On 21 June and 1 July 2021, EU TACSO 3 organised basic level on-line training on Mainstreaming ‍Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) and Gender Equality (GE)  – this time for the second group of participants in Serbian/Bosnian/Montenegrin language. The two-day training aimed to introduce participants to the HRBA and Gender Mainstreaming (GM) concepts, principles and tools as well as to encourage CSOs to develop explicit policies to integrate human rights and gender equality principles into their internal policies and operational activities. The training was aiming also to instigate inclusiveness and participatory in terms of respecting, protecting and fulfilling the full range of human rights. Representatives from six CSOs who are working in the field of human rights, marginalized groups, youth and women attended the training.

During the first training day, the main concept of human rights and the policy framework covering this area were discussed, including national but also the international framework for the protection of human rights and the available instruments for human rights protection in the frame of the UN as well as on the EU level. Having in mind recent developments and the importance of respecting human rights in all settings and times, the participants were inspired to discuss the topic of respect for human rights in crisis situations, and to share their opinions but also hear the theoretical input related to what are the roles of the state and CSOs in the crisis response circumstances, such as the COVID-19. Some specific human rights and freedoms that were endangered during the COVID-19 lockdown (right to privacy, movement, education) were identified. In addition,  certain groups that were most endangered (most often children, elderly, victims of violence) were identified. One of the discussions was gravitating along with the notion that governments think they know what is best for citizens, which is reflected in the lack of involvement of citizens in the decision-making process and lack of transparency.

During the second training day, representatives of CSOs had a chance to hear a lot of useful information from the prominent lecturer Ivana Krstic, and to exchange their knowledge and experiences in the area of protection of human rights and integrating HRBA and GE in their programs and projects. Special attention was given to mainstreaming gender equality in the project preparation, implementation and monitoring and evaluation phase.

Besides main topics planned by the agenda, participants were also presented with the main goals and result areas of EU TACSO 3 project, and a list of possibilities for additional capacity building and exchange under its regional umbrella.

The training programme is consisted of regional advanced training, monitoring support, basic trainings in main language groups and a check-list for CSO to be published on the EU TACSO 3 project website.