Comprehensive Report on Human Rights Defenders’ Training Programme

Comprehensive Report on Human Rights Defenders’ Training Programme

Strengthening Human Rights Protection through Constitutional, SDG, and UN Frameworks

Organized by:
People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR)

Supported by:
Gwangju Human Rights Peace Foundation (GHRPF)

Duration:
9 December – 12 December 2025

Location:
PVCHR office, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

1. Introduction and Rationale

The four-day Human Rights Defenders’ Training Programme was organized by PVCHR to strengthen the capacity, safety, and effectiveness of human rights defenders working at the grassroots level. The programme brought together social activists, community leaders, and human rights practitioners to collectively address challenges such as repression, institutional barriers, communication gaps, and threats faced while defending human rights.

The training was firmly grounded in:

  • The Constitution of India,

  • The United Nations human rights framework, and

  • The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

recognizing that human rights defenders are essential actors in achieving constitutional justice, global development goals, and international human rights obligations.

2. Constitutional and Legal Framework

The programme reaffirmed that the work of human rights defenders is protected and legitimized by the Constitution of India, particularly:

  • Article 14 – Equality before law and equal protection of laws

  • Article 19(1)(a), (b), (c) – Freedom of expression, assembly, and association

  • Article 21 – Right to life with dignity

  • Article 38 & 39 – Social justice and protection of vulnerable groups

  • Article 51(c) – Respect for international law and treaty obligations

By strengthening defenders’ knowledge and skills, the programme contributed directly to the constitutional vision of a just, inclusive, and democratic society.

3. Alignment with International UN Standards

The training programme was aligned with key international human rights instruments, including:

  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948) – Articles 1, 3, 19, and 21

  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)

  • International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)

  • UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (1998) – particularly Articles 1, 5, and 12

The programme emphasized that human rights defenders have the right to promote and protect human rights, and States have a duty to ensure their safety, protection, and enabling environment.

4. Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The training directly supported the achievement of the following SDGs:

  • SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
    (Safe motherhood, nutrition, mental well-being)

  • SDG 4 – Quality Education
    (Capacity building and rights awareness)

  • SDG 5 – Gender Equality
    (Women’s rights, safe motherhood, child protection)

  • SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
    (Focus on marginalized communities)

  • SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    (Human rights protection, legal accountability, civic participation)

  • SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
    (International solidarity through GHRPF support)

5. Programme Objectives

The key objectives of the training were:

  • To strengthen the institutional and individual capacity of human rights defenders

  • To enhance defenders’ safety, communication, and advocacy skills

  • To promote trauma-informed, survivor-centric human rights work

  • To align grassroots activism with constitutional values and global human rights norms

6. Day-wise Programme Highlights

9 December 2025 – Human Rights Defenders’ Day

On the occasion of Human Rights Defenders’ Day, PVCHR produced and disseminated a digital advocacy video highlighting the importance of protecting defenders and safeguarding democratic spaces. Group discussions focused on attacks against activists, journalists, and community leaders, enabling participants to share field experiences and collective strategies for resilience. Link: https://pvchr.blogspot.com/2025/12/pvchr-proclaims-human-rights-defenders.html

10 December 2025 – International Human Rights Day

Commemorating International Human Rights Day, the programme held extensive discussions on institutional accountability and organizational governance. A management meeting reviewed PVCHR’s manuals, FCRA compliance processes, reporting responsibilities, and strategic planning—reinforcing SDG 16 (Strong Institutions) and constitutional accountability.

11 December 2025 – Institutional Orientation and Survivor-Centric Tools

Participants received in-depth orientation on PVCHR’s history, ideology, and long-standing struggles for justice. Sessions included:

  • Testimony Therapy

  • Victim documentation and monitoring

  • Bonded labour eradication

  • Education and artisan empowerment

Special emphasis was placed on the ASO (Assessment of Survivor Outcomes) Tool, which integrates trauma-informed principles, safety, legal protection, mental health, and economic empowerment—reflecting UN standards on survivor dignity and rehabilitation.

12 December 2025 – Effective Public Speaking and Advocacy

The final day focused on Effective Public Speaking, leadership, and storytelling as tools for rights advocacy. Participants practiced communicating complex social issues—such as malnutrition, safe motherhood, cyber crime, and child rights—through banners, PPTs, and community-focused presentations.

This participatory approach enhanced defenders’ confidence and ability to engage communities, policymakers, and institutions.

7. Participatory Methodology

The programme adopted a participatory and rights-based approach, including:

  • Group discussions

  • Worksheets and case studies

  • Storytelling and survivor narratives

  • Role play (anchoring, key speaker, facilitation)

This methodology ensured learning was experiential, inclusive, and grounded in real-world human rights challenges.



8. Key Learnings and Outcomes

Key learnings included:

  • Human rights advocacy is rooted in dialogue, not mere speech

  • Storytelling strengthens rights-based communication

  • Understanding the audience is essential for effective advocacy

  • Fear and trauma can be addressed through collective learning

  • Teamwork enhances impact and sustainability

Participants reported increased confidence and readiness to engage effectively in community forums, public meetings, and institutional advocacy.

9. Conclusion

The Human Rights Defenders’ Training Programme significantly strengthened the capacity, resilience, and effectiveness of grassroots defenders. By integrating constitutional values, UN human rights standards, and SDG commitments, the programme reinforced the central role of human rights defenders in advancing justice, dignity, equality, and democratic accountability.

The support of the Gwangju Human Rights Peace Foundation exemplifies meaningful international solidarity and partnership in the global struggle for human rights.

The presentation by Mr. Aditya Mishra and Ms. Khushi Yadav, students of BA LLB and PVCHR volunteers  set collectively communicates a strong rights-based institutional identity, a clear moral compass, and a survivor-centered operational philosophy. Together, they successfully position PVCHR and Jan Mitra Nyas (JMN) as:

  • A movement-based human rights institution, not merely a project NGO

  • Deeply rooted in constitutional values, anti-caste struggle, and non-violence

  • Practitioners of evidence-based, survivor-centered, and policy-linked interventions

The three presentations complement each other well:

  • JMN Overview → Institutional legitimacy & governance

  • PVCHR–JMN Strategic Deck → Vision, impact, and movement history

  • ASO Survivor Tool → Methodological rigor & ethical practice

Together, they form a complete narrative arc: values → action → measurement .

2. Analysis of Presentation 1: About Jan Mitra Nyas (JMN)

Strengths

  • Clearly establishes JMN’s role as the governance and program backbone of PVCHR

  • Strong historical grounding (1999–present) reinforces credibility and continuity

  • Explicit commitment to Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, women, children, artisans, and survivors shows intersectional understanding

  • Well-articulated pillars:

    • Education

    • Legal aid

    • Rehabilitation

    • Community development

    • Leadership building

Narrative Impact

  • The framing of JMN as ensuring transparent governance and national–international linkage is effective for donors and regulators

  • Inspirational references to Ambedkar and Gandhi strengthen ethical legitimacy

Gaps / Areas for Improvement

  • Limited quantitative outcomes (numbers, scale, trends)

  • Impact appears values-driven but could be strengthened with evidence snapshots

Recommendation

Add a 1-slide impact snapshot (e.g., beneficiaries reached, cases supported, years of engagement) to complement the strong narrative foundation.

Link of presentation: https://www.scribd.com/presentation/972701086/Jan-Mitra-Nyas-JMN-Strengthening-Rights-Based-Governance-for-Dignity-and-Justice-in-India

3. Analysis of Presentation 2: PVCHR & JMN – Strategic and Movement Narrative

Strengths

  • The slogan “Turning dots into lines” powerfully communicates systemic change

  • Leadership visibility (Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi & Shruti Nagvanshi) is a major asset

  • Clear articulation of:

    • Challenges addressed

    • Strategic approaches

    • Geographical reach

    • Programmatic pillars

  • Strong policy credibility:

