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Method used for this survey
The survey was mainly carried out in the form of a desktop review process of training materials which are available on the Internet. In the course of this process, the websites of about 100 international and regional organisations, NGOs, platforms for human rights-related resources and educational institutions were searched for relevant training materials. In addition, the results of a corresponding survey by questionnaire were relied upon to assess the usefulness of existing training materials. This questionnaire, which includes a section on training materials and other resources, was sent to some 80 current and former Human Rights Field Officers (HRFOs) of international and regional organisations, headquarters staff supporting human rights field operations as well as specialists in academic and training institutions, as part of a wider project to assess the evolving function of HRFOs. Forty-five persons completed the questionnaire; their answers contributed significantly to this survey process.
Four main reasons justify the present focus on resources which are available online. First, the wealth of information accessible by Internet is large enough to provide a reliable sample for assessing strengths and weaknesses of existing materials. Over 250 online sources covering the whole range of subject matters relevant to the training of HRFOs were identified in the course of this review and, undoubtedly, more exist. Second, the accessibility of information is nowadays a crucial measurement of its relevance. This is particularly true for materials targeted at people working in the field. As one of the respondents to the corresponding survey by questionnaire explained, he/she found the Internet a particularly useful resource for on-going training in the field. It is thus not surprising that the most important resources for the present context seem to be available online. Third, the directory of available web-based materials resulting from this review process does not only form the basis for an assessment of the relevance of existing resources but is at the same time intended to serve as a helpful research tool. It allows the user to access a myriad of training materials and guidebooks by one mouse click. The need for such a directory of online resources was expressly stated by one of the respondents. Finally, a review of all the existing resources, including textbooks and other printed materials, would have exceeded the limited capacities of this project. For the same reason, the survey had to be restricted to resources which are available in the English language. Caveats A number of caveats apply to the linked Directory of English Language Web-Based Training Materials which is the result of this review. First, the list does not claim to be exhaustive. The amount of relevant materials is vast and increasing at an impressive pace; information dealing with a wide range of issues related to human rights field work has been produced from various perspectives. The directory only offers a selection of the resources which are most relevant for the present context. More broadly designed overviews and bibliographies of human rights-related training tools can be found on websites such as www.hrea.org or www.reliefweb.int. Second, the term ‘training material’ is somewhat imprecise: it is often difficult to make a clear distinction between training manuals and similar materials such as professional guidelines, reference tools or handbooks. For the production of the present directory, a wide understanding of the term has been adopted, encompassing any information which may be used in the professional formation of HRFOs or which is designed to guide their work. Third, the categories used in the directory to classify the existing resources are, inevitably, similarly imprecise. Often, one source could fall under several appropriate headings or might, conversely, not be precisely described by any of the categories. The classifications used here reflect the common human rights terminology. To keep the directory as short and concise as possible, each source has only been listed once. Results of the survey General
The wealth of available information dealing with the substance of almost all the subject matters relevant to the work of HRFOs is striking. As can be seen from the directory, most subject categories are covered by several, often very detailed and specialised, publications. Most of the materials identified and listed in the directory have been produced within the last two or three years and are thus quite up-to-date, although some of them do go back to the 1990s.
All of the materials are in Word, pdf or html-format and can thus be accessed without any special hard or software components (or with software which is downloadable free of charge). Depending on the available Internet-connection, some of the documents may, however, take considerable time to download. The resources identified have been produced by various organisations and, accordingly, adopt different perspectives and target different audiences. Rather than to be accessible through one single source, they are scattered around the websites of different organisations or joint projects and platforms such as HURIST, reliefweb.int or hrea.org.
Tailored Training
At the same time, the number of resources which are tailored to the specific needs of human rights field officers in terms of subject coverage is rather small and mainly limited to a few publications by the OHCHR. Similarly, there are hardly any materials which address the practical aspects of a HRFO's work, such as how to deal with stress or how to work with national governments, civil society, non-state actors, the media, etc. This lack of practice-oriented material is also reflected in the answers to the questionnaire. Many respondents expressed a desire for material addressing the “more personal side of human rights field officer work”, “how to”-guides and checklists. One respondent put it as follows: “At field and national level no one reads materials unless they are in a ‘ready-to-use-in practice’ form (guidelines, practice notes, legally binding texts, templates, etc)”.
