06/32 Regional Training Courses on Human Rights in the MENA-region: Sida Support to Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Description:
Sida has provided support to the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) for their Asia Programme since the 1990's. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) component, The Development of Regional Training Activity - Promotion of Human Rights in the Middle East, was included in the programme proposal for the latest Asia Programme, covering the period September 2003 - December 2006. RWI's training programme is unique in the MENA-region, with its comprehensive approach of focusing on both international human rights standards and women rights in particular, and with the regional dimension.The evaluation concludes that the overall objective of the programme, "to contribute to the strengthening of human rights protection, by enhanced awareness of applicable international human rights standards among relevant stakeholders working with the protection of human rights", has been achieved as a result of the implementation of the planned activities. The overall content of the training programme is considered to be relevant and it has been managed well and organized and implemented in an efficient way. The MENA Regional Training Programme has also contributed to improving both the knowledge and skills of participants as well as to a more limited extent the capacity within the organisations they represent. But, the results obtained from the programme will not be sustainable in its current form beyond the benefits to the individual participants, and the limited impact on their respective organisations and institutions.