Advocacy in action!

Learn from our collected experiences at UPR Info and feedback from the CSOs & NHRI we've engaged with over the last three UPR cycles

As with any other human rights mechanism, in order to maximize the impact of report submissions, CSOs and NHRI can utilize the modalities of the UPR to advocate through its full cycle (4.5 years) to improve the human rights situation on the ground. This course will explore various tactics that CSOs and NHRI can utilize to conduct advocacy actions, exploring the different entry points, providing best practices, and inspiring actions that can be adopted at national and international levels of advocacy.

What you will learn

Master the UPR process and amplify your voice.

  • The key entry points for advocacy

    Learn about the key entry points for advocacy available throughout the entire UPR cycle.

  • Optimise opportunities for advocacy

    Learn how to best optimize the opportunities presented to civil society organizations (CSO) and National Human Rights Institutes (NHRI) to maximize the impact of the UPR.

  • Keep the UPR alive with an advocacy plan

    Gain vital knowledge on how to create a clear plan of conducting optimum advocacy actions that keep the UPR active and effective throughout the full cycle.

Basic Tranversals: the Course curriculum

  1. 1

    • 0.01 Welcome and introduction

    • 0.02 [Short video series] About the UPR Info eHub eLearning platform

    • 0.03 [Reading] Online engagement guidelines

    • 0.04 Media and content: A mix of video, text and activities

    • 0.05 Survey: Checking in for the first time

    • 0.06 Reach out for technical help
  2. 2

    • 0.07 Need course-related help?

    • 0.08 Course overview and objectives

    • 0.09 Meet your peers online in our course discussion forums
  3. 3

    • 00 Overview of Chapter 01

    • 00 General course introduction

    • 1.6.3 Developing a National Action Plan [Downloadable]
  4. 4

    • 1.04 Reprisals [Downloadable PDF resource]

    • 10.02 Online Discussion - The importance of your role in the UPR process.

Testimonials

Read what others had to say about our coaching and training:

CSO & CNDH contributions count!

Sandra, WILPF RDC

The workshop for CSOs and the CNDH demonstrated that civil society can also contribute to the implementation of the recommendations and play an active role, whereas before, we only focused on monitoring government actions without directly intervening in the implementation. I realized that daily activities of my organization can actually contribute to the implementation of the UPR recommendations.

Valuable when talking to parliamentarians [CSO]

Jemima Mbuyi

I find it important, as a civil society, to go and talk to parliamentarians in the context of the implementation of the UPR, especially in terms of advocating for the adoption of a law or an amendment to the law.

Workshop was very useful!

Mr. Mohammed Al-Helou, Director of the ESC Rights Department, The National Centre for Human Rights

The workshop was very useful in determining which entity is primarily responsible to take action in order to implement UPR recommendations. The NHRI is of course directly involved in the monitoring of the implementation of UPR recommendations and this workshop strengthened our role in the oversight of the implementation of UPR recommendations.
Watch Intro Video

How we deliver training

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Meet your Course facilitators

Find out more about our talented team of professional trainers

Tenar Lorente

Programme Officer

Working for seven years in human rights from several stakeholders’ perspectives has given Tenar a sound perspective of the mechanism and understanding of the complexity of each actor’s role. Tenar specializes in training, sharing tools, and good practices, offering her guidance to those who want to improve their local situations by operationalizing the mechanism. A very dynamic person, she likes to interact with people all over through diverse training and tailored capacity-building, especially in Africa and Asia. Coming from Spain, Tenar loves and practices ballet and acrobatics since she was three years old, and now competes at national level in her free time. She also speaks Spanish, English, French and is currently learning Arabic.

Nicoletta Zapile

Programme Manager

Nicoletta has almost ten years of experience working in human rights NGOs. Passionate about human rights, being an activist herself for women’s rights, she is responsible for facilitating the engagement of different actors, including CSOs, NHRI, parliamentarians, and media, in the UPR. At work, she likes to organize capacity-building activities for young human rights defenders and students. Nicoletta comes from Naples, a beautiful city in the South of Italy, and supports the local football team. She loves theatre and in the last five years, she has been performing as an amatorial theatre actress in Geneva.