Several respondents identified a lack of ‘modern’ forms of training or educational resources such as video tapes, CDs, inter-active video games, toolkits for trainers and promotional material. On the other hand, resources rated as not helpful include “complex academic-looking training materials”, “routine information booklets from the Headquarters”, theoretical papers on legal issues and “excessively theoretical parts on gender”. In terms of subject matter, the respondents thought that there is a particular need for training materials addressing issues such as human rights advocacy, working with non-state actors, working with the media, Action 2, ESCRs and transitional justice. Several respondents called for “more practical and applied material on rights-based approaches.”
The most obvious way of making information targeted at HRFOs as accessible and practical to use as possible is through the production of an integrated training tool. This is the approach adopted by the OHCHR Training Manual on Human Rights Monitoring (Monitoring Manual) which is clearly the most comprehensive existing training resource addressing the needs of HRFOs. In the survey by questionnaire, the Monitoring Manual was the resource which received the most mentions for being a particularly helpful training material (Figure 1). The reason why it is seen as particularly useful was explained, for example, as follows: “It is very comprehensive and covers the situations which human rights officers could encounter in the field”.
Also seen as helpful were the other OHCHR publications Human Rights in the Administration of Justice: A Manual on Human Rights for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers and Human Rights and Law Enforcement: A Manual on Human Rights Training for the Police, which both received the same ratings, as well as National Human Rights Institutions: A Handbook for the Establishment and Strengthening of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. Most respondents seemed not to mind that all these documents are very substantial (the Manual for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers is almost 900 pages long). Although one respondent stated that long manuals were not helpful in the field, others expressed appreciation for the fact that these publications “at least contain substantive information,” that they are “well written and address common human rights issues” and that they “constitute a reference material that can be consulted any time when necessary”.
 | | Fig. 1: Most helpful training materials |
The OHCHR Monitoring Manual
Thus, there seems to be a need for a training tool which, in a comprehensive and integrated manner, addresses both the substantive issues which HRFOs have to deal with as well as the more practical and personal aspects of their work. The Monitoring Manual undoubtedly comes closest to this standard and its high quality is reflected in the positive comments of many respondents. It does, however, also have a number of shortcomings.
First, it is not comprehensive in terms of what HRFOs do. The stated purpose of the Manual is to provide an overview of the doctrine and methodology of human rights monitoring. Yet HRFOs fulfil numerous other important functions apart from monitoring, including advocacy and intervention, capacity-building, engaging with humanitarian and development partners, supporting peace processes etc. While carrying out these functions, they are confronted with practical tasks such as dealing with the media or the diplomatic community or providing human rights training. These aspects of a HRFO's work are not covered by the Monitoring Manual.
Second, it is not comprehensive in terms of subject matter. Its focus is clearly on civil and political rights – only twelve out of the almost 500 pages of the Manual are devoted to the increasingly important subject of economic, social and cultural rights. The equally influential concept of human rights-based approaches to development is dealt with in one short paragraph.
Finally, it has not been updated since 2001. A number of important human rights-related fields, including humanitarian action and sexual exploitation, have seen important developments in the last few years which HRFOs should be familiar with. The fact that the Manual is relatively outdated might also explain its lack of in-depth coverage of the increasingly influential concepts mentioned in the previous paragraph.
A supplementation and updating of the Manual in these three respects would undoubtedly help to accommodate the need of HRFOs for both practical guidance and topical information on relevant subject matters. As can be seen from the directory, a wealth of often very up-to-date publications deal with all the subject matters relevant to a HRFO's work, including the topics which have only recently emerged or gained increased momentum such as the subject of economic, social and cultural rights and its different subcategories. The Monitoring Manual could thus be substantially enriched by drawing on the already available information and making it relevant to the specific requirements of the HRFO's profession.
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