UNITAR HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TRAINING PROGRAMME IN GENEVA

Second Edition (Online): 14 June 2021 – 2 July 2021

BACKGROUND

UNITAR is delighted to offer the second edition of the Human Rights Council Training Programme. This course will run in parallel to the real UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and aims at providing participants with in-depth knowledge on human rights and the functioning of the UN`s key body to promote them. 

In line with UNITAR’s mandate, this programme aspires to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills in the areas of human rights and international affairs. This will empower them to take on leadership roles in their respective environments and thereby continue to promote the respect for human rights in the world.

UNITAR further intends to strengthen the participants’ conviction of the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, especially human rights. It lastly aspires to give its participants the opportunity to gain valuable insights into possible employment opportunities in the United Nations system.

CONTENT

The Human Rights Council Training Programme lasts three weeks and runs on UNITAR ́s virtual learning platform. It is created and facilitated by senior experts working at UN agencies. In addition, UNITAR staff assists in the organisational aspects of the course and stands ready to interact with participants on a daily basis.  

The backbone of the Human Rights Council Training Programme will be three e-Learning modules. Every module contains reading material, multimedia files, a discussion forum for written exchanges and a multiple choice assessment quiz. The course will contain the following modules:  

• Module 1 – The United Nations 
• Module 2 – Conference Diplomacy 
• Module 3 – Human Rights, Climate Change and the SDGs

The e-Learning modules will be complemented by a series of live components delivered to participants via Zoom. These encompass several 3-hour interactive e-workshops run by experts such as current UN staff or retired ambassadors. The Human Rights Council Training Programme will offer the following e-workshops:

• Negotiation Skills 
• Leadership Skills 
• UN Resolution Writing Skills 

Most importantly, the Human Rights Council Training Programme runs in parallel to the real Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva. Participants will therefore be able to attend its sessions in live-stream. In addition, they will have the opportunity to learn from UN experts in 1.5 hour webinars as well as virtual guided tours. 

• Real Sessions of the Human Rights Council in live-stream
• Live-Webinars with UN human rights experts
• Virtual Guided Tours through the UN Palace of Nations

ARTICIPANTS

UNITAR welcomes a variety of professional backgrounds as well as different degrees of experience among its participants. The Human Rights Council Training Programme is therefore open to all actors related to international affairs who have a genuine passion for human rights.

Participants can include public sector officials, private sector professionals and representatives from NGOs, think tanks or academia. University students and high school students are equally welcome to apply. 

In order to ensure the highest quality standards, the registration will be closed after 50 participants. Slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. At the end of the programme, all participants will receive an official UNITAR certificate.

REGISTRATION

In order to register, kindly visit the link below. You will be asked to create your own profile on the UNITAR website and will then be guided through the process. Feel free to contact the organiser in case of any questions.  

UNITAR warmly welcomes your participation in the United Nations Human Rights Council Training Programme and looks forward to welcoming you virtually to the Human Rights Council Training Programme this summer! 

Second Edition (14 June 2021 – 2 July 2021): 

Register for the Human Rights Council Online Training Programme

Official website