Laura Sinner

Project officer (UPR In-Country Programme)

Laura has four years of experience working in research on economic and social rights, as well as international human rights mechanisms. Laura specializes in human rights implementation, reporting, and follow-up tools in the framework of the UPR for several stakeholders, including governments, national human rights institutions, parliamentarians, and civil society organizations. What she loves about training is to learn from participants’ experiences in their country concerning the UPR human rights commitments as well as providing stakeholders a space to exchange good practices. As a trainer, she is dedicated to providing learners with the technical tools that they need to achieve their human rights goals. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, reading history books, and coming from the mountains of Switzerland, she enjoys taking long walks in the forest with her husband.

Nargiz Arupova

Programme Manager

Nargiz has eight years of experience working in non-profit organizations. Nargiz specializes in the rule of law, national human rights institutions, parliamentary oversight, and human rights. Her high work ethic and passion for human rights led her to work in this field. She is responsible for running an operational programme in Africa and Asia through building capacities of national stakeholders on utilizing the UPR as a vehicle to improve the human rights situation in their country. She loves to conduct training and exchange with participants. Nargiz gets her energy from her husband and three-year-old son. In her free time, she enjoys reading, sewing, and playing tennis

João Rebelo

Program Officer in the Policy and Advocacy UPR Info team

João has acquired a rich background in different areas of international relations working for the private and public sectors. His multicultural life path has led him to work in many different countries, which gives him an open-mindedness to adapt easily to different situations. His determined personality, his ability to listen to others, and his positive attitude will help you to succeed in your training path. In his free time, João plays soccer in an amateur team and enjoys hanging out with his friends.

Ashleigh Shields

Programme Manager of the Policy and Advocacy Programme

With over 10 years of experience supporting stakeholder engagement in UN human rights mechanisms, she began her career working with governments to implement policy priorities in multilateral fora. Her leadership, dynamism and commitment to civil society participation make the Pre-sessions a privileged place of advocacy and she expects this online platform to add a critical new dimension to lobbying for these important stakeholders. Ashleigh has been living in Switzerland since 2011. True to her Canadian roots, she loves winter and is an avid skier.

Bonus material

Included in this course is a variety of useful, professional resources to assist you when planning for, and engaging in, the UPR process.

  • Access to the UPR Library of Resources

    As part of your learning journey, you have access to our rich variety of library content - relevant videos, articles, downloadable PDFs, links, podcasts and more!

FAQ

  • How long does the course take to complete?

    On average, it is estimated that the course takes approximately 7 hours of e-learning to fully complete. Nonetheless, each trainer will provide you with a more concrete time framework so you can organize your time.

  • Can we join as a group of learners from our organisation?

    Everyone will create their own account, regardless of the organization. This will ensure that each participant can receive a certificate of completion at the end of each course.

  • What happens if I miss a live session?

    These sessions are developed as a way to address group questions and ensure that participants can engage with each other and the trainers. If you miss a session, you can always send a message to your trainer with your questions if they’re not already resolved in the discussion board, or wait for the next opportunity to meet with them. There will be plenty! Some sessions might be recorded under prior approval from the participants.

  • Does our facilitator mark or grade our assignment or discussion activitues?

    No. Our intention is that you can understand and use the information in your daily work. Assignments and discussion boards are guiding tools for your inner thought process, as each answer depends and varies on individual participants’ context, there are no right or wrong answers.

  • Do I earn anything formal, like a certification, doing this course?

    Yes, by the end of this course you will receive an automated Certificate of Completion that stipulates your number of learning hours.

  • How long do I have access to the course materials after completing the course?

    To be confirmed. Please check with your trainer.

  • What happens if I don't have a stable internet connection? Will I still be able to participate in this course?

    Yes! All material has been prepared so that anyone can access it from anywhere and download the lessons. If you still have problems or questions you can consult the section “Before you get started”. More information about the course can be found in the section “Before you get started”.

  • If I have a question about the course and need an answer from the trainer, how long would it take?

    After your trainer has received your question, it would normally answer within 48 hours maximum.

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