In many parts of the world, human rights are increasingly under threat. The shrinking of civic space, persistent inequalities, gender-based discrimination, and barriers to civic participation limit people’s ability to express themselves, organize, and contribute to decisions that affect their lives. In this context, human rights education plays a vital role in strengthening knowledge of rights, supporting participation, and fostering more inclusive and equitable societies.
It is within this perspective that the international training “Designing and facilitating participatory human rights education training”, organized by Equitas with the support of the Tusonge Community Development Organization, took place from April 20 to 24, 2026, in Arusha, Tanzania.
This training brought together 24 human rights trainers from the Middle East, East Africa, as well as East and South Asia, all committed to promoting human rights, gender equality, and inclusion in their respective contexts.
An approach based on amplifying impact
Rather than directly delivering training, Equitas adopts an approach focused on local capacity building. The objective of this training is to strengthen the skills of trainers who already have experience facilitating training sessions, thereby increasing their confidence and ability to design and lead human rights training in their communities.
This approach enables us to:
- Strengthen the local roots of human rights education practices
- Support initiatives tailored to the cultural and social realities of communities
- Multiply the impact of training through networks of trained educators
Build skill to transform practices
Over five days, participants worked on designing and facilitating human rights training sessions, with a particular focus on:
- Active learner participation
- Gender inclusion and gender equality
- Co-construction of knowledge
- Power dynamics within groups and their impact on participation
- Developing practical facilitation skills
The training adopted a highly participatory approach, reflecting the very principles of human rights education promoted by Equitas.
An experiential and collaborative pedagogy
The methodology is based on:
- Learning by doing
- Exchange among peers from diverse backgrounds
- Critical reflection on facilitation practices
- Experimentation with participatory training techniques
Participants are invited to put their learning into practice by facilitating activities and developing a concrete plan to apply these skills within their own organizations.
A global network of human rights educators
By strengthening the skills of trainers, this initiative contributes to the creation of a global network of human rights educators capable of promoting societies that are more inclusive, egalitarian, and respectful of fundamental rights.
This training is part of the Power of Equality project, an international initiative implemented in partnership with Women’s Empowerment Link (Kenya), Tusonge Community Development Organization (Tanzania), the Burkinabè Movement for Human and Peoples’ Rights – MBDHP (Burkina Faso), and Equitas, with support from Global Affairs Canada.
