard. A teacher runs out and breaks up the debate
after he sees Kyaw Win raise his arm, thinking he
may be about to hit Theingi Tun. The principal
later tells Thengi Tun she is suspended from school
and she can return when she stops wearing the pins.
The school principal reminds Theingi Tun that it is
against the school dress code policy to wear pins or
buttons to school. The sharp ends of the pins could
be used as a weapon.
Theingi Tun and her family feel that it is
unfair for the school to punish her based on
her political views and decides to bring the
school to court.
Step 2: Trial
Explain to participants that we are
going to have a mock court trial.
Group 1: Represent Thengis
lawyers and will argue her case
Group 2: Represent the school
and will argue the schools case
Group 3: Are the judges and will
be responsible for applying the
law and making a final decision.
To make the groups refer back to the
original puzzle pieces participants had.
Participants that had a piece of the
Vietnamese flag are Group 1,
participants with a piece of the photo
of war protesters are Group 2 etc.
Give each group 10-15mins to discuss
their role and review the questions.
Each group must also select a
spokesperson to represent the group
and one or two resource persons to
back the spokesperson up and help
answer questions during the trial.
Once each group is ready, invite people
to come back into the plenary. They
should remain in their three groups.
Give Theingis lawyers and the schools
lawyers each 5 minutes to present their
positions and raise any questions. The
Judges should introduce each of the
groups and in turn give them the

opportunity to speak.
After both lawyers have spoken the
judges have 5 minutes to discuss
amongst themselves and then 5
minutes to summarize the different
arguments that were made and present
their final decision and the reasoning
behind it.
While the lawyers are preparing brief
the judges on their role.
Step 3: Debrief
Debrief the trial by asking questions
such as:
o Has anyone ever been to a
courtroom?
o If yes, how was this experience
similar? Different?
o If no, is this what you imagine a
courtroom to be like?
o Do you agree with the judges
decision? Why or why not?
Elicit participants ideas and opinions
on the rule of law and the functions of
the court with questions like:
o Ask the judges to explain the
freedom of expression laws in
Myanmar. When they are unable
to answer with authority ask
What happens when the judges
dont know the law? The lawyers?
The people?
o Who pays the lawyers for their
work? What happens if you dont
have any money?
o Imagine - Thengi Tuns father is a
general in the military. Do you
think this fact might influence the
outcome of the trial?
o Imagine Theing Tun is Buddhist
and Kyaw Win is Muslim. Do you
think this fact might influence the
outcome of the trial?
o What are some of the other
challenges facing the Myanmar
Court system?
4. PRESENTATION: Role and Function of the Court

>> 20-30 minutes

Ask participants to take out their

notebooks and turn to a blank page.
Give them 5 minutes to describe the
role and function of the court in their
own words.
Have participants to share in pairs and
5. CLOSING

then invite a few of volunteers to share

their ideas before introducing the
following explanation.
Use the template below to help you
prepare a flip chart or visual aid.
>> 2 minutes
Link back to Activity #1. Remind

participants that the national courts
are our first front for upholding
human rights. If we are facing a
human rights violation and are
seeking justice we must first attempt
bring the case before a national
court.
After exhausting all domestic
channels regional bodies (courts,

commissions) are our second front.
The international being the third
front.
Transition by explaining that the
next session will look specifically at
first and second front resources
available in Myanmar and South
East Asia.
BREAK take a break and then continue. If necessary carry over some of the mock trial
debrief till after the break.
107
SAMPLE FLIP CHART
108
THE ROLE OF THE COURT/JUDICIARY

LAW
Laws are rules that bind all people living in a community. Laws protect our general
safety, and ensure our rights as citizens against abuses by other people, by organizations,
and by the government itself. Every country has its own set or rules or laws that is
special to that country. The people of each country agree to follow the rules so that
they can live peacefully.
Human rights become legally binding when governments make national laws to
protect them.
RULE OF LAW
Rule of law means that every citizen is governed by the same laws which are applied
in an equal and fair way.
COURT
Draw a picture of a football player and a referee
Explain: Court system is like a referee in a football game.
The game is governed by rules (laws). Sometimes there are disagreements. The referees job is to apply
the rules in a fair and equal way to resolve the disagreement. To do his/her job well the referee must
have a deep understanding of the rules or laws of the game.
The court or judiciary system is responsible for applying the law in a fair and equal
way.
To do this the court must:
Interpret and apply the law in a fair and equal way
When someone breaks the law they determine the appropriate punishment
When there is conflict of rights the court must come to a balanced decision
Protect people from the government (if a law is unfair)
Limit rights when necessary (protect public safety)
Summary of:
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District

Decided by the United States Supreme Court in 1969
The case:
During the United States war with
NorthVietnam in the 1960s, three Iowa
publicschool students John Tinker, Mary
BethTinker and Chris Eckhardt decided
toexpress their support for ending the
warby wearing black arm-bands to school.
The school district found out about
the
students plan and passed a
no-
armbands rule to stop them, but
thestudents went ahead, knowing they
wererisking being written up for violating
school rules. A few other students asked
them why they were wearing the arm-bands,
and some of those students did not agree
with the anti-war opinion, but nobody got
into any fights. The school told John, Mary
Beth and Chris to go home until they agreed
to take off the arm-bands, and they were
suspended for several weeks.
The students families thought that it was
wrong to punish people for having strong
political views, so they went to court. The
case went all the way up to the United States
Supreme Court. On February 24, 1969, the
Supreme Court decided that John, Mary
Beth and Chris were right they shouldnt
have been suspended because all they did
was peacefully express their opinions, and
their right to express themselves in a nondisruptive way was protected by the First
Amendment
Constitution.
to
the
United
States
Freedom of Expression in the United

States:
Freedom of expression is legally protected
in the United States by a law called the First
Amendment. Students and teachers have
First Amendment rights even when they
are at school. They do not leave their
freedom of speech or freedom of
expression behind when they walk through
the school gate. Even so, teachers and
principals must keep order at school so that
learning can take place. In a school setting,
therefore, the First Amendment must be
applied in a special way to protect free
speech and keep order at the same time.
A student at school may express opinions,
even about controversial subjects like war.
However, the student may not disrupt
learning or interfere with other peoples
rights. The First Amendment does not
protect student speech that disrupts class or
causes trouble between classes. Schools can
prohibit speech if they have good evidence
that the speech will be disruptive. They
cannot prohibit speech only to avoid the
uncomfortable situation of someone
expressing an unpopular opinion.
ACTIVITY #3: Handout A
Adapted from:
American Constitution Society
http://www.acslaw.org/files/CITC%20Spring%202009%20-%20Tinker%20
Curriculum%20-%20High%20School.pdf
109
ACTIVITY #3: Handout B

Theingi Tun vs. the Mandalay Independent School District
Theingi Tun is a high school student who
supports the Free Marriage Law, new piece
of legislation that will make enable same
sex couples to legally marry. Theingi Tun
gets some Vote yes on the Free Marriage
Law campaign buttons and pins them to
her book bag and clothing for five straight
days. Several students make negative
comments to Theingi Tun when they see
the buttons, but there are no incidents until
the fifth day, when Theingi Tun and another
student, Kyaw Win, get into a heated debate
while walking through the school yard. A
teacher runs out and breaks up the debate
after he sees Kyaw Win raise his arm,
thinking he may be about to hit Theingi
Tun. The principal later tells Thengi Tun
she is suspended from school and she can
return when she stops wearing the pins.
The school principal reminds Theingi Tun
that it is against the school dress code policy
to wear pins or buttons to school. The
sharp ends of the pins could be used as a
weapon.
Questions:
Does the right to freedom of
expression apply to this case?
Does it matter if Theingi Tun has
worn other buttons to school for
months and the principal is just
beginning to enforce the school dress
code policy?
Is it fair that one persons angry
reaction to the buttons means that
Theingi Tun cannot deliver her
message as she wants to?
Does an argument in the school yard
constitute a substantial disruption of
normal school activities?
Does it matter that Kyaw Win did not
actually strike Theingi Tun? Should the
teacher be required to wait until the
first punch is thrown?
Would the situation be different if
Theingi Tun and Kyaw Win got in a
debate in the hallway during school
hours?
Does it matter that Kyaw Win is a boy
and Theingi Tun is a girl?
Adapted from:
American Constitution Society
http://www.acslaw.org/files/CITC%20Spring%202009%20-%20Tinker%20
Curriculum%20-%20High%20School.pdf
110
THE ROLE OF NATIONAL AND

REGIONAL COURTS
Objectives:

To familiarize participants with the regional human rights regimes

in Myanmar and South East Asia
To use other regional models to illustrate how these regimes are
supposed to ideally function.
TIME
30-45 minutes
Materials:
flip chart, markers
1. WARM-UP: human machine >> 10-15 minutes

Break the participants into two groups.

