The Geneva Institute for Human Rights (GIHR) announces the opening of registration for a “Training of Trainers” (ToT) workshop on human rights mechanisms. The workshop will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from December 14 to 18, 2026.
This workshop is part of efforts to enhance the training capabilities of human rights professionals. It aims to enable participants to move beyond merely acquiring knowledge to mastering the skills required to design, deliver, and evaluate human rights training programs, as well as to transfer and adapt this knowledge to their respective national and local contexts.
Workshop Objectives
The workshop aims to qualify participants—who have previously received training on international and national human rights mechanisms—to become trainers capable of designing, delivering, and evaluating human rights training programs with high effectiveness and professionalism.
The program covers the development of participants’ knowledge regarding the concept and stages of training, adult learning principles, and various training methodologies, while linking the content of human rights mechanisms to appropriate training approaches.
The program also focuses on developing practical skills, including: designing training objectives based on SMART criteria; structuring training sessions; facilitating interactive workshops; managing group dynamics; handling challenging personalities; utilizing visual and interactive training aids; and designing training evaluation tools.
The program will be conducted in Arabic, with a focus on linking the training content to the participants’ national and local contexts. What will participants gain?
The program enables participants to develop the core competencies required to design, deliver, and evaluate human rights training programs. It fosters self-confidence and readiness to train diverse groups, while helping participants develop a personal training style grounded in human rights values.
Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate of participation from the Geneva Institute for Human Rights. They will also have the opportunity to build a network of trainers to exchange experiences and support continuous professional development.
Workshop Enrollment Requirements
Applicants must be human rights activists or defenders, or professionals working in civil society organizations, universities, research centers, international organizations, UN agencies, government institutions, or national human rights institutions.
Enrollment requirements also include a commitment to continuing human rights activities; a desire to benefit from the program and share acquired expertise with others; a commitment to attending and actively participating throughout the program; the ability to engage in dialogue, discussion, and teamwork; and a commitment to completing the registration form and dedicating themselves fully to the training program’s activities.
Participant Selection Criteria
A selection committee will review applications that meet all data and information requirements and select 20 participants. The selection process will take into account gender balance (ensuring women’s participation) and geographic distribution across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Participants are responsible for covering the costs of travel, accommodation, subsistence, and local transportation in Istanbul. Important Notes
A CV and a photograph must be attached to the registration application.
The Institute reserves the right to cancel a participant’s enrollment if the information provided is found to be inaccurate.
The workshop will be facilitated by a group of distinguished international human rights experts, and participation is limited to 20 individuals.
The registration deadline is October 15, 2026.