We are here! JHREP initiative has been officially launched

Barbara SANTIBANEZ - Board Member of HREYN at the launching of JHREP in Turin.

We are about to start a new decade (yes, we are just days away from 2020!) and as HREYN we are proud and loud to announce that the Joint Human Rights Education Programme (JHREP) is finally a reality!

After signing an Memorandum of Understanding with Amnesty International Italy and CIFA Onlus (an Italian NGO) last January, the validation of the JHREP initiative came through involving further partners in the endeavour – the City of Turin and the Global Campaign for Education – Italia (GCE). And so, during a press conference in the Municipality of Turin on December 9, JHREP was officially presented to the world!

Conceived as a partnership to create an international training programme for educators, trainers, youth workers, teachers, and human rights defenders, JHREP has established as its mission developing research, capacity building, high level meetings, and trainings as a joint platform for practices, mutual learning, and advocacy for human rights education in the Euro-Mediterranean Area. 

As part of our Strategy for the 2019 – 2024 period, promoting and advocating human rights education and pursuing excellence of the human rights education practice are two key Strategic Aims. Hence, contributing to the design and implementation of JHREP falls into place as a concrete initiative that will help us achieve the objectives we have set – such as advocating the policy transfer to the regional and local levels and supporting the growth of individuals and exchange of practices on human rights education, among others. 

The different actors involved in JHREP will bring their experiences and resources for the success of the initiative. HREYN, as an international network in the HRE field, will help to put in place an international training centre for youth trainers, youth workers, and young people, as well as help set the quality standards required for the success of the programme. Amnesty International Italy will help strengthen the delivery of HRE programmes for activists, professionals, human rights defenders, and young people in Italy and abroad. CIFA Onlus will provide a window of opportunity to implement educational programmes for social workers, psychologists, and families on children’s rights, anti-hate strategies, and environmental issues. GCE Italia will seek to promote the use of HRE textbooks in Italy as an external partner of JHREP.

Undoubtedly, the support of the City of Turin is paramount as they have declared Turin “City of Rights”. In doing so, they have officially recognised JHREP as a key initiative that will benefit from support in terms of infrastructure (e.g. with the Open 011 centre) and of networking as part of the Intercultural Cities Network and as a host city for the Human Rights Defenders Shelter Programme.

We are happy to have taken this step forward, and we invite you to stay tuned for future updates on this initiative