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Election Observation and Human Rights Monitoring

27-31 May 2002

Human rights monitoring involves sustained and systematic efforts to gather data from different sources involving human rights violations and/or warning indicators to the probable occurrence of such violations, as well as evaluation and dissemination of the collected information. International organisations more and more use the presence of human rights monitors in their efforts to uphold the observance of human rights.

Election observation often takes place during times of transition and involves in many cases an international effort to ascertain that democratic legitimacy is created in the electoral and legislative process by correct electoral procedures and by the application of, inter alia, the right of association, assembly, speech, and free press. Although election observation focuses on the electoral process, the trend is to make it more long term, thereby including elements of human rights monitoring.

The course seeks to provide the participants with the theoretical knowledge and the practical skills required for successful election observation and human rights monitoring. The course is designed to serve as a basic training programme for those interested in working for national, regional or international organisations as human rights monitors and/or election observers.

The course also offers the participants an opportunity to gain a richer understanding of the interconnections between human rights, development and democracy. The course is composed of lectures, seminars, practical case studies and role playing exercises. The teaching language is English.

Level: graduate, professional

Location: Turku/Åbo, Finland

Participants: The number of participants is restricted to 25. Approximately 12 seats are, on the basis of prior agreements, reserved for applicants from the CIS, the Baltic States and Western Russia, as well as Africa and Latin America. Participation in the course requires at least a basic knowledge of human rights. Otherwise qualified participants who do not meet this particular requirement will be provided with preparatory reading and exercises which must be completed prior to the course. Participants who wish to obtain academic credits (2 study weeks) for the course must pass an additional exam. For information about the course and application forms, please contact the Institute for Human Rights.

Tuition, fee, lodging: The course fee is € 169. Students at Åbo Akademi University and the University of Turku are exempted from the fee. The deadline for applications is 15 March 2002.

Contact Information:
Ms Johanna Bondas
Institute for Human Rights, Åbo Akademi University
Gezeliusgatan 2
FIN–20500 Turku/Åbo
FINLAND
Tel. +358–2–215 4713
Fax. +358–2–215 4699
E-mail: johanna.bondas@abo.fi
Web: http://www.abo.fi/instut/imr/