Have each group create a moving
machine
that
represents
the
international human rights protection
system; a human machine of the
human rights protection system

(UDHR, Human Rights Treaties,
Regional Human Rights Bodies,
Nation States).
ACTIVITY -4
111

112
Alternative A:
Create one giant machine as a group or
work in smaller groups
Alternative B:
If you are short on time, put some of the
posters from Activity#1 up at the front of
the room. Have participants recall the
different human rights protection

mechanisms weve already learned about
Transition: explain that this session
will be spent looking at some of the
specific
groups/organizations/
bodies that support/implement the
international human rights system
in Myanmar and South East Asia.
2. PRESENTATION: Myanmar and South East Asia.

>> 10-15 minutes

Do some background reading on the

state of the Myanmar legal framework
and regional mechanisms in South
East Asia before facilitating this
session.
Prepare a flip chart based on the
sample provided.
Using the African and European
models as examples, introduce the
resources available in Myanmar and
South East Asia while highlighting the
gaps.
Review the following questions:
o Why
are
there
regional
mechanisms?
They can target regionally focused
concerns. For example, the concern
with internally displaced persons
was spearheaded in the African
region before the issue really

emerged as a matter for UN
concern.
They are more likely to have been
crafted in the basis of closer
geographic, historical, political,
cultural and social affinities. They
are closer to home and are more
likely to enjoy greater support.
What is the role of a HRs
commission?
The scope and power of HRs
commissions vary but can include:
education and public awareness,
discrimination and human rights
complaints,
human
rights
compliance, policy and legislative
development.
Key points to highlight:

o There is no regional court serving Asia
o The Myanmar legal system is still developing. Myanmars national legislations does
not fulfill its obligations under international law.
o The governmental institutions in Myanmar are still very fragile. There is a lack of
skilled professionals.
o Share some of the criticisms of the ASEAN Declaration on Human Rights and the
Myanmar Human Rights Commission.
o While there is no regional court and the ASEAN Human Rights Commission is
relatively new there is a large network of well-established NGOs that support
democracy and human rights in South East Asia. Give participants a few examples
from the list and see if they can think of anymore.
Organizations for Democracy and Human Rights in South East Asia
Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia (ARDA)
ASEAN Commission on Women and Children (ACWC)
ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)
ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC)
ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN Peoples Assembly (ACSC/APA)
Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP)
Asia Pacific Forum for National Human Rights (APF)
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)
Asian NGO Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI)
Bali Democracy Forum (BDF)
Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD)
Global Movement of Moderates (GMM)
Human Rights Resource Center for ASEAN (HRRCA)
Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD)
Solidarity for Asian Peoples Advocacy (SAPA)
Southeast Asia-US Partnership: Civil Societies Innovating Together (IKAT-US)
South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR)
World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA)
3. CLOSING

>> 2 minutes
Transition: Explain that tomorrow will

focus on how we as individuals can
plug into this system. What to do when
you witness or are involved in a human
rights violation. What information is

relevant to collect? What are human
rights protection tools and strategies
are available to you?
113
114
Myanmar
South East
Asia
France
Europe
So. Africa
Africa
Intergovernmen- ASEAN Charter

tal Commission of Rights and
Freedoms
on Human
Rights
Myanmar National
Court System
French National
Court System
European
Merged with the European
Court of
European Court Convention on
Human Rights
Human Rights in 1998
N/A
South African
National Court
System
Constitutional
Court
National Court
African Charter
on Human &
Peoples Rights
Regional
Regional
Commissions Document
African Court African

on Human & Commission on
Peoples Rights Human &
Peoples Rights
Regional
Court
Myanmar
National Human
Rights
Commission
National
Consultative
Commission of
Human Rights
South African
Human Rights
Commission
National
Commission
N/A
Declaration of
the Rights of
Man and of the
Citizen
South African
Bill of Rights
National
Document
SAMPLE FLIP CHART:
Why are there regional human rights bodies?

What is the role of a human rights commission?
* Reference the posters the participants created during Activity #1 to help illustrate how
these different bodies interact with one another.
REPORTING A HUMAN RIGHTS

ABUSE
Objectives:

To review how to report a human rights violation or abuse

To practice using the human rights reporting tools in real-life
scenarios
TIME
120 minutes
Materials:
human rights puzzles, flip chart, markers, scissors, tape, handouts
1. WARM-UP: Running dictation >> 15-20 minutes

Preparation
Write shortened versions of each step
of the reporting procedure on a
different piece of paper.
Hang the pieces of paper on the far
side of the room or in the hallway.
Somewhere that is difficult or
impossible for the group to see from
where they are seated. Alternatively
hang the pieces of paper all over the
room.
During the session

Break the group into teams of 3-4
Ask each group identify one person to
act as the secretary
Explain that the groups need to work

together to copy the text hanging
around the room. Members of each
group will have to walk/run to the
text, read it, then run back to the group
secretary and dictate what theyve read.
Participants are not allowed to make
notes and must go up to the text one
by one. In other words, one person
goes up to the text, reads it and must
return to the group before the next
person can leave.
To build excitement, present this
activity up as a competition. The first
team done wins a prize (prepare a treat
for the group)
ACTIVITY -5
2. PRESENTATION: jigsaw >> 20 minutes

Step 1:
Ask participants if they have every
witnessed a human rights violation
Invite volunteers to share if they feel
comfortable
Follow up by asking them:

o What did you do?
o What did the people around you
do?
115
116
Do you think this was the best

reaction? Why/why not?
o Do we have a responsibility to
react when we see a human rights
violation?
Refer back to the session on Rights
and Responsibilities
Remind participants that the enjoyment
of our rights are linked to a
responsibility to respect, protect and
fulfill others rights when possible
Step 2:
Explain to participants that the text
they have just copied are suggested
steps one should take when they
witness a human rights violation
They are designed to gather the most
relevant information while also
ensuring the safety of the person

reporting the violation as well as the
victim and any bystanders near by.
Have participants work in their groups
to put the steps in the correct order.
While the participants are working
gather up the sheets of paper hanging
around the room and move them to
the front of the room.
When participants are ready invite a
volunteer to come to the front of the
room and rearrange the steps into the
correct order.
Distribute the handout with the full
reporting procedure. Ask participants
if they would like to make any changes
to the steps they have just arranged.
Read through the steps as a group and
check for understanding.
3. ROLE PLAY: human rights scenarios >> 60 minutes

Step 1:
Invite participants to take a short
break. Select a high performing
participant to help you with the next
activity.
Explain to the volunteer that together
you are going to model the reporting
procedure. Give the volunteer one of
scenarios provided and ask him/her to
leave the room. When the rest of the
group comes back together explain the
scenario to the group. While you and
the volunteer are acting out the
scenario the participants must keep
track of whether we have incorporated
all of the different steps to the
reporting procedure.
Debrief the experience by asking
questions to both the volunteer and
the larger participant group
Volunteer
What did it feel like when.
What could I have done to make
you more comfortable?
Group
Why is it important to make the
people you are speaking to

comfortable?
Is there any additional information
I should have gathered?
Why do you think I asked.?
Step 2:
The next activity will give everyone a
chance to practice using the reporting
procedure and to act out a scenario.
The actors have the freedom to build
on the scenario that they are given. If
the person interviewing them asks for
information they dont have they are
free to make up details or say that they
dont know. The purpose of this
activity is to practice collecting
information.
Before beginning the exercise
remember to emphasis that the
scenarios are fictional albeit based on
real events.
Step 3:
Divide the participants into groups of
three.
Give each group 3 different scenarios,

enough for one per person.
Participants each take a scenario and
take turns counseling and collecting
information from one another.
The person who is observing should
take notes and provide feedback to the
4. DEBRIEF

>> 15 minutes
Invite participants to regroup

such as:
o Does anyone what to share?
5. CLOSING

participants acting out the scenario.

The victim should also provide
feedback to the participant collecting
the information. For example:
o Did he/she make you feel safe?
o Did they collect all of the relevant
information?
o
o
How did that feel?

