Human Rights Training in Latin America

In 2017, Edmund Rice International (ERI) held seminars on human rights throughout Latin America. The most recent one was on the Defense and Promotion of Human Rights in Chimbote, Peru in August.

Over 130 people participated in the Human Rights training seminar led by Guillermo Bullrich, ERI Advocacy Coordinator in Latin America. The seminar had three days of workshops attended by teachers; alumni, members of the Judiciary of Chimbote; human rights organisations; organisations for people with disabilities; organisations belonging to the fight for conservation of the environment and others.

Over the three-day course, participants learned about the work of Edmund Rice International, the history and principles of Human Rights, how to apply Human Rights in education and an overview of United Nations mechanisms. The course also covered how to participate in the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of Peru, which took place in Geneva in November. ERI Latin America presented a report on the rights of children and adolescents for this review.

Allison Diaz, a former pupil from Fe y Alegría in Lima, a school connected with the Edmund Rice Mission, came to the seminar and reflected on her experience: “I was impressed to see so many people interested in knowing more about their rights, and to learn how the knowledge gained during the seminar can be put into practice to help people. All this makes me reflect that we are all capable of helping the world to improve, in different ways and in different functions, because not everyone has the same skills, but I do believe that we all have the same desire to want to improve the world."

The course brought together many diverse voices from different parts of civil society to learn and engage in discussions about Human Rights. Lic. María Luisa Galvez Holguin, Member of the Social Justice Commission of the city of Chimbote said: “It is good to know that there are institutions like Edmund Rice International, which can speak for us to the world through international organisations like the UN and not let injustices continue to be committed by ignoring our rights."

Pictured: ERI Advocacy Coordinator in Latin America Guillermo Bullrich presenting at the Human Rights Training in Chimbote, Peru.

(Adapted from Edmund Rice International September Newsletter and the LATAM August Newsletter)