The East African Community Nyerere Centre for Peace Research (EAC-NCPR) in cooperation with Arcadia University in the USA has offered new scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students from the EAC Partner States for training programs in Human Rights Law in Africa. The training programs which began this week will run for five weeks.
Welcoming the students, the Deputy Secretary General in charge of Political Federation, Hon. Beatrice Kiraso, said the programs are aimed at giving them the opportunity to examine contemporary international human rights law in Africa and explore human rights issues and international norms arising from international law within the context of development and globalisation.
The Deputy Secretary General emphasised that learning about the international criminal justice offers the students the opportunity to discuss the instruments and the enforcement mechanisms both at the international, regional and the sub-regional as well as national levels. Central to this exploration is the question of what constitutes human rights including: the right to civil and political, social, economic and cultural as well as the right to development. Additionally, the courses will also explore the relationship between these rights with a special focus on vulnerable groups such as women, children and also indigenous population.
In order to explore a variety of approaches to addressing human rights, students will meet with representatives from different organizations including the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the East African Law Society, Heifer International among others, Hon. Kiraso said.
“The training programs will also give the students a chance to learn more about the EAC integration process and the opportunity to share experiences with their counterparts from Arcadia University,” she added.
The programs will be conducted in Arusha and will include case studies focusing on the EAC region. The goal of these trainings is to provide a rigorous academic program with a focus on human rights in contemporary Africa. The EAC plans to increase the number of scholarships in future.
“Depending on the availability of funds, we’re determined to open up more places for students from the EAC at NCPR,” Hon. Kiraso remarked.
Background: EAC Nyerere Centre for Peace Research
The Nyerere Centre for Peace Research (NCPR) was launched in 2008 as an institution of the EAC. The Centre’s vision is to be a Centre of excellence that conducts cutting edge research on peace and security, good governance and common foreign policy pursuits that enhances regional integration and development while its mission is to undertake policy research and capacity building that contributes to the creation of peaceful environment that enhances human security, regional integration and development.
Its operational objectives include among others; undertaking both empirical and policy oriented research that will promote peace and security as a means of enhancing regional integration and development; networking and collaborating with like-minded local, regional and international organisations to tap good practices and approaches to research and training; and enhancing students’ interest in the EAC regional integration process.
Its strategic importance to the Community derives from the fact that regional entities are credible, cost effective and more efficient than individual institutions. As such, NCPR seeks to complement the vision, mission and objectives of the EAC.
Source: East African Community (EAC)
