Training in Dohuk on Strengthening Human Rights Monitoring and Documentation Skills

The 24-26 April training course, entitled “Strengthening Human Rights Monitoring and Documentation Skills”, is part of a series of activities that the Human Rights Office is providing in order to support national institutions and civil society actors in protecting, promoting, and fulfilling human rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

The training course focused on deepening participants’ understanding of key principles and legal frameworks, such as the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement as well as on sharpening core skills, including fact-finding missions, interviewing, and report-writing skills. Sessions were provided by United Nations human rights professionals, as well as three members of IBHR, two of whom had benefited from earlier training of trainers provided by UNAMI Human Rights Office.

Participants noted the benefit of concentrating on key human rights competencies. Mr. Diler Hassan, Head of the IBHR Dohuk Office, stated that the training was “important because monitoring and documentation are fundamental tasks of human rights institutions”. Mr. Hassan called on UNAMI to provide additional training in Dohuk Governorate.

Mr. Ayad Vian from Mitra, a non-governmental organization, noted the variety of topics covered in the session, including technical human rights issues and legal principles. He commented that in his view it increases participants’ ability to work more actively and professionally. Similarly, Mr. Sabah Ali Babery, a member of the Human Rights Committee of the Dohuk Provincial Council, said the training course was valuable and useful for future interaction with interlocutors on human rights issues.