Do you think you will be able to
use these skills in a real situation?
>> 2 minutes
It is not always possible to report

human rights abuses lack of human
rights
protection
mechanisms,
corruption, security etc.
However there are other ways that we
can take action and use our rights

In next session will introduce them to
some of the strategies used by local,
regional and international NGOs to
protect and promote human rights.
117
FACILITATOR'S NOTES:
Warm-up: Write the highlighted text below on separate pieces of paper. Leave out the
numbers as participants will work together to arrange them in the correct order.
HANDOUT: REPORTING A HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE
1. Keep your cool.
Witnessing and even hearing about a human
rights violation can be extremely emotional.
Take a deep breath and remain calm.
Remember your emotions can affect those
around you.
2. Security first
Before doing anything else, be extremely
cautious, both about your own security and
the security of the people you are speaking
with. In some cases, your actions
including something as simple as taking
photographs may place them at risk. Ensure
that you are in a secure and safe place and
that there is nothing threatening around
you. Do not proceed if you feel unsafe.
3. Get comfortable
Chances are that you may be speaking to
your witness for some time. Make sure that
you and the people you are speaking with
are comfortable. Ask them if theyd like a
cup of tea or some water. Invite them to
take a seat.
4. Collect the facts
It can be hard to know which facts will be
most relevant so when in doubt, get as
much detail as you can. The following is a
list of details that you should try and collect.
At what time and where did the abuse
occur?
Exactly who was involved? names,
descriptions, ranks/roles
If you saw someone beaten, exactly
how many times were they struck, and
where?
If relevant comments or words were
exchanged what were they? Try and
118
recall key words or phrases (particularly

in reports of discrimination).
Is this an individual incident, a series
of incidents that are part of a larger
pattern?
If there is a pattern of abuse try and
establish a timeline with dates if
relevant.
Is there any background information
or context that is relevant to the event?
5. Collect supporting evidence

Collect any supporting evidence. This may
include statements from other witnesses,
photographs of physical injuries or photos
that were taken during the event/violation,
medical reports, video or sound recordings,
ID numbers or badge numbers if police or
military were involved etc.
6. Preserve confidentiality
It is not always necessary to include your
name or the name of the witnesses/victims
in a report. In fact, in some cases including
personal names on reports can put yourself
and the victims/witnesses at risk. If you are
planning on submitting a report to a human
rights organization or protection agency
you can request that they keep your identity
confidential.
7. Report it
As soon as it is safe for you to do so, report
your information to a human rights
organization. Timeliness is critical; it is
often easier to take action if less time has
passed between the even and the filing of
the report.
Pick one of the scenarios to perform in front of the group with a volunteer participant.
Copy the other three scenarios before the session. Give each group a single copy of the
remaining three scenarios.
SCENARIO - 1: Nilar
Nilar is a Muslim woman living in
Mandalay. This is her story.
"I saw a job for a sales assistant
advertised in the window of a clothes
shop (Modern Girl on the corner of
72nd Avenue and 12th street). They
wanted someone between 18 and 23.
I'm 19, so I went in and asked about
the job but was told by the manageress
to come back in two days because not
enough people had applied. I
returned twice, and was always told
the same thing. Nearly a week later I
went back to the shop. The job
advertisement was still in the window.
The manageress was too busy to see
me, but I was told that the vacancy
had been filled.
After I left the shop, I was so upset
that I asked a Buddhist friend if she
would go in and ask about the job.
When she came out she said that she
had been asked to come for an
interview on Monday.
I believe that the shop was

discriminating against me because I
am Muslim.
The following are some of the
questions your interviewer may ask
you:
What is your full name?
What is the name of the shop?
Where is it?
What is the manageress name?
If you dont know her name
what does she look like?
Were you alone when you were
speaking to the manageress?
Who else was there?
Did you dress or any of the
application
materials
you
submitted identify your religion?
Do you remember the dates of
the events? When you first
applied for the job? The dates
when you returned? The day
your friend inquired about the
job?
HANDOUT - 2: REPORTING A HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE
119
SCENARIO - 2: Breng Seng
120
Breng Seng is a Kachin man living in

Myitkyina. This is his story.
My friends and I were hanging out
at the university celebrating the end
of exams. We were eating snacks and
playing guitar when I noticed one of
my friends on the other side of the
compound yelling at a police officer
patrolling the area. Im not sure what
happened next but the fight escalated
and soon lots of people were yelling.
Five minutes later four police officers
ran into the compound and started
beating us with their batons. My
friend Aung Mai fought back and hit
one of the police officers over the
head with his guitar. This infuriated
the police officer and he pushed my
friend down and started kicking him
in the stomach. At this point the rest
of my friends and I ran away. We hid
out in a nearby compound but we
could hear the police officers yelling
and my friends cries for help. We
wanted to do something but we were

all too scared. After the noise died
down we went back to the compound
to help my friend. He was conscious
and covered in blood. We immediately
took him to the hospital but its been
two days and hes still unconscious.
you:
When did this happen?
Where exactly were you?
How many friends were there?
What are their names?
Do you know the names of any
of the police officers or where
they work? Have you seen them
again?
Which hospital did you take your
friend too?
Do you have copies of the
medical records?
Naw Mu Mu is a Karen woman living

in Hlaing Tha Yar in Yangon. This is
her story.
My family and I live in a small house
in Hlaing Thar Yar. We moved there
in 2008 after our family home was
destroyed during Cyclone Nargis.
About two weeks ago we started
hearing rumours that all of the
people living in our neighborhood
would be evicted to make way for a
new Golden Futures construction
project but there was no formal
eviction notice, just talk.
Then last week, my family and I were
sleeping inside the house when we
heard a huge crash. We barely had
time to get out of the house before a
tractor demolished everything. We
tried to salvage some of our things
but it all happened so fast. We even
lost all of our clothes and bedding.
We have managed to find
accommodation with a friend but she
can only take us for a week. After
that I dont know what we will do. We
have nowhere to go. My father was

also injured when the house was
destroyed. He tripped while running
out of the house and broke his wrist.
Hes a shoemaker and cant work
without using both his hands. We
tried to talk to the local but they
havent been able to give us any
information.
you:
When did this happen? Date?
Time of day?
How many people were affected?
The tractors that destroyed your
house, did they have a logo or
symbol on them?
What about the people driving
the tractors, were they wearing a
uniform?
Which hospital did you take your
father to?
Do you have your fathers
medical records?
SCENRIO - 3: Naw Mu Mu
121
SCENARIO - 4: Kyaw Kyaw

Kyaw Kyaw is a Bamar boy living in
Mawlamyine. This is his story.
I came to work at the Golden Cup
tea shop four years ago. My father
died of malaria the year before and
my mother wasnt able to make
enough money to support us all; I
have five younger siblings. I dont get
paid for my work but I have a place
to sleep and food to eat. I sleep on
the tables at the shop. I have a
mosquito net that I share with three
other boys. Every day I wake up at
4:30am to get the shop ready for
business. Together with the other
boys I sweep the floor, set up the
tables and the chairs and get the
Chinese tea ready. During the day I
serve customers and clean. When the
shop closes at 11pm its my job to
mop the floors and burn all of the
garbage. I usually dont get to bed till
12:30am.
The owners of the teashop treat me
well enough. They dont beat me and
they rarely yell at me, I can do what I
122
want in my free time. Still, I dont

want to work there anymore. I want
to go to school. My dream is to
become a businessman and to do
that I need to learn to read and write.
I would leave my job but I have no
where to go.
you:
How old are you?
Where does your mother live?
Do you still have contact with
her?
Tell me about your day. What do
you do?
Where is the Golden Cup? Do
you have an address?
Do you remember when you
started working at the Golden
Cup? The year? The month?
Are you free to come and go as
you like?
NGO CAROUSEL
Objectives:

To introduce participants to a range of human rights organizations

and the different strategies they use to support and promote
rights and rights holders globally.
TIME
120 minutes
Materials:
NGO carousel handouts, laptops or media players, timer
1. WARM-UP

>> 10-15 minutes
Pick a method for diving the group

into four groups. Decide what best
suits your specific group. If you have
participants representing different
organizations or different communities
it maybe useful to divide the large

group along these lines. If you have a
diverse group then just pick a fun,
active way to divide everyone up.
ACTIVITY - 6
123
Ideas:
Picture Puzzles: create picture puzzles
out of the logos of the four organizations
included in the NGO carousel.
Animal Scrabble distribute pieces of
paper with animal names on it.
Participants are not allowed to speak
and have to find the members of their
group by making their assigned animal
sound.
1-10: Have the whole group mingle.

When you call out a number they need
to form groups that equal that number.
End the game when you have the
correct number of groups.
Sweet: prepare a bag of candy with
different coloured sweets inside. Have
everyone pick a sweet. Form groups
based on the coloured sweet they have.
2. ACTIVITY: Carousel >> 80 -90 minutes

Before the session create four stations

around the room. Each station will
showcase a different organization and
the unique strategy they employ to
promote human rights
In their groups, participants will rotate
through the stations, review the
method being showcased and review
some discussion questions. 15-20mins
per station.
Stations:
a) WITNESS video and film
activism
b) Amnesty International letter
writing
c) Namati innovations in legal
empowerment legal aid
d) Cultural Survival and MAP
Foundation community radio
3. DEBRIEF >> 15-20 minutes

Bring participants back together.

