Applications are now open for the 15th Colloquium

We invite activists from the Global South to debate the challenges that the current context poses to human rights across the world

Activists and defenders from the Global South can submit their applications to attend the 15^th International Human Rights Colloquium, wich will be held from October 1^st to 6^th, in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

This year, faced with a global conservative wave defined by the restriction of rights and setbacks, the Colloquium’s theme will debate the role, the alternatives, and the opportunities for the movement based on the question: “Human rights today: crisis or transition?”

“In this edition of the Colloquium we will collectively debate the current scenario and how human rights organizations, social movements, and other agents of change can react, rethink themselves, and get prepared for the challenges that are taking shape”, says Juana Kweitel, Conectas’ executive-director.

Organizers

Conectas is organizing this edition of the event in partnership with Forum Asia (Thailand), Centre for Human Rights – University of Pretoria (South Africa), and DeJusticia (Colombia). These organizations have been invited to develop the theme for the 15^th Colloquium and organize the debates from plural perspectives.

Themes

The program for the 15^th Colloquium will focus on four issues currently faced by the human rights movement. Each topic of debate will be accompanied by concrete examples from organizations and movements from the Global South that demonstrate how such challenges are being overcome.

1. 1. The global context of the growing conservative wave and the impacts on rights and freedoms

 

1. 1. How the strategies and tools used by the human rights movement can be improved and innovated

 

1. 1. How can human rights organizations diversify and decentralize alliances with other agents and movements of social transformation

 

1. 1. The human rights movement today: representativeness, diversity, engagement, and other forms of sustainability

 

Who can attend?

We invite human rights activists, especially from Latin America, Africa and Asia, with experiences and interest in discussing the debate tracks proposed above. We also invite members of other movements and agents of social change.

Applications are open until June 15^th. The result will be published on June 25^th on Conectas’ website.

Click here to apply.

History

Organized by Conectas since 2001, the purpose of the International Human Rights Colloquium is to promote the integration and exchange among human rights activists from the Global South, by the sharing of knowledge, experiences and strategies that allow for the advancement of the human rights agenda. In these 16 years of existence and 14 editions, the event has gathered over 1,600 activists from 85 countries.

In 2017, the Colloquium will seek to increase the participation of activists from other movements and agents of social transformation to diversify alliances and rethink collective strategies – always with the purpose of constructing an active, strong, and solid network of organizations and activists.