IMCS human rights internship program in Geneva for Sri Lankan HRDs – March 2024

Ruki Fernando:

From 3^rd to 10^th March 2024, International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) – Pax Romana hosted and supported team of seven Sri Lankan Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) for a human rights internship to learn, experience and use UN human rights mechanisms based in Geneva, Switzerland. The team included Ruki Fernando as team leader, an interpreter and diverse team of five young HRDs. The five HRDs were all grassroots activists, visiting Europe for 1^st time (most overseas for the 1^st time). They were from different areas in Sri Lanka and were victims of rights violations or from victimized communities. They attended 55^th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), made two oral statements during the UNHRC, submitted one written statement to the UNHRC, met UN staff from Special Procedures, Treaty bodies and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). They also met a British diplomat who have been working on Sri Lanka for long time, Geneva based NGOs, two HRDs from Rohingya community and Manipur and attended side events at the UNHRC.

Oral statement during interactive dialogue with Special Rapportuer on Freedom of Religion or Belief

IMCS assisted with providing accreditation to the UN, making arrangements to submit the written statement and make two oral statements. During the weekend, IMCS hosted them in IMCS International centre in La Roche, France, for some rest and de-briefing session. IMCS also assisted with logistical arrangements such as accommodation, transport, welcoming at airport, occasional interpretation and general accompaniment. The five participants were selected from amongst more than thirty who had undergone an introductory course on UN Human Rights mechanisms in Sri Lanka in December 2023 – January 2024. Participants are now in process of engaging in follow up activities in Sri Lanka. 

My involvement in conceptualizing and organizing this initiative was inspired by my participation in Pax Romana human rights internship in Geneva many years ago and subsequent attempts at training HRDs from Sri Lanka and Asia on UN human rights mechanisms and assisting individual HRDs in undertaking lobby visits to Geneva. Outgoing and former IMCS team members Ravi and Budi provided valuable assistance and advise in organizing the program in Geneva. 

Oral statement during interactive dialogue with Special Rapportuer on Right to Housing

The initiative was sponsored by Bread for the World (BfW) in Germany. After the visit in Geneva, BfW had organized a visit to Berlin in Germany, including meetings with the German foreign ministry official working on Sri Lanka, a German MP, German NGOs and Sri Lankan diaspora in Germany. The team also had a chance to join a customized study tour about memorialization for past rights violations in Germany and session on European institutions dealing with human rights. 

Links:

Oral statement during interactive dialogue with Special Rapportuer on Freedom of Religion or Belief  https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k16/k160flweyj – Mins 01.02.18 onwards. Text in Annex 1

Oral statement during interactive dialogue with Special Rapportuer on Right to Housing https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k15/k15m87qyxk – Mins 01.18.09 onwards. Text in Annex 2

Written statement https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g24/029/39/pdf/g2402939.pdf?token=xqHdQ8IGbxNS2tcP4H&fe=true – Text in Annex 3