Debrief with questions such as:
o Which organization did you find
most inspiring?
o Which of the tools are best suited
to your communities? Why?
4. CLOSING

124
o Are any of these tools ill suited

for the Myanmar context? Why?
o Do any of you currently use these
tools in your current work?
>> 2 minutes
Explain that the next session will

provide participants space and time to
think creatively about how they can
mobilize these tools within their own

communities.
WITNESS See it, Film it, Change it

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Read the INTRODUCTION
2. Pick one of the following video clips
to view:
a. Witness See it, Film it, Change it
(English, 2:10)
b. Exposing the Truth, One Video at
a Time (No Language, 2:11)
3. Read the case study on forced evictions
in Cambodia and watch the video clip
WITNESS and partner LICADHO
Work to Stop Forced Evictions in
Cambodia.
4. Discuss the following questions:

a. WITNESS defines video advocacy
as video made for a purpose not
about an issue. What does this
mean?
b. What are the strengths and
limitations of video advocacy as a
tool
for
human
rights
documentation and advocacy?
c. Video advocacy is this a useful
and/or relevant tool for you and
the work that you do?
d. Think of 2-3 human rights issues
present in your communities.
How could you mobilize video
advocacy to support these issues?
STATION :1

INTRODUCTION
WITNESS trains and supports activists
and citizens around the world to use video
safely, ethically, and effectively to expose
human rights abuse and fight for human
rights change.
THE CHALLENGE
The majority of the worlds population now
has a camera in their pocket. People
everywhere are turning to video to
document and tell stories of abuse. But all
too often, they are not filming safely or
effectively, and their videos dont make a
difference.
OUR APPROACH
We identify critical situations and teach
those affected by them the basics of video
production, safe and ethical filming

techniques, and advocacy strategies.
We develop award-winning tools and
apps to keep people safer.
We advocate to technology companies
to create change at the system level.
We curate and help draw attention to
citizen footage of under-reported
stories.
STATION :1
MYANMAR
WITNESS has co-produced video advocacy
with partner organizations to draw
awareness to armed conflict in Eastern
Myanmar and atrocities that took place
during the Saffron Revolution in 2007
www.witness.org
125

Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights
Combating Forced Evictions in Cambodia
ABOUT
Forced eviction is one of the most
widespread and systematic human rights
violations occurring in Cambodia today.
Despite legal protections, at least 30,000
residents of the capital city Phnom Penh
have been forcibly evicted, and approximately
150,000 Cambodians throughout the country
are at risk of forced eviction.
Over the past forty years, Cambodia has
experienced forced eviction and forced
displacement on a large scale. During the
early 1970s, rural populations in Cambodia,
hoping to escape the overflow of the USVietnam war, moved en masse to Phnom
Penh. Much of the urban population under
the Khmer Rouge rule of the late 1970s
then fled to rural areas. An estimated 2
million Cambodians died during this period,
which also saw the destruction of the
countrys infrastructure, including maps
and land registration documents.
Many in the capital did not survive under
the Khmer Rouge. As Phnom Penh became
repopulated in the 1980s, primarily rural
populations moved into houses and onto
land in an unregulated manner. Although
private property rights were not recognized,
occupation rights continuously gained
currency.
The Cambodian government in 1989
instituted property rights for rural and
urban areas and, in the same year, property
rights were added to the Constitution.
Today, particularly in urban areas,
settlements have been cleared to make way
for
beautification
schemes
and
development projects have also resulted in
displacement. A growing number of forced
evictions and land-grabbings take place in
126
rural areas as competition over land and

natural resources on which rural
communities depend is on the rise. Forced
eviction is a reality facing many throughout
the country.
WITNESS partnered with LICADHO in
2008 to train human rights defenders and
community organizers to use video to in
the fight against forced evictions, aiming to
end the increasingly rampant abuses of
land and housing rights.
One example of the many illegal evictions
happened in Dey Krahorm, a community
of 400 families living in Phnom Penh. On
January 24, 2009 demolition workers and
police in riot gear showed up with tear gas
and bulldozers and destroyed poor families
houses and possessions. As one residents
testified: They dumped me in the field, in
the sun, no roof, no tarpaulin, no water, no
nothing
LICADHO has trained individuals
throughout the country on how to use
video to document forced evictions and the
community response to them. By using
small digital video cameras, community
organizers in Cambodia are documenting
forced evictions for use within their
campaigns.
Additionally,
to
build
understanding and solidarity, they are
sharing the footage with other community
organizers in the country. LICADHO will
assemble the footage taken by the
community organizers for an upcoming
video for its campaign to stop forced
evictions and to support those affected.
WITNESS and partner LICADHO
Work to Stop Forced Evictions in
Cambodia
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ak0mi1jR5TU (3:50)
Amnesty International
INSTRUCTIONS:
2. Read the case study Write for Rights
the letter writing campaign that has
always been at the heart of Amnesty
Internationals work.
3. If you have access to a media player
watch the video clip: Write for Rights
2013 Thank you! (English, 2:10)
4. If you have a printed copy of the Write
for Rights toolkit take time to look
through it.

a. Letter writing is this a useful
tool for you and the work that you
do?
limitations of letter writing as a
tool for human rights advocacy?
c. Amnesty International claims that
hand written letters are still one
of the most powerful weapons
activists have. Why do you think a
hand written letter is so much
more influential than other forms
of communication?
How could you mobilize letter
writing to support these issues?
STATION :2
INTRODUCTION
Our Mission
Our vision is of a world in which every
person regardless of race, religion,
ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender
identity enjoys all of the human rights
enshrined in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) and other
internationally recognized human rights
standards. The UDHR states that the "the
recognition of the inherent dignity and of
the equal and inalienable rights" of all
people is "the foundation of freedom,
justice and peace in the world."
How We Work
Amnesty International unites people from
all over the world to fight for human rights
using our signature tactics:
STATION :2
Research
Amnesty International keeps vigilant watch
on the rights of people around the world
and publishes hundreds of independent
reports based on our rigorous research, free
of corporate and government influence.
Action
Through our dynamic campaigns and longterm casework, Amnesty International
members propel key human rights concerns
and stories of individuals at risk into the
glare of the international media and demand
the attention of government officials,
corporations, international institutions and
policy makers.
Advocacy
We combine high-level legislative work,
media outreach and grassroots mobilization
127
to shape and promote legislation and

policies to advance human rights, protect
individuals and free prisoners of conscience.
Myanmar
There is no Amnesty International office in
Myanmar. However the organization
supports human rights in the country from
Write For Rights
A History of Letter Writing
Every year around Human Rights Day on
December 10, hundreds of thousands of
people around the world send a message to
someone they've never met. Letter writing
has always been at the heart of Amnesty
International's work and 53 years of human
rights activism shows us that words really
do have the power to change lives.
Last year, hundreds of thousands of people
in 143 countries around the world took a
record-breaking 2,373,422 actions. Three
of the Prisoners of Conscience featured in
Write for Rights 2013 - Yorm Bopha,
Vladimir Akimenkov, and Mikhail Kosenko
- were released, and nearly all of the
Individuals whose cases were featured told
us that the burst of activism generated by
the campaign helped to inspire and
encourage them as they continue to struggle
for justice.
Here's how it works
Amnesty looks at our global portfolio
of cases, including Prisoners of
Conscience, human rights defenders,
torture survivors and communities at
risk to decide who will be featured in
each year's campaign.
We identify 10 cases where global
activism can have a huge impact, right
now, and share them with Amnesty
activists.
128
a distance. In 2013 Dr. Tun Aung, was

selected as one of 10 cases to be included in
the Write for Rights campaign; during the
campaign at least 122,144 actions were
taken for Dr Tun Aung in 98 countries
around the world. At least 120,365 actions
were sent to the Myanmar authorities.
Amnesty grassroots leaders sign up to

organize events and actions - or write
on their own - on behalf of the 10
cases from December 1-17.
Letters, tweets, emails, faxes, text
messages and petitions start arriving at
government offices, in prison cells and
to families all over the world.
Change happens. Hope Grows. As
messages flood mailboxes, prisoners
get better conditions or are released.
Human rights defenders are better
protected. Torture survivors finally get
the reparations that they need to heal.
People know that others, worldwide,
are taking their injustice personally.
Amnesty receives updates about the
kinds of actions people are taking and
the ways in which it is making a
difference. Every year, we better
understand how Write for Rights
changes lives
Write for Rights - also known as the

Writeathon - is the world's largest human
rights event, but it has humble origins.
Twelve years ago, a young man named
Witek met a young woman named Joanna
at a festival in Warsaw, Poland. Joanna had
just returned from traveling through Africa,
where she'd seen activists organizing 24hour events to write protest letters to
governments.
Witek invited Joanna to join a meeting of
They emailed their idea to all the other

