2007 Testimonials - Course 13E: Human Rights Litigation

What participants said about this course:

"The course fully met my expectations."

"I learned a lot from the course. I shared practices and experiences with my colleagues. I read a lot and had a brilliant opportunity to talk to experts online."

"I did enjoy the course very much!"

"It was a very interesting course which has allowed me to know a lot of aspects of human rights protection and litigation and to share the experience of many qualified persons of different nationality."

"The course exceeded my expectations - both of the instructors brought much experience with them, and they were generous with sharing their experience and resources with us."

"The course fully met my expectations, especially on the reading presented."

"The met my expectations well, although I would have wanted to get more legal advocacy tips."

"I am greatly satisfied with the course because my expected needs were met. The readings were quite elaborative and provided a good back ground on the human rights principles and methods of litigation and the online discussions were pretty good. In a broad sense, though the materials were quite much, their intended goals were genuine."

"It was and above what I had expected. The topics discussed were vast to my advantage. I appreciated the comparisons of domestic and international law and practices, it made understanding of issues much simpler."

"The course was more than I expected because it showed me other vision of the litigation practice on human rights issues, the lobbing and advocacy strategies (non-litigation strategies). I learned new concepts in this field of law. I learned more about the European human rights system and its jurisprudence. It was very interesting share with the classmates their experiences in each topic discussed."

"Overall, the course met my expectations. I was very pleased with the content and methods of teaching."

"Generally the course met my expectations, I got better understanding of the values of human rights litigation and of the main goals of strategic litigation. I got "fresh" view social and institutional context issues of legitimacy of litigation, ethics and accountability of human rights layering."

"Being auditor of the course was no less effective, than if I was participant; I feel that it covered all important aspects of human rights litigation; if I decided to litigate, the knowledge I gained from this course will be very useful and practical."

"I learned quite a lot through the readings based on the weekly time frames to meet up with the learning program but due to daily office work and field travels to no internet access zones sometimes, the difficulty in participating in discussions was a problem and even readings but the open weeks provided additional support for completion of reading and exercises."

"Readings very elaborate and required quite a huge portion of my time."

"Despite the course reading assignments indicated the time needed to read and carry out the practices, it sometimes took more time than the indicated. I consider, the professors, when they asked concerning a specific topic, they did well saying the page of the reading to which they were referring to."

"The weekly discussions were pretty great. It opened a good avenue to learn a lot from other participants and to share knowledge. Most importantly the summarized presentation from the facilitators after evaluation of individual contributions was very good. It explored a lot of insight into some issues that I could not appreciated reading from various participants and the fact that they could possibly point out a valued issues and points raised by each contributor was just perfect."

"The discussions were very helpful."

"I enjoyed the discussions with the course participants that I had a chance to take part in. It is a great method to give the participants different perspectives on the given topic, as most of us came form different jurisdictions and cultures."

"Very interesting discussions, seemed like we were a classroom having face-to-face discussions. I did enjoy them."

"I enjoyed this part, because the practical experiences of the classmates and professors are invaluable. The knowledges increase sharing their concerns and discuss different point of views. It permits the topic of the theory contained in the readings were discussed with a practical point of view. Sometimes, I could not read the readings completely but the forum helped to learn about what was not read or comprehended."

"Weekly discussions were very good, and reading the comments and responses from the other is one of the most interesting aspects of the course."

"It was very interactive, lively and engaging. Yeah, it did keep me on my toes such that even when I went away to the field, I kept reflecting on the issues discussed, how the discussants put across their arguments, ways to bump up points. The instructors comments/messages where very enlightening in guiding discussions and their remarks after the topical issues seemed like a marking session, which was very assuring and correctional and inspiring. It felt like it was a face-to-face discussion at the end of the day."

"The topics were broad but there wasn't enough time to condense it all while working. I appreciate the arrangement of cutting out time for each topic per week, i.e. 2 hours etc, etc, but I still emphasise that more time should be cut out for the topics."

"The time space given in my view was very little to take in all that was discussed as well as read all the materials (especially for me who works and has to go to the field more often) despite the open weeks given. May be a time space of 6 months would do in the future."

"The assignments were critical to my kind of work and perspective. I got to learn a lot and unlearn some. I liked the instructors coming in at the end of it all to guide, correct on more of an individual basis. This made me appreciate my contributions, helped me see where I went wrong, made me understand the discussion topics. And when other participants agree or disagree with my view, they open my eyes… very interactive."

"Sometimes I had difficulties with the exercises since it is quite complicated to describe not only the assignment but also the legal and cultural context (which is needed to understand the assignment) on 1 page."

"[Contributions from other participants] This was superb as I got to read their responses in my inbox as well check out the main parent on the website. My personal contribution was equally easy to feed in without having to revert to the website (especially when I had to walk into an internet café and the website address had jumped!) It was the best part of the course."

