Capacity Building Training Conducted
A training on Human Right and International Human Right Standards training delivered to Haramaya University College of Law Free Legal Aid Service staff from June 20 -23, 2023.
The training was organized by Haramaya University in collaboration with Project Expedite Justice (PEJ).
The main objective of the training is to equip Free Legal Aid Service providing lawyers on the means and methods of fulfilling, respecting and enjoyment of human rights, to contribute to establishing rule of law and strong justice institution work with current international human right standards and to increase capacity to promote and protection of human right.
The training include basic and fundamental human right, the means and methods of fulfilling, respecting and enjoyment of human rights, the means of recording and documenting human right violation, positive action and measure needed to be taken by state and government to strength human right institution.
The relevance and importance of international criminal law, basic principle, source and objective of international criminal law, state responsibility and role of national institution on promoting and respecting international criminal law and international humanitarian law were also the other areas of focus.
On the training Haramaya University College of Law lecturers, free legal aid workers and other relevant stake holders including Ethiopian Human Right Commission’s staff and head of Ethiopian Human Right Commission of Jigjiga Office attended on the training.
On the closing remark, Dr. Yisak Yusuf, Vice President for Community Engagement and Enterprise Development, said that human right abuse is at an alarming stage at global level, particularly in Africa with sporadic conflict here and there. Women and children are the first victim of conflict and in such situation investigators which properly understand the basic principle, procedure and means of analyzing the violation of human right are necessary, he underlined.
Dr. Yisak appreciated legal aid providing lawyers who are serving community by providing effective legal aid advocacy service for the community and also thanked trainers of Project Expedite Justice (PEJ) for sharing their experience and knowledge for the participant by long distance and coming to Haramay University.
Among the trainees, Mr. Remedan Shame, Haramaya University College of Law Free Legal Aid Service Coordinator of Haramaya University, said that the training has a lot of advantage and benefit for the Free Legal Aid Service workers staff. It raises their level of understanding and equip them with sufficient knowledge which help them provide qualified services.
Another trainee, Mr. Mistire Meka, who is working as Haramaya University Free Legal Services Center of West Hararghe Zone High Court, said that the training strengths their understanding on human rights, develop strategies for studying and investigating human rights violations and documentation as well as how to prevent violation of human right and provide justice for human rights violations.
The other trainee legal aid worker of Haramaya University of Midaga Tola Woreda, Merga Mitiku, said that the training is very important and creates great motivation to serve their community with full courage in their human rights and work and requested the University to continue arranging similar training in the future so that they can upgrade their knowledge.
During the end of the training, Haramaya University College of Law Dean, Dr. Richard Wentzell, gave a directions for legal aid staff to ensure access to justice of vulnerable group of community, to work effectively and give qualified advocacy service for the community with commitments and dedications to realize objective of Free Legal Aid Service by respecting and upholding ethics and rule of law.
By፦ Shemsedin Mohammed
Photo፦ Tewodros Lishan
HU-PIRD