Polish groups, and it turned into something
much bigger, bringing together activists
across the country," explains Grzegorz
Zukowski, from Amnesty Poland. Then,
their idea went viral.
Witek and Joanna emailed Amnesty offices
across the world, and people started sending
back pictures of themselves writing letters
- by Niagara Falls, in Japan, in Mongolia. It
was a spontaneous, grassroots initiative that
grew and grew.
Every December since, Write for Rights

has inspired thousands of people to write
letters to distant governments. Some still do
it Polish-style, over a hectic, sleepless 24
hours. No matter where Write for Rights is
taking place, it is driven and sustained by
Amnesty's grassroots human rights activists.
And it still has real grassroots appeal: "The
main power behind the marathon are the
local communities and groups," says
Grzegorz Zukowski from Amnesty Poland,
"The school groups write more letters than
anyone else. Our record is held by Bircza, a
small town with only 1,000 inhabitants. In
2011, they wrote 13,000 letters." Over 50
years after the first call to action that
inspired our movement, a hand-written
letter is still one of the most powerful tools
we have as activists. When thousands of
people write the same letter, our voices
united cannot be ignored.
STATION :2
INSTRUCTIONS:
2. Read the case study Write for Rights
the letter writing campaign that has
always been at the heart of Amnesty
Internationals work.
3. If you have access to a media player
watch the video clip: Write for Rights
2013 Thank you! (English, 2:10)
4. If you have a printed copy of the Write
for Rights toolkit take time to look
through it.
his local Amnesty group. Together, they

decided to write Urgent Action appeals for
24 hours, beginning at noon on Saturday.
When they emailed their idea to all the
other Polish groups, it turned into
something much bigger, bringing together
activists across the country. Then, their idea
went viral.
a. Letter writing is this a useful

tool for you and the work that you
do?
limitations of letter writing as a
tool for human rights advocacy?
c. Amnesty International claims that
hand written letters are still one
of the most powerful weapons
activists have. Why do you think a
hand written letter is so much
more influential than other forms
of communication?
How could you mobilize letter
writing to support these issues?
129
STATION :2
INTRODUCTION
Our Mission
Our vision is of a world in which every
person regardless of race, religion,
ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender
identity enjoys all of the human rights
enshrined in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) and other
internationally recognized human rights
standards. The UDHR states that the "the
recognition of the inherent dignity and of
the equal and inalienable rights" of all
people is "the foundation of freedom,
justice and peace in the world."
How We Work
Amnesty International unites people from
all over the world to fight for human rights
using our signature tactics:
Research
Amnesty International keeps vigilant watch
on the rights of people around the world
and publishes hundreds of independent
reports based on our rigorous research, free
of corporate and government influence.
Action
Through our dynamic campaigns and longterm casework, Amnesty International
members propel key human rights concerns
and stories of individuals at risk into the
glare of the international media and demand
the attention of government officials,
corporations, international institutions and
policy makers.
Advocacy
We combine high-level legislative work,
media outreach and grassroots mobilization
to shape and promote legislation and
policies to advance human rights, protect
individuals and free prisoners of conscience.
Author J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter series),
who once worked in Amnesty International's
research department, describes our work
this way: "Ordinary people, whose personal
well-being and security are assured, join
together in huge numbers to save people
they do not know, and will never meet. My
small participation in that process was one
of the most humbling and inspiring
experiences of my life."
Write For Rights
A History of Letter Writing
Every year around Human Rights Day on
December 10, hundreds of thousands of
people around the world send a message to
someone they've never met. Letter writing
has always been at the heart of Amnesty
International's work and 53 years of human
rights activism shows us that words really
do have the power to change lives.
Last year, hundreds of thousands of people
130
in 143 countries around the world took a

record-breaking 2,373,422 actions. Three
of the Prisoners of Conscience featured in
Write for Rights 2013 - Yorm Bopha,
Vladimir Akimenkov, and Mikhail Kosenko
- were released, and nearly all of the
Individuals whose cases were featured told
us that the burst of activism generated by
the campaign helped to inspire and
encourage them as they continue to struggle
for justice.
Write for Rights - also known as the

Writeathon - is the world's largest human
rights event, but it has humble origins.
Twelve years ago, a young man named
Witek met a young woman named Joanna
at a festival in Warsaw, Poland. Joanna had
just returned from traveling through Africa,
where she'd seen activists organizing 24hour events to write protest letters to
governments.
Witek invited Joanna to join a meeting of

his local Amnesty group. Together, they
decided to write Urgent Action appeals for
24 hours, beginning at noon on Saturday.
When they emailed their idea to all the
other Polish groups, it turned into
something much bigger, bringing together
activists across the country. Then, their idea
went viral.
They emailed their idea to all the other
Polish groups, and it turned into something
much bigger, bringing together activists
across the country," explains Grzegorz
Zukowski, from Amnesty Poland. Then,
their idea went viral.
Witek and Joanna emailed Amnesty offices
across the world, and people started sending
back pictures of themselves writing letters
- by Niagara Falls, in Japan, in Mongolia. It
was a spontaneous, grassroots initiative that
grew and grew.
Every December since, Write for Rights
has inspired thousands of people to write
letters to distant governments. Some still do
it Polish-style, over a hectic, sleepless 24
hours. No matter where Write for Rights is
taking place, it is driven and sustained by
Amnesty's grassroots human rights activists.
Here's how it works

Amnesty looks at our global portfolio
of cases, including Prisoners of
Conscience, human rights defenders,
torture survivors and communities at
risk to decide who will be featured in
each year's campaign.
We identify 10 cases where global
activism can have a huge impact, right
now, and share them with Amnesty
activists.
Amnesty grassroots leaders sign up to
organize events and actions - or write
on their own - on behalf of the 10
cases from December 1-17.
Letters, tweets, emails, faxes, text
messages and petitions start arriving at
government offices, in prison cells and
to families all over the world.
Change happens. Hope Grows. As
messages flood mailboxes, prisoners
get better conditions or are released.
Human rights defenders are better
protected. Torture survivors finally get
the reparations that they need to heal.
People know that others, worldwide,
are taking their injustice personally.
Amnesty receives updates about the
kinds of actions people are taking and
the ways in which it is making a
difference. Every year, we better
understand how Write for Rights
changes lives
And it still has real grassroots appeal: "The

main power behind the marathon are the
local communities and groups," says
Grzegorz Zukowski from Amnesty Poland,
"The school groups write more letters than
anyone else. Our record is held by Bircza, a
small town with only 1,000 inhabitants. In
2011, they wrote 13,000 letters." Over 50
years after the first call to action that
inspired our movement, a hand-written
letter is still one of the most powerful tools
we have as activists. When thousands of
people write the same letter, our voices
united cannot be ignored.
131
STATION :3
Namati
Innovations in Legal Empowerment
INSTRUCTIONS:
useful tools for you and the work

that you do?
limitations of using community
paralegals to protect and promote
human rights?
c. Think of 2-3 human rights issues
present in your communities. In
what way could a paralegal provide
necessary assistance and affect
positive change?
d. A recent assessment of Rule of
Law in Myanmar identified
mistrust of the legal system as a
major hurdle to legal reform, that
after some 50 years of military
control, the people of Myanmar
have come to see the law as a tool
of repression rather than as
something which stood as a
safeguard to their fundamental
rights and freedoms.* Is Namatis
work relevant in a country where
there is no trust in the legal
system?
1. Read the INTRODUCTION. If you

have access to a media player watch
Building the filed of
legal
empowerment: Ashoka Fellow Vivek.
(English, 3:20)
2. Read about Namatis impact globally in
the briefer Who is Namati?
3. Skim through the printed copy of the
Who is Namati? brochure.
a. How many references to
Myanmar/Burma can you find?
b. The brochure includes photos of
different
people/communities
impacted by Namatis work.
Which of the different people
profiles stands out to you? What
about their story attracts you?
a.
Legal
empowerment
and
community paralegals are these
STATION :3
Namati
Innovations in Legal Empowerment
Myanmar Rule of Law Assessment, http://www.burmalibrary.org/docs15/Myanmar-Ruleof-Law-Assessment-3-5-13.pdf
INTRODUCTION
What is Namati? What do we aim to do?