"I appreciated the contributions of every participant especially as allusions were made to individual country settings or jurisdictions giving a great opportunity to learn a little of what is happening in other places of the world and I learned a great dear from those. It inspires one to contribute fully and also gave a broad view understanding of the different topics in question."

"I also enjoyed this aspect of the course, and learned a great deal from the comments and responses of the participants. As with past courses, the responses from participants add a rich dimension to the course, help to place issues in perspective, and create greater understanding of human rights issues around the world."

"I greatly appreciated such a diverse group. It was very interesting to see different views on the issues discussed during the course."

"The analytical skill of the courses instructors was really great and they always gave supportive and encouraging words."

"It was a great team and very inspirational, actually wished I had gone through such instructors in my undergrad. Very prompt and took in all the participants contributions (had the time to read and respond to each). I appreciate. Felt like I had a personal tutor/instructor."

"Their experiences, thinking and the cultural contexts were very interesting and valuable. It gave a nice touch to the course."

"The instructors were very kind persons, I am sorry we could not meet personally. I appreciate, considering valuable, their week´s message, comments and orientations of the topics discussed, their interventions in chat sessions, feedbacks, critics to the practices and final project. Also, they answered quickly the e mails sent to them."

"Both instructors bring much experience to the course, and were generous in sharing their experiences and resources. They provided excellent and timely feedback and contributed greatly to the discussions."

"The instructors were very good, very dedicated to the participation of students."

"[Names of course instructors], thank you so much for the work you have done!"

"Instructors were good and encouraging. Bravo and keep it up!"

"I participated in one chat session and read the others; definitively, chatting with the invited persons was an interesting experience, I learned of their experiences and comments."

"I have learned much from chat sessions in past courses, and my regret was that I was unable to participate in any of them during this course!"

"Unfortunately I was able to participate only in 2 chats. I enjoyed them very much."

"Everything about this aspect was super. Access to the course website and materials was very good at all times."

"I really like your website, and it seems to continually improve. It is easy to access and use, and the content is very good. I like the aspect of being able to reply to all participants or just one participant, and I believe that this facilitates opportunities for continued dialogue."

"[Name course facilitator/technical support], thank you! Everything was great!"

"Thank you for making it easy for me to access all the data and be able to read it whenever."

"I am planning to organize a 3 day-training and workshops for lawyers."

"Advising students on their thesis for Bachelor's in Law, in my litigation practice applying the knowledges acquired in the cases; sharing the learned with other in occasion of forums of human rights issues."

"I took part in May in preparation trainings for advocates on the ECHR, where I used my knowledge of the concept, types and venues of human rights litigation."

"The knowledge I have gained throughout the course enhanced my theoretical background in human rights litigation, which I am successfully applying in my work: e.g. recently have worked on an amicus curiae which was submitted to the European Court of Human Rights, as well as responses to government observations to a case under consideration in the European Court."

"I will include most part of what I gained in my academic course of Human Rights Law (with emphasis on the ECHR law)."

"I would like to bring some of what I learned through this course to help organize workshops for law school graduates and new lawyers entering the profession."

"I am working on evaluation of a project, aimed at developing strategic litigation in the field of freedom of assembly and freedom of association. This work will consist in applying to national courts and international bodies to protect these freedoms. We also plan to issue new reports, using the results of the project. As well our organization has planned a seminar on strategic litigation in Russia for September-October 2007. During this seminar we will organize discussions on the point, elaborate strategies for domestic and international litigation in different fields. Some leading Russian experts will be invited to this meeting."

"Using the knowledge I obtained during the course I will update the educational program of the strategic litigation course that I was teaching for students the previous year. I already used some of the knowledge litigating for human rights."

"I intend to use acquired knowledge to assist in collaboration with the rule of law institutions in Southern Sudan in promoting human rights awareness campaigns through workshops with women's groups and the local communities. Training of legal counsels, prisons officers and police officers and to further, develop a strategic frame work to support the above activities throughout the ten states of Southern Sudan with sustainability mechanisms and gender mainstreaming. Presently I am conducting a sensitization campaign in Yambio State with support from other UNMIS units: gender, child and civilian protection and the UN police on the rights of the woman. Participants include women's groups, authorities from the ministries of gender and social welfare, child protection and education and the judiciary. The local chiefs who are presently acting as judges around the villages based on customary laws are also taking part."

"I say thank you once again [names of course instructors and facilitator] for facilitating the course and your usual encouraging words. Hope your future participants will benefit the same."

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate and learn."

"Everything was great, thank you!"

"I enjoyed this course very much, as well as past courses!"

"Thank you very much for the interesting course!"