The call for applicants for HRDAP 2016 is now closed.

The training will take place between 8 and 22 June 2016 and provides defenders with opportunities to put their advocacy skills directly into action at the 32nd session of the UN Human Rights Council and the 23rd Annual Meeting of UN Special Procedures.

ISHR's Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme (HRDAP) equips defenders with the knowledge and skills to make strategic use of the international human rights system. It also provides an opportunity for participants to directly engage in lobbying and advocacy activities at the UN level to effect change on the ground back home.

As well as receiving training modules on all the UN human rights mechanisms from a range of experts, participants will also have the opportunity to build networks in Geneva and around the world, carry out lobbying of UN member States and UN staff, and learn from peers from a range of regions working on a range of human rights issues.

At the end of last year's training, all participants were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the overall programme, whilst 53 per cent of participants felt they had fully met their prime advocacy objective and another 47 per cent felt it had been met at least partially. ISHR will look to build upon this success this year.

Participants will take part in:

1) A short online learning component, prior to face-to-face training, to enable you to consolidate your existing knowledge and develop your advocacy objectives;

2) Intensive training in Geneva during June, to coincide with the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council. The training will focus on ways to effectively use international human rights mechanisms and to influence outcomes;

3) Specific advocacy at Human Rights Council sessions and other relevant meetings, with regular feedback and peer education to learn from the experiences, including expert input from leading human rights advocates.

This programme is directed at experienced human rights defenders in non governmental organisations and national human rights institutions, with existing advocacy experience at the national level and some prior knowledge of the international human rights system.

If you are interested in applying for ISHR's 2017 training programme, please check the events page at ishr.ch in early 2017.