The UN estimates that 4 billion people
around the world live outside the protection
of the law. For these people the law is an
abstraction, or a threat, but not something
they can use to exercise their basic rights.
Lawyers
meanwhile are costly and often focused on
132
formal court channels that are impractical

for most people.
Namati champions a method - grassroots
legal advocates, or community paralegals
- for bridging the gap between the law and
real life. these paralegals are trained in basic
law and in skills like mediation, organizing,
and advocacy. they form a dynamic, creative
Instead of treating their clients as victims

requiring an expert service - i will solve
this problem for you - community
paralegals can focus on legal empowerment.
we will solve this together, so you will be
in a stronger position to tackle such
problems in the future. Just as primary
health workers are linked with doctors and
hospitals, community paralegals should be
connected to lawyers and the possibility of

litigation or high-level advocacy if frontline
methods fail.
Namati in MYANMAR
Namati currently operates in eight countries
globally, including Myanmar. The Myanmar
national office is based in Yangon. In the
few short years it has been in operation
Namati Myanmars team of paralegals has
supported 6,000 farmers to protect their
land rights under a new registration process.
Namati
Who is Namati?
Below are highlights from
brochure Who is Namati?
Namatis
Front Line Justice

In Sierra Leone, in the atermath of a brutal
civil war, Namati and its partners have
grown community paralegal services to
cover 40 per cent of the country. these
paralegals have resolved thousands of
disputes and grievances - 4,100 in 2013
alone - involving womens and childrens
rights, land and natural resources, and
access to essential services. Namati and a
coalition of groups successfully advocated
for a legal aid law that recognizes the role
community paralegals play and calls for a
paralegal in every chiefdom.
Citizenship
In Kenya and Bangladesh, since February
2013, 17 paralegals have assisted over 2,600
people
from
historically
stateless
communities to overcome discrimination in
applying for legal identity documents for
the first time. Of these, more than 1,800
have already received documents. a legal
identity can be life-changing it opens
access to healthcare, education, and
banking, among other things.
Community Land Protection

In Mozambique, Uganda, and Liberia,
Namati and its partners have developed a
model for documenting and protecting
customary land claims. The model has led
to stronger protections for womens land
rights, better governance and more
sustainable management of land and natural
resources, and the resolution of land
conflicts.
frontline that can engage formal and

traditional institutions alike.
Health
In Mozambique, paralegals focused on the
health system have resolved over 200
service delivery failures, including drug
stockouts, lack of water supply, nurse
absenteeism, and breaches of confidentiality.
Environment
On the coasts in India, paralegals are
working with fishing and farming
communities to address violations of
environmental law. In Myanmar, paralegals
have supported 6,000 farmers to protect
their land rights under a new registration
process, as well as settling disputes and
resolving past land grabs.
133
STATION :4
Cultural Survival
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Read the INTRODUCTION. If you
have access to a media player watch
Cultural Survival PSA.
a. Which rights does Cultural
Survival focus on protecting? Are
these rights at risk in Myanmar?
2. Read the briefer Indigenous Rights
Radio community radio projects are
a flagship initiative of Cultural Survival.
If you have a media player watch
Radio
Project-Radio
Ixcehl,
Sumpango, which showcases one of
the community radio stations
supported by Cultural Survival.

a. What are some of the main threats
to indigenous rights in Myanmar?
b. What are the potential and
limitations of community radio to
respond to some of these threats?
c. Can you think of any other human
rights issues that could be
addressed with the help of
community radio?
d. How could you mobilize
community radio to respond to
these issues?
3. Read Radio and Rights an account of

STATION :4
Cultural Survival/MAP Foundation

INTRODUCTION
Our Vision:
Cultural Survival envisions a future that
respects and honors Indigenous Peoples
inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply
and richly interwoven in lands, languages,
spiritual traditions, and artistic expression,
rooted in self-determination and selfgovernance.
Our Mission:
Cultural Survival advocates for Indigenous
Peoples rights and supports Indigenous
communities self-determination, cultures
and political resilience, since 1972.
Our Work:
The impulse for the founding of Cultural
Survival arose during the 1960s with the
opening up of the Amazonian regions of
South America and other remote regions
134
a Migrant Action Programme Radio, a

project based in Chiang Mai, Thailand
that predominately serves migrant
workers from Myanmar.
elsewhere. As governments all over the

world sought to extract resources from
areas that had never before been developed,
the drastic effects this trend had on the
regions' Indigenous Peoples underscored
the urgent need to defend the human rights
of these "victims of progress."
Today, the organization promotes the rights
of Indigenous communities around the
globe. All of the work is predicated on the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights
of Indigenous Peoples. Cultural Survival
has partnered with United Nations bodies
and other intergovernmental organizations,
and with indigenous and human rights
organizations around the globe. Cultural
Survival holds consultative status with the
United Nations.
Over the past 40 years, we have partnered

with tribal peoples in Amazonian
rainforests, Tibetan nomads, reindeer
herders in Mongolia, pastoralists and

hunter-gatherers in Africa, aboriginal
peoples in Australia, Native Americans, and
many others.
Our Current Programs:
Our programming includes mounting
letter-writing campaigns and other advocacy
efforts to stop environmental destruction
and abuses of Native Peoples' rights; and
working on the ground in Indigenous
communities, always at their invitation.
Programming also includes support and
expansion of Indigenous owned and
operated community radio, and support
and advocacy for community based
language revitalization programs. Cultural
Survival also publicizes Indigenous Peoples'
issues through the Cultural Survival
Quarterly available online and in print.
Cultural Survival
Indigenous Rights Radio
Cultural Survivals Indigenous Rights Radio
Program is strengthening Indigenous
Peoples capacity to claim their rights by
increasing awareness and understanding
international human rights mechanisms,
through community media and community
exchanges.
audio in 18 languages, including Nepalese

Indigenous languages of Rai, Magar, Tharu,
Nepal Bhasa, Limbu, Tamang, and Gurung;
Nepali; Belizean Q'eqchi'; the Guatemalan
Indigenous languages of Kaqchikel,
Q'anjobal, K'iche, and Mam; Olelo Hawaii;
French; and Italian.
Building on Cultural Survivals successful

community radio program in Guatemala,
we are producing and distributing a series
of radio programs worldwide on topics
related to Indigenous rights in order to
inform Indigenous listeners about their
freedoms. These radio programs will also
assist communities in developing their own
guidelines, based on their unique experiences
and cultural perspectives, in order to build
capacity, reinforce self-determination, and
facilitate proactive community engagement
in defense of their rights. With the help of
volunteers from all over the world, we have
translated 213 programs and recorded
How will this initiative make a difference?
Cultural Survival partners with Indigenous

communities to defend their lands,
languages, and cultures. We assist them in
obtaining the knowledge, advocacy tools,
and strategic partnerships they need to
protect their rights. When their governments
don't respond, we partner with them to
bring their cases to international
commissions and courts, and we involve
the public and policy makers in advocating
for their rights. In addition, Cultural
Survival offers the most comprehensive
source of information on Indigenous
Peoples on the planet. Our award-winning
magazine, the Cultural Survival Quarterly,
has been published for more than 37 years.
To date, many legal documents such as the

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples are not widely known or well
understood
in
many
Indigenous
communities. Indigenous leaders from
around the world emphasize the importance
of educating themselves about these rights
so that they are best equipped to claim them.
We established our program in an effort to
inform Indigenous communities of their
rights in the voices of Indigenous Peoples.
Informed Indigenous communities not only
135

136
have knowledge of their rights but more

specifically, they know what they need to
learn about externally proposed development
projects such as mines, oil development, and
agro-industry in order to evaluate this
information accurately. This is crucial,
because with this knowledge, Indigenous
communities are able to construct procedures
to challenge development projects in their
earlier stages, before a conflict arises. One

important and trusted means for Indigenous
communities to develop these procedures, is
to learn from each other how best to exercise
their fundamental rights, and apply these
lessons within the context and settings of
their own socio-political, economic, and
cultural frameworks.
CAMPAIGN DESIGN
Objective:

To create opportunity for participants to imagine ways they can

mobilize the tools introduced in the NGO carousel.
To inspire participants to link the learning theyve had during this
workshop to their communities at home.
TIME
75minutes
Materials:
markers, flip chart
1. PREPARATION

>> 30 minutes
Distribute flip chart paper and markers

to each group
Invite groups to consider each of the
tools introduced during the NGO
carousel
Invite each group to design a project
utilizing a combination of the different
tools. Have participants thinking BIG!

This activity is more about cultivating
creativity, energy and excitement as
participants gear up to head back to
their organizations.
Distribute the attached handout.
ACTIVITY -7
137
2. PRESENTATION
138
3.

