The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is inviting applications for a training course for human rights defenders working at international borders in the Northern Mediterranean region.

Open to human rights defenders operating in Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain or Türkiye.

WHEN 04/12/2024 - 06/12/2024
WHERE Warsaw, Poland

ORGANIZED BY The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

WHAT
The objective of the three-day training course is to enable human rights defenders working in the Northern Mediterranean region to comprehend border technologies' human rights implications and to enhance their capacity in collecting and verifying information through various means, including new technologies, for effective human rights monitoring at borders.


Topics addressed during the training will include:
  • What are the new technologies used in border control and migration management?
  • How to assess and monitor the human rights implications of the use of these technologies at borders?
  • How can human rights defenders effectively monitor and report on harmful border practices as pushbacks?
  • What is the psycho-social impact of the use of new technologies on people on the move and on human rights defenders?
  • How can human rights defenders use various methods safely to better collect and verify information at borders, including by using new technologies?
HOW
The training is based on interactive learning methods and requires full-time presence and a high level of active participation. Participants should be aware that they will be unable to perform other work-related activities during the training sessions. The course will be conducted in English by experienced trainers with proven gender and cultural sensitivity. Training materials, travel costs and accommodation are covered by ODIHR.
WHO
Twenty-five participants will be selected in a competitive process according to the following criteria:
  • Working in one of the following OSCE participating States: Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain or Türkiye. Citizenship of the applicant is not decisive;
  • Proven experience and high motivation to carry out human rights-related activities in the migration and refugee context;
  • Priority will be given to applicants with proven experience of monitoring pushback practices and other human rights violations at borders;
  • Experience with monitoring and/or analysing human rights implications of technologies used in border and migration management (surveillance, biometrics, automated decision-making at borders, in refugee camps and/or in immigration detention) is an advantage;
  • Willingness to use various methods, including new technologies, to collect and verify information for human rights monitoring at borders;
  • Relevance of the training for applicants’ current and potential future human rights activities in the region and readiness to put the obtained knowledge into practice;
  • Ability to actively participate in English;
  • Availability to attend the training for its full duration and readiness to set aside other work activities during the three days;
  • Priority will be given to members of civil society organizations, grassroots activists and the media (usually one person per organization), who will demonstrate the capacity to share the knowledge obtained during the training with colleagues;
ODIHR recognizes as a human rights defender any person promoting and striving for the realization of human rights regardless of profession, age or other status. Human rights defenders carry out their human rights activities individually or jointly with others, as part of an informal group or as a non-governmental organization, and act in a voluntary or professional capacity. The key characteristic that defines human rights defenders is not who they are, but what they do and the principles they stand for.
Please note that in 2025 ODIHR will open another call for a training course specifically dedicated to applicants working for National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI).

APPLICATION
Applicants should fill in this application form and upload their CV (PDF or DOC) by 23 October 2024. ODIHR will strive to ensure a geographical and gender balance among participants. Candidates will be informed about the outcome of the selection process, by 6 November 2024.

Questions?
If you have any questions about the content of the training or the selection procedure, please contact lola.girard@odihr.pl and veronica.grazzi@odihr.pl.
The personal information provided will be used by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) for the selection purpose. Provided data is stored internally and access to it is authorized solely on a need-to-know basis. ODIHR does not disclose any personal information to any other outside parties, except when expressly authorized to do so by the user for the purpose of logistical arrangements in relation to organized events by ODIHR. Personal data is kept secure by appropriate technical and organizational measures instituted to protect against unauthorized access, use, modification/tempering, destruction, disclosure, loss or inappropriate or unauthorized transfer.

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* 1. Surname

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* 2. Name

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* 3. Gender

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* 4. Citizenship

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* 5. Name of the organization (if applicable)

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* 6. Job title (if applicable)

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* 7. Country in which your organization (if applicable) operates

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* 8. City in which your organization (if applicable) operates

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* 9. Your contact detail where we should inform you if selected.

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* 10. Please assess your working knowledge of English

  Fluent Confident Intermediate Basic
Writing
Speaking
Understanding

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* 11. Please state the mission of your organization (if applicable) (max. 200 words).

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* 12. Please briefly describe your own areas of activity - including geographical focus - as a human rights defender in the migration context (max. 200 words)

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* 13. Please describe briefly your own experience of monitoring pushback practices and other human rights violations at borders. (max. 200 words)

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* 14. Please elaborate on your experience with monitoring and/or analysing human rights implications of technologies used in border control, asylum and migration management and describe specific examples of your activities (max. 200 words)

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* 15. How would you, as a human rights defender, benefit from using new technologies to monitor human rights at borders? (max. 200 words)

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* 16. How are you planning to use the knowledge and skills gained through the training for your human rights activities? (max 200 words)

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* 17. Please upload your CV in PDF, DOC or DOCX format

PDF, DOC, DOCX file types only.
Choose File

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* 18. Do you need a visa to travel to Poland?

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* 19. Declaration by applicant

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* 20. Do you agree to be contacted by ODIHR on a different occasion? For example with an invitation to another event or a training course relevant to your profile.

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* 21. How did you learn about the training?

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