The Raoul Wallenberg Institute is holding a last meeting in Bangkok next week to gather participants from courses it held from 2011 to 2014 on the equal status and human rights of women in Southeast Asia.
The Institute organised the four annual courses, “Equal Status and Human Rights of Women in Southeast Asia,” for staff of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and academic institutions in Southeast Asia and Afghanistan.
Helena Olsson, Programme Officer at RWI, what are your reflections as you are about to head to Bangkok for this last meeting where you gather participants from all of the four courses.
I’ve really enjoyed working with this course. What I’ve found most appealing is the commitment and power of human rights professionals around Asia. It really makes you hopeful. The fact that we get to follow the participants and their institutions over a longer period of time, through our blended learning programmes, adds to this hopeful feeling, as we literally see things progress.
What results have you seen so far?
There are inspiring results from these courses, in the sense of very concrete but also sustainable initiatives – people and stories that really stick with you.
The participant that addressed violence against women with a whole military battalion, the strength and courage of the women working in conflict ridden societies with very traditional roles for women, teachers who dare to raise sensitive issues and stand up for those without a voice, the young man who himself organised a regional network that addresses gender related human rights violations. I could go on.
We hope, and already see evidence, that our contributions also make a difference in the longer term, and for the capacities not only of individuals but of the institutions our participants have represented.