>> 30 minutes
Give each group a designated amount of

time to present their project. Adjust the
time provided depending on how many
groups are presenting.
CLOSING
After each presentation budget time

for the plenary and facilitators to ask
questions.
>> 2 minutes
Congratulate all of the groups on their

creativity.
Encourage participants to use these
ideas as ways of spurring creativity and

motivation to take action in their own
communities
HANDOUT: Planning a Human Rights Project

Working with your team, plan a human rights project that you will implement in a chosen
community. Where possible utilize tools and strategies introduced in the NGO carousel.
Be prepared to present your project.
Create a visual to engage your audience and introduce and promote your project
Be prepared to speak to the following:
o Name your project.
o What issue does your project address?
o Who is the target audience?
o When and where will this project be executed?
o What resources will you need? be as specific as possible. If you need money
how will you fundraise?
o Which tools will you use?
o Why did you select these tools?
o What are some of the challenges you foresee?
o Present a timeline outlining what you will need to do to bring this project to
life.
WHERE DO YOU STAND ON HUMAN

RIGHTS?
Objective:

To stimulate discussion about views and feeling people have

about rights.
To provide a safe space for participants to express skepticism
around the notion of human rights.
TIME
20-20 minutes
Materials:
posters with AGREE and DISAGREE on written on them, tape, human rights
statements (handout).
1. WARM-UP

>> 5 minutes
Put the posters up on either end of a

large room. Give plenty of space for
group members to move.
Introduce the exercise by saying that
you are going to read statements and
invite people to take sides according to
how strongly they agree or disagree
with the statements. Tell them that
ACTIVITY - 8
these are statements that tend to

produce strong feelings and the aim is
to consider their own views and to
listen to the views of others. It is not
the purpose of the activity to reach
agreement.
To set the mood for the activity play
some quiet music in the background.
139
2. ACTIVITY: Continuum

>> 10-15 minutes
Read a statement and ask people to

stand along the continuum, closer to
Agree or Disagree, depending on how
strongly they feel. When everyone is
positioned along the continuum, ask if
anyone would like to explain why they
are where they are, and then invite a
3. DEBRIEF
contribution from another side.

After a short time, ask if anyone wants
to change positions after what they
have heard. Take note of the new
positions, if any, and move along to
the next statement following the
routine but keeping the momentum.
>> 10 minutes
Step 1:
When you have finished, you might want to
ask participants how they felt and give room
to resolve any outstanding issues. If any
statement is so controversial that people
want to continue talking about it, take note
and you may be able to return to it in the
remainder of your session.
Step 1:
Consider the learning in the activity by
asking the group:
1. Which statements were easy to

agree on? Difficult?
2. Why was it so difficult to find
agreement on some statements?
3. Why was it easier with others?
4. Do participants feel more strongly
about some of the issues than
about others? Why?
5. Are there issues that participants
would like to spend more time
exchanging ideas about?
* Make adjustments based on available time
4. CLOSING >>

140
Remind participants that human rights

are complex. There are areas about
human rights on which reasonable

people, with good evidence may differ.
These two workshops are design to

introduce participants to the concept
of human rights and to ways they can
use their rights.
It is ok if participants are confused
whether human rights are relevant to
them and their communities. Human
rights are highly controversial.
Hopefully these workshops have

motivated participants to learn more
about human rights and consider ways
human rights can benefit their
communities.
If necessary extend this conversation
into the final ceremony. Feel into the
mood for the group.
HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS

Use the following states for the
continuum activity or create your own.
Human rights are ideals. They are not
practical.
Human rights are evolving. This means
they can never be permanent.
Human rights come from the West and
are not relevant in Asia.
Children dont need to hear about human
rights.
Men have more rights than women.
Human rights are a luxury that only rich
countries can afford.
Human rights are a waste of time.
You cant enjoy your human rights unless

you have enough to eat.
I dont need to promote your human
rights. That is the job of the government.
Human rights are a western notion and
dont apply to Asian communities.
We shouldnt protect the rights of
criminals because they are breaking the
law.
Governments should be able to intervene
to enforce human rights in countries other
than their own.
Civil and political rights are more
important than economic, social and
cultural rights.
141
WORKSHOP - 2

Day 1
Time
Duration Activity
Objective
9-9:30am
30mins
Human rights squares

Ice breaker, review what we

know already
9:30-9:45am
15mins
Agenda, expectations

Review agenda and

expectations, create a safe
space
9:45-11am
75mins
Activity - 1 HRs Protection

Mechanisms

How does the international

human rights protection
system work? review of
Siwas story
11am-11:15am 15mins
BREAK
11:15-12:30am 75mins
Activity - 2 Conflict of Rights What is a conflict of rights?

How are they resolved?
1:30-3:15pm 105mins Activity - 3 Rights in the Court What are the roles and

functions of the court?

mock trial
3:15-3:30pm
142
15mins
BREAK
3:30-4pm
30mins
Activity - 3 Continued

What are the roles and

functions of the court? -
presentation
4-4:30pm
30mins

Activity - 4 Myanmar and

East Asia
Exploring national and South

regional human rights bodies
4:30-5pm
Closing/Review
30mins
Time
Duration Activity
Objective
15mins
Talking Circle
Energizer/review
9:15-11:15am 120mins

Activity - 5 Reporting a HRs

abuse
What to do if you observe a

human rights violation.
11:15-11:30am 15mins
BREAK
9-9:15am
11:30-12:30pm 60mins
Activity - 6 Human Rights

NGO carousel

Letter campaign (Amnesty),

Film (YFS, Witness), data
collection(Earth Rights), new
media and petition (Avaaz),
shadow reports (HRIEB),
Legal Aid, radio projects

1:30-2:30pm
60mins
Activity - 6 Continued
2:30-3:15pm 45mins
Activity - 7a Campaign

preparations

3:15-3:30pm
15mins
Have evaluate the different

methods and pick a few to
implement within their
communities
BREAK
3:30-4pm
30mins
Activity - 7b Campaign

presentations

Evaluate the different

methods and pick a few to
implement within their
communities
4-4:30pm
30mins

HRs debate/Where do you

stand?
Give space to voice skepticism

and responses
4:30-5pm
Closing/Review
30mins
Day 2
143
WORKSHOP - 2
Human Rights Taking Action

DAY 1:
1. Introductions and Review Human Rights Squares
(20-30 mins)
Objective:
To encourage participants to interact and get to know each other
To review participants existing knowledge of human rights
Procedure:
While participants are milling around waiting for everyone to arrive hand name-tags
out.
Welcome participants
Explain that the days first activity is to help everyone get reacquainted with one
another and to help review what we covered in our first workshop.
Distribute copies of Human Rights Squares
Explain that participants have 15mins to mingle and find a different person who can
answer each question.
They should write the answer and the name of the person who can answer it next to
the question.
After the allotted time has past ask participants to make a circle. Debrief by asking
questions such as these:
o Who got the most answers?
o Can any tell me the answer to..?
o Which questions were the most difficult to answer? use these questions to
transition into presenting the agenda and talking about the themes of this
workshop.

Objective:
To provide an overview of the workshop
To gauge the interests of the participants
Procedure:
Ask participants what their expectations of the next two days are. Participants may
mention personal goals such as making new friends or learning goals. Note everything
down on a flip chart and keep this record on the wall to revisit later.
Present the agenda. Refer back to the goals that participants mentioned and highlight
any overlap.
* You can make time to establish new ground rules for interaction or if you kept the rules
144
TRANSITION:
Activity to break into small groups of 3-4
3. 3. Activity - 1: The Human Rights Machine introduction

to human right protection (75 mins)
Objective:
To review learning from Workshop #1
To reflect on the role of government, civil society and individuals in promoting and
protecting human rights human rights.
Procedure:
Hang the pictures of Siwas story up at the front of the room.
In small groups have participants see how much they can recall about Siwas story.
Encourage them to make notes and to write down as much detail as they can
remember.
Invite one volunteer to come to the front of the room, re-order the pictures and
recount the story
When he/she is done have the rest of the group fill in details.
BREAK (15 mins)
that the group developed in Workshop #1 pull these out and have participants recommit to
them and/or edit them.
TRANSITION:
A quick energizer of your choice
4. ACTIVITY - 2: Conflict of Rights (60-75mins)

Objective:
Procedure:
Write Conflict of Rights on a flip chart
Have participants brainstorm what this might mean
LUNCH (60 mins)

TRANSITION
Energizer of your choice
145
4. ACTIVITY - 2: Conflict of Rights (60-75 mins)

Objectives:
Procedure:
Write Conflict of Rights on a flip chart
Have participants brainstorm what this might mean
LUNCH (60 mins)

TRANSITION
Energizer of your choice
5. ACTIVITY - 3: The Role of the Courts (120 mins)

Objectives:
To review the role of domestic courts in protecting/promoting human rights
To introduce participants to how a court functions
To reinforce learning around conflicting rights on these conflicts can be resolved
Procedure:
Create three picture puzzles using the pictures included with this lesson.
o Vietnam war
o War Protesters
o Students with black arm bands
Hand out the puzzle pieces and have participants find the other members of their
group.
BREAK (15mins)
6. ACTIVITY - 4: National and Regional Human Rights
Bodies
Objective:
To familiarize participants with the regional human rights regimes in Myanmar and
South East Asia
To use other regional models to illustrate how these regimes are supposed to ideally
function.
Procedure:
Break the participants into two groups. Have each group create a moving machine
that represents the international human rights protection system; a human machine
146

