[Capacity Development] 33rd International Human Rights Training Program by Equitas

[Marko Lovrekovic]

Equitas is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established in 
1967 as the Canadian Human Rights Foundation and is dedicated to the 
promotion of human rights through education in Canada and around the 
world. Through various programs, we help organizations build their 
capacity to engage in human rights education, promotion and democratic 
development. For more information about our activities in Canada, as 
well as in Africa, Asia, the East and North Africa, the Americas and 
Central and Eastern Europe please visit our website at www.equitas.org.

Now in its 33rd year, the International Human Rights Training Program 
(IHRTP) is our core activity, and is funded primarily by CIDA. This 
Program, which is of a participatory nature, brings together human 
rights workers and educators from Canada and around the world. Its goal 
is to increase participants’ knowledge of international human rights, to 
discuss the role of human rights education in building a culture of 
human rights in their country and region, to share strategies and best 
practices and to encourage networking. Participants leave at the end of 
the intensive three-week program with a plan for implementing a human 
rights education activity within their own organization.

Next June, more than 120 participants from approximately 60 countries 
will have an opportunity to explore human rights principles and 
instruments and engage in critical reflection and inquiry. Follow-up 
activities undertaken by past participants include the organization of 
national or regional human rights training sessions based on the IHRTP 
and the development of new programs and long-term partnerships to 
strengthen human rights education and democratic development with 
Equitas and other participating organizations at the national and 
regional levels.

We hereby invite you to share the following link including the 
Application Form with organizations that you know are involved in human 
rights education, or any partners with whom you may already be working, 
and who could benefit from this program. We also appreciate 
recommendations of potential candidates for the program from Canadian 
officials abroad.

http://equitas.org/en/news/latest-news/september-23-2011-application-form-for-the-2012-international-human-rights-training-program-now-available/


We received more than 800 applications for the 2011 IHRTP and it is 
therefore unlikely that we will have enough spaces for all of the 
qualified candidates. The selection process and participant profile we 
are looking for are described in the linked document. The Equitas 
Selection Committee gives priority to the organizations best able to 
demonstrate their commitment and effectiveness in relation to human 
rights promotion and education. Consideration is also given to overall 
gender balance, geographic representation and the availability of bursaries.

Through the support of CIDA, Equitas can award bursaries to help cover 
the participation and travel costs of the Program for a limited number 
of participants. For the 2012 IHRTP, a limited number of bursaries will 
be available for participants from Africa, the Middle-East, Central and 
Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Asia and Latin America. In the light of 
the limited number of bursaries, some Canadian Embassies, High 
Commissions and local CIDA offices have sponsored participants in the 
past and we would like to invite you to do so for this forthcoming 
session. This will not only allow us to invite additional qualified and 
deserving candidates, but will no doubt complement and further 
strengthen some of your relevant ongoing or future activities.

We will also be forwarding you a copy of the evaluation results of the 
2011 IHRTP in the coming weeks. We are confident that the forthcoming 
session of the IHRTP will be another successful one for all involved and 
that our Program will contribute to the building of a global culture of 
human rights and to strengthening democratic development throughout the 
world.

Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to 
contact Mr. Chris Bradley, IHRTP Program Officer at IHRTP-PIFDH at equitas.org

Please note that the deadline for receiving applications is November 
21st, 2011.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Hamilton
Directeur Général / Executive Director
Equitas
Centre international d'éducation aux droits humains /
International Centre for Human Rights Education
666 Sherbrooke ouest, Bureau 1100
Montréal, QC, Canada H3A 1E7
Tel: +1.514.954.0382; Fax: +1.514.954.0659
www.equitas.org