Human Rights Defenders

To contribute to increased capacities of Afghan human rights defenders and civil society to work for human rights, gender equality and inclusive governance in Afghanistan, including through engagement with UN mechanisms, the programme will offer open online modules and organise related blended learning courses for selected groups of Afghan HRDs. Course topics will focus on international standards for documentation of human rights violations, including in relation to cooperating with UN mechanisms. As of 2025, modules are expected to be provided also in Dari and Pashto.

When ready, the modules will be published here.

This blended learning course is designed for Afghan civil society organizations (CSOs) already engaged in documenting human rights violations in Afghanistan. The course focuses on enhancing participants’ knowledge of international standards and improving practical skills in documenting such violations. It aims to help CSOs ensure that their documentation efforts meet the standards needed for prosecution, advocacy, memorials, and international accountability.

This course is part of the RWI-Afghanistan program and is offered in cooperation with the Afghanistan Human Rights Coordination Mechanism (AHRCM) and its Documentation Working Group (DWG). The course builds on findings from roundtables with Afghan CSOs, which emphasized the need for collaboration, capacity-building in cybersecurity, and security of archives, as well as bridging organizations in Afghanistan and the diaspora.

The course also includes a strong peer-exchange component, involving experts from the AHRCM working group. An action plan component will support CSOs in developing joint proposals for fund-raising, another key priority identified during the roundtables.

The programme is financially supported by: