Human and Civil Rights
(February 23 - March 7, 2003)
by Atty. Mary Catherine Alvarez
 |
|
Atty. Mary Catherine
Alvarez |
The invitation to participate in the IAF Human
and Civil Rights Seminar organized by the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung
and to be held in Gummersbach, Germany on February 23 to March
7, 2003 came as a pleasant surprise. Having worked for an NGO
for one year, I thought I already had a pretty good grasp of human
rights concepts and issues and welcomed the opportunity to learn
more. I did learn more, in fact, much more than I expected
to learn.
This report will focus first on the seminar’s
content; secondly, on the methodologies used; and finally, and
most importantly, on the lessons learned.
The Seminar
The seminar’s content can generally be divided
into the following main topics: Human Rights from a Liberal Perspective;
Liberalism and the Universality of Human Rights; Rights, Society
and the Economy; Major Current Human Rights Issues; and, Effective
Promotion of Human Rights.
In Human Rights from a Liberal Perspective,
we began with a working group discussion and presentation of the
human rights problems and the political environment in the regions
the participants came from. This activity proved to be very enlightening
as we found out that the political and human rights situation
and problems in other countries/regions, although varied, also
had many similarities. We then proceeded to discuss the
concept of liberalism and what liberalism meant for each of the
participants. This activity laid the foundation on the discussion
of human and civil rights from a liberal perspective, which was
to be framework for the entire seminar.
Having laid the framework from which the entire
seminar was to be conducted, we proceeded to Liberalism and the
Universality of Human Rights by having a working group discussion
on human rights instruments in international law, which consisted
of regional instruments (e.g. ) and the International Bill of
Rights. We then continued by discussing the relation between liberalism
and human rights. This was followed by a lecture on the three
generations of rights and finally another working group discussion
on the universality of human rights.
We then proceeded to discuss Rights, Society
and the Economy by focusing on the topic of networking. The method
of networking was introduced by a facilitator before we had a
working group session on networking human rights, economic and
social concerns. This was followed by another working group
session aimed at answering the question, “Does observance of human
rights impede or promote development?”. We then had a plenary
session on the right to property as a central liberal concern.
The discussion on Major Current Human Rights
Issues for Liberals was began by a working group session on Rights
and Anti-Discrimination. This was followed by a video presentation
of the massive human rights violation that happened in Rwanda.
After the video was shown, we discussed the topic of the film
and underlying issues as well as how the international community
should react to such a massive violation of human rights.
The Excursion
We then had a four-day excursion to the
cities of Magdeburg and Berlin. The excursion began with a visit
to the former concentration camp Mittelbau-Dora in Nordhausen.
There we went on a guided tour which included going to the camp’s
museum, the crematorium, and the underground tunnel. From
Nordhausen, we proceeded to Magdeburg which we was to be the base
for our excursions. The following day, we had a day trip
to Berlin where we spent the morning on a guided tour of the dome
at the Reichstag (Parliament), then proceeded to the Berlin Wall
Commemoration Site and Documentation Center where we had a guided
tour of a portion of what used to be the Wall that divided East
and West Berlin.
The following day we went to the Commission
for the Affairs of Foreigners of the Government of the State of
Saxony-Anhalt, where the Commissioner discussed the situation
and integration of foreigners in the state and in the city of
Magdeburg. We then proceeded to the Citizens Committee and
Federal Commissioner for the Documents of the State Security Service
of the Former German Democratic Republic (the Stazi). This was
followed by the Chief of Police for Saxony-Anhalt who discussed
the changes in police work before and after the German re-unification.
Finally, we went to the Chamber of Handicrafts where the role
and relevance of trade in the area of Magdeburg was discussed.
Upon our return to Gummersbach, we started
preparations for a general debate on how far governments can go
in protecting national security and law and order. The participants
were divided into countries with security and law and order problems
and those that do not. Then the arguments were assessed from a
liberal perspective.
We then proceeded to the topic of Effective
Promotion of Human Rights (Campaigning and Negotiating) which
was begun with a working group session on Human Rights education.
This was followed by a panel discussion on the work of NGOs in
the promotion of human rights, where some of us who are involved
in NGOs were given some time to discuss the nature of our NGOs’
work.
The Seminar Process
Working Groups
Although dividing into working groups is not
a novelty for me, this was the first time that I participated
in working groups composed of people from very different cultural
backgrounds and experiences. I found this method to be very
effective, not just in answering the questions or discussing the
topics in the seminar but also in teaching us to be open-minded
and tolerant of the views of others. I commend the IAF for using
this methodology and not just the usual lecture method because
it really allowed us to hear the views and experiences of the
other participants who have different perspectives and experiences
in their own countries.
Lectures
The lectures were indeed quite basic, as I
was told it would be. However, the facilitators obviously put
in much time in studying their topics and are experts in their
fields, thus making the lectures enriching. Although there were
moments when the discussions strayed from the topics at hand and
got emotional, it just added to the value of the experience.
Excursion
The excursion was a good way to teach us about
German politics and society before and after unification. However,
there were some topics that we found to be frivolous and not very
relevant to the seminar, and we said so at the evaluation.
Participants
The participants were very open and willing
to discuss their own unique experiences. They were also very tolerant
of each others’ sometimes very different views. The discussions
were always animated and enlightening. Although there were
moments when the discussions were becoming heated and the tolerance
level was becoming low, the participants still managed to rise
above it and still treated each other with respect.
Facilitators
The facilitators, Drs. Jorgo Chatzimarkakis
and Eniko Gal, as I have already previously mentioned, are
obviously well-studied experts in their fields and were major
factors in making the seminar successful. They were not merely
lecturers and facilitators, they joined us in our after-hours
fun and were always approachable and friendly. Although
there were times when they seemed to have allowed the discussion
to stray from the topics, they still managed to make the over-all
experience of the seminar enlightening and enriching.
Learnings
When I was a first year college student of
Political Science, we were asked by our professor to describe
our ideology. I classified myself as a Neo-Liberal, finding
it to be the closest to how I saw myself. As a sixteen year
old college student, I did not really fully understand what Liberalism
meant yet neoliberalism was what I identified with. During this
seminar, I found myself learning about ideologies again. The concept
of liberalism was explained, the principles of rule of law
and equal opportunity were thoroughly discussed not just by the
facilitators but by the participants as well. More importantly,
I learned that no matter what our individual circumstances are
or where we came from, as human beings, we all deserve to be treated
with dignity and respect. This was evident in how the participants
and facilitators were very respectful of each others’ views and
opinions, no matter how different or seemingly farfetched.
Finally, I would like to extend my deepest
gratitude to Mrs. Mila Taus-Pangilinan, Dr. Ronald Meinardus and
FNS-Philippines for allowing me to participate in this wonderful
learning experience.