Design a unique closing using some of the activities below or use one of your personal
favourites.
One word whip
Relay Review
Divide the participants into teams of 4-6. Have them line up in their teams at one
end of the room and tape flip charts to the other side of the room. One person from
each team will run to the other side of the room and write one idea, concept, piece
of learning they recall from the day on the sheet. When they are finished they run
back to their team and hand the marker off to the next person in line. Keep the relay
going until the sheets are full. Have participants sit back and look at the sheets
before doing their evaluation.
Recycled Review
Bring out the flip chart with the participants expectations written on it. Go through
expectations and see how many of them have been fulfilled. Front-load for the next
day.
of the human rights protection system (UDHR, Human Rights Treaties, Regional
Human Rights Bodies, Nation States).
Evaluation
147
DAY 2:
Objective:
Procedure:
Before this session prepare a series of prompts
Divide participants into two groups, on standing in a circle facing outwards and the
other facing inwards so that each person faces someone else. These pairs exchange
views on the first prompt. After a set period, ask everyone on the inside to move 1-3
people to their right and read the second prompt. Repeat.
Prompts: feel free to design your own!
1. Rose: share a highlight from yesterday
2. Thorn: share something from yesterday that you found challenging
3. Bud: share something youre looking forward to exploring today
2. ACTIVITY - 5: Reporting a Human Rights Violation

(120 mins)
Objective:
To review how to report a human rights violation or abuse
To practice using the human rights reporting tools in real-life scenarios
Procedure:
Write shortened versions of each step of the reporting procedure on a different
piece of paper.
Hang the pieces of paper on the far side of the room or in the hallway. Somewhere
that is difficult or impossible for the group to see from where they are seated.
Alternatively hang the pieces of paper all over the room.
3. ACTIVITY - 7: Human Rights NGO Carousel (120 mins)

Objective:
To introduce participants to a range of human rights organizations and the different
strategies they use to support and promote rights and rights holders
Procedure:
Pick a method for diving the group into four groups. Decide what best suits your
148
4. ACTIVITY - 7: Campaign and presentation (75mins)

Objective:
To create opportunity for participants to imagine ways they can mobilize the tools
introduced in the NGO carousel.
To inspire participants to link the learning theyve had during this workshop to their
communities at home.
Procedure:
Distribute flip chart paper and markers to each group
Invite groups to consider each of the tools introduced during the NGO carousel
5. ACTIVITY - 8: Where do you stand on human rights?

Objective:
Stimulate discussion about views and feeling people have about rights.
To provide a safe space for participants to express skepticism around the notion of
human rights.
Procedure:
Put the posters up on either end of a large room. Give plenty of space for group
members to move.
Introduce the exercise by saying that you are going to read statements and invite people
to take sides according to how strongly they agree or disagree with the statements. Tell
them that these are statements that tend to produce strong feelings and the aim is to
consider their own views and to listen to the views of others. It is not the purpose of the
activity to reach agreement.
Work through activity: see lesson plan.
specific group. If you have participants representing different organizations or

different communities it maybe useful to divide the large group along these lines. If
you have a diverse group then just pick a fun, active way to divide everyone up.
Prepare the room ahead of time.
6. Closing (30mins)
Objective:
Procedure:
Clear the room
their eyes.
149
150

Thank participants for attending.
Pluses and deltas from the second day of the workshop or an alternate form of
evaluation.
Option A Prepare small souvenirs for participants to take away with them; a bracelet, a
picture taken during the class, a small pebble, a bunch of flowers. After participants are
circled up have them pick a souvenir from a central place before sharing their highlight.
Option B - End with a poem or a reading. Maybe read a lyric out from a famous song
written about human rights and then play the song as the participants mingle and get ready
to leave.
Option C - If it the mood is right you can organize a fire ceremony. Have a fire or candle
in the middle or the space. Explain the significance of the candle to human rights activism
globally (Amnesty International). Hand out candles to each participant. Have each person
light their candle in turn, speak briefly to what they are taking away from this experience and
then place their candle in an appropriate place where it can be left to burn.
Flowers, Nancy (ed) (2007) Compasito, Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
Flowers, Nancy (ed) (2007) Compasito: Manual on human rights children Strasbourg:
Council of Europe, Activity 26, 149-156.
Flowers, Nancy (2000) The Human Rights Education Handbook: Effective Practices for
Learning, Action, and Change Minnesota: University of Minnesota.
Flowers, Nancy (1998) Human Rights Here and Now, Minnesota: University of Minnesota,
Activity 1, 38-42.
Fountain, Susan (1993) Its Only Rights: A Practical Guide to Learning about the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, New York: UNICEF.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (2008) Inspiring Practices Ireland: Northern
Ireland Human Rights Commission.
Stoller, Fredrika L. Language and Civil Society Civic Education E-Journal, accessed from <
http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/language-and-civil-society-e-journal-civiceducation> on 21 December, 2014
REFERENCES
151
UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
152
(simplified version)
Article 1
Right to Equality
Article 2
Freedom from Discrimination
Article 3
Right to Life, Liberty, Personal Security
Article 4
Freedom from Slavery
Article 5
Freedom from Torture and Degrading
Treatment
Article 6
Right to Recognition as a Person before the
Law
Article 7
Right to Equality before the Law
Article 8
Right to Remedy by Competent Tribunal
Article 9
Freedom from Arbitrary Arrest and Exile
Article 10
Right to Fair Public Hearing
Article 11
Right to be Considered Innocent until
Proven Guilty
Article 12
Freedom from Interference with Privacy,
Family, Home and Cor- respondence
Article 13
Right to Free Movement in and out of the
Country
Article 14
Right to Asylum in other Countries from
Persecution
Article 15
Right to a Nationality and the Freedom to
Change It
Article 16
Right to Marriage and Family
Article 17
Right to Own Property

Article 18
Freedom of Belief and Religion
Article 19
Freedom of Opinion and Information
Article 20
Right of Peaceful Assembly and Association
Article 21
Right to Participate in Government and in
Free Elections
Article 22
Right to Social Security
Article 23
Right to Desirable Work and to Join Trade
Unions
Article 24
Right to Rest and Leisure
Article 25
Right to Adequate Living Standard
Article 26
Right to Education
Article 27
Right to Participate in the Cultural Life of
Community
Article 28
Right to a Social Order that Articulates this
Document
Article 29
Community Duties Essential to Free and
Full Development
Article 30
Freedom from State or Personal
Interference in the above Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human
Rights
Copyright 1999 Human Rights Resource
Center, University of Minnesota. Reproduced with
permission
.

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Human Rights

Human Rights Training Manual

2015 by Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

Friedrich Naumann Foundation

FNF Myanmar Office

ACTIVITY -5 HUMAN RIGHTS IN MYANMAR/SOUTH EAST ASIA.......................... 111

What is in the toolkit?

A selection of icebreakers and energizers

Human Rights Training Manual

How to use the toolkit

Human Rights Training Manual

HOW TO USE THIS TOOL KIT

The tool kit includes three sections:

Section 1 contains background information on how to be a good

Section 2 contains resources, methods and tools to help facilitate a

Section 3 contains a model workshop, complete with facilitators notes,

Human Rights Training Manual

THE ART OF FACILITATION

Human Rights Training Manual

provides a structure for learning, which

necessarily an expert: Although

PERSONAL CHECK LIST FOR FACILITATORS

Human Rights Training Manual

USEFUL TOOL FOR FACILITATORS

Human Rights Training Manual

Make a tight circle, everyone facing the

Find a piece of cardboard or something

The group circles up with arms over each

Write little tags on the objects that the

Human Rights Training Manual

Everyone is blindfolded, takes shoes off

Circle up the group. Reach out and hold

Explain that the whole group must line up

Assign different sounds and gestures to

First demonstrate a lifeboat: two people

At first the sea is calm and everyone is

Each person brings a meaningful object

GREAT for modeling the fact that people

Like Portraits, but without the drawing.

In the Same Boat

Explain that participants must locate others

Arrange chairs in a close circle and ask

Provide participants with plain paper and a

Divide participants into small teams and

Human Rights Training Manual

Organize the participants into two or more

Line up in order by shoe size, line up in

Human Rights Training Manual

with the matching puzzle pieces.

Create small animal cards, as many types of

Intentionally pick the photos so that you

Make index cards ahead of time. On each

Create picture puzzles (take a picture and

Use coloured paper, differently coloured

valuable lesson etc.

If you decide to use a case study as part of

Pose a summarizing question (e.g., What

Group Still Life or Installation:

Releasing the Dove of Peace:

Use a story to introduce a topic. Have

Participants toss a ball from one to another.

Share valuable lessons/concepts

Each participant in turn removes the object