    • People’s SAARC (2005)

    • Banaras Conventions

    • Madrasa mainstreaming

    • FOPL campaign

    • Neo-Dalit movement

Narrative Impact

  • Successfully frames PVCHR–JMN as a movement builder, not a service provider

  • Connects practice to policy, which is rare and valuable

  • SDG alignment slide strengthens international relevance

Gaps / Risks

  • Dense content may overwhelm first-time audiences

  • Some slides rely heavily on slogans without brief explanation

Recommendation

  • Introduce visual storytelling (timeline, before/after, policy-to-impact flow)

  • Add a “Why now?” slide to anchor urgency in current socio-political realities

4. Analysis of Presentation 3: ASO Survivor Tool – Training Program

Strengths

This is the strongest technical presentation in the set.

  • Clearly explains why measurement matters:

    “Recovery is invisible unless it is measured.”

  • Trauma-informed framing is ethically sound and globally aligned

  • Six domains (Safety, Legal Protection, Mental Wellbeing, Economic Empowerment, Social Support, Physical Wellbeing) reflect holistic healing

  • Inclusion of:

    • Case study

    • Survivor journey map

    • Ethical guidelines
      shows methodological maturity

Narrative Impact

  • Positions PVCHR as a learning organization

  • Aligns strongly with:

    • UN survivor-centered standards

    • Donor accountability expectations

    • Rights-based M&E frameworks

Gaps

  • Tool origin and global usage could be highlighted more explicitly

  • Need clearer linkage between ASO data → program improvement → policy advocacy

Recommendation

Add one slide titled:
“How ASO Data Strengthens Justice, Programs, and Policy”

Link for presentation: https://www.scribd.com/presentation/972701079/Measuring-Healing-and-Empowerment-A-Survivor-Centered-Framework-for-Justice-and-Accountability-ASO-Tool

5. Cross-Cutting Strengths Across All Presentations

  • Strong ethical coherence

  • Consistent language of dignity, justice, and empowerment

  • Clear resistance to charity-based framing

  • Emphasis on agency of survivors, not victimhood

  • Implicit alignment with:

    • Article 14, 19, 21 of Indian Constitution

    • SDG 5, 10, 16

    • UN Human Rights Defender framework

6. Strategic Gaps (Across Decks)

  1. Audience differentiation

    • Same content may not suit donors, communities, and policymakers equally

  2. Data–story balance

    • Stories are strong; selective data would enhance credibility

  3. Call-to-action clarity

    • “Join us” is present, but specific asks could be sharper (fund, partner, advocate, volunteer)

7. Strategic Recommendations (Actionable)

  1. Create three versions of the deck:

    • Donor-focused

    • Training/internal

    • Policy/advocacy

  2. Add a 1-page executive summary slide at the beginning

  3. Introduce a Theory of Change visual linking:

    • Survivor work → Community change → Policy reform

  4. Explicitly connect ASO outcomes to:

    • NHRC / SLSA engagement

    • SDG reporting

    • Global advocacy spaces

8. Overall Assessment

Overall Quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (Very Strong)
Ethical Integrity: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Movement Narrative: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Technical Rigor (ASO): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Final Analytical Conclusion

These presentations collectively demonstrate that PVCHR–JMN is not merely responding to injustice but systematically transforming how justice is imagined, practiced, and measured. With minor refinements in structure, data visualization, and audience targeting, the presentations can function as top-tier national and international advocacy tools.

From 9 to 12 December 2025, the programme witnessed active and diverse participation across all four days. On 9 December 2025, a total of 11 participants attended the programme, comprising 4 women and 7 men. Participation increased on 10 December 2025, with 13 participants, including 9 women and 4 men. The highest attendance was recorded on 11 December 2025, when 25 participants took part, consisting of 4 women and 21 men. On the final day, 12 December 2025, the programme was attended by 23 participants, including 7 women and 16 men. Overall, the attendance reflects sustained engagement and consistent participation throughout the programme period. Please witness photos as follows: 














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