About us

Human Rights Defenders School 2019

Human Rights Defenders School (HRD School) is responding to the lack of opportunities for advancing knowledge and practice for youth in the Western Balkans who are passionate about human rights. Such topics are insufficiently included in formal education and at university level across the region. Therefore, it has become crucial to educate the region’s youth about human rights issues, empower them to claim their respect and act in order to build a society based on democratic values for all.

Civil Rights Defenders is organizing an intensive 5-day training event that will take place in Perast, Montenegro from 15-20 July. HRD School 2019 will give young activists the opportunity to learn from experts and gain practical experience on human rights issues impacting the region. It aims to empower current and future human rights defenders (20-30 years old) by sharing experiences and ideas, and improve their efficiency when protecting and promoting human rights in the Western Balkans.

Civil Rights Defenders has extensive international expertise in educating and empowering human rights defenders, which has been adapted and utilized regionally by organizing HRD Schools in Serbia and Albania with a total of around 150 participants over the past five years. The working methodology of the School is highly interactive, practice-based and centred around students. Its curriculum is a balanced combination of theory and practice, including both lectures and workshops delivered by international human rights activists and experts.

  • “Participation on this School was very interesting for me because, as a young lawyer, for sure I will implement the knowledge and experience, which I have been thought, in my future work. One of many advantages of this School was the fact that all participants had opportunity to participate actively.”

    Aleksandar
  • “I have used the opportunity offered and applied for the Human Rights Defenders School hoping this will enrich my knowledge and interests. It meant so much to me as a student that I could attend this school free of charge. I felt wealthy due to the knowledge offered by many experts from the civil sector, and many public authorities organisations who gave us lectures”

    Željka
  • “I am applying the knowledge I have gained in the School in my everyday interaction with people who do not take human rights seriously, since when one has knowledge it is a good foundation to use a myriad of arguments, which as a legal professional I find very important. I will continue to apply the skills and knowledge I gained in the School every day.”

    Sanja

History of Human Rights Defenders School

Civil Rights Defenders has extensive international expertise in educating and empowering human rights defenders, which has been adapted and utilized regionally by organizing national Human Rights Defenders Schools in Serbia and Albania with a total of around 150 participants being educated and provided opportunities to practice among the large network of our partner organizations in the region.

Civil Rights Defenders

Civil Rights Defenders is an international organization dedicated to the protection of human rights and empowerment of human rights defenders in different parts of the world. Extensive experience of the organization in working in the region for almost two decades serves as an added value, considering the in-depth understanding of human rights related issues in a local context.