Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Rights of the Disabled
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5.6 In the year 2003 the NHRC launched a project in partnership with the Canadian Human
Rights Commission (CHRC), which possesses vast experience in the protection and promotion
of the rights of persons with disabilities in Canada, and the Indira Gandhi National Open University
(IGNOU), the leading distance education provider in India.
5.7 The overarching aim of the NHRC-CHRC-IGNOU Linkage Project was to increase the
capabilities and strengths of both the Commissions and their associated partners to cooperatively
address major human rights issues in relation to persons with disabilities. To realize this
encompassing objective, a programme to improve technical capabilities and awareness of the
NHRC staff, legal practitioners, and disability and human rights advocates was undertaken.
5.8 A key component of the project was the ‘Training of Trainers Programme’, which has
prepared a small cadre of human rights trainers in disability who are capable of serving
formal and non-formal programmes of legal studies. The Programme was offered in four
phases during 2004-2005. Phase I included face-to-face training in a participatory mode,
which was conducted at National Law School of India University, Bangalore from 5 th to
10th July 2004.
5.9 In Phase II the participants undertook individual studies using desk research and field
investigations. Phase III included a national seminar in which participants shared findings
of their studies. This seminar was convened at NALSAR University of Law at Hyderabad
from 28 th October to 30 th November, 2004. In Phase IV, the participants facilitated five
training workshops for a group of law faculties, and disability rights and human rights
advocates.
5.10 Between January and March 2005, these master trainers facilitated five outreach-training
workshops for the members of law faculties from more than fifty universities and a number of
disability and human rights advocates. In order to sustain the momentum on human rights
education and awareness in the programmes of legal studies these workshops were also organized
in the premises of leading law schools and universities. The schedule of the workshops is outlined
in the following table:
National Human Rights Commission Annual Report - 2004-2005
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