SAY-HR-SEA 2023

School of Advocacy for Youth on Human Rights in Southeast Asia (SAY-HR-SEA, or the school) is an initiative that revolves around the idea that youth shall be facilitated with relevant human rights knowledge, effective advocacy skills, and rights-based approaches that are intersectional, analytical, and critical. The school started in 2021 virtually. The co-conveners were ASEAN Youth Forum, Plan International, and AICHR Indonesia.

In 2023, the school focuses to facilitate the improving understanding of the youth related to Human Rights, “welfare”, and Advocacy Skills. It was delivered with three online sessions and nine on-site sessions, allowing participants to meet face-to-face. Twelve participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam gathered in Bangkok, Thailand, from August 10 to 12, 2024. The sessions covered a variety of important topics, such as:

• ASEAN Principles and Meeting Simulation: This session covered ASEAN’s principles, pillars, opportunities, challenges, and criticisms, followed by an exercise simulating an ASEAN meeting on Rohingya refugees.

• Advocacy 101: Participants were introduced to the fundamentals of advocacy, including its definition and six key elements, through interactive group exercises and scenario-based planning.

• Human Rights Conventions: The session provided an overview of major human rights conventions and relevant international organizations, followed by group discussions on case studies related to human rights violations.

• Advocacy in Practice: Participants reviewed the six elements of advocacy and designed advocacy plans, shared practical experiences, and learned about advocacy language, meetings, and intervention forms.

• Psychosocial Security for Advocates: This session focused on the importance of psychosocial security for activists, including creating emotional support networks, with participants practicing through real-life scenario exercises.

Many participants of SAY-HR-SEA 2023 view the training as essential for human rights advocates, emphasizing its significance in their roles. They find the training to be applicable to their current jobs, indicating its practicality and relevance in their professional lives.  The program’s strengths are highlighted by participants who found it amazing, superb, and generally good. They value the practical nature of the training, involving discussions, simulations, and recommendations. A key advantage, as noted in the feedback, is the opportunity to connect with people from various places, share knowledge and opinions, and strengthen their skills. The training provides a supportive and non-judgmental space for those who may struggle with public speaking, fostering a positive learning environment.

All in all, the 2023 SAY-HR-SEA program has gained recognition as an essential and highly beneficial endeavor for human rights advocates. Participants value its practical approach, interactivity, and the opportunity to connect with peers from diverse backgrounds. The substance of the materials receives largely positive feedback, with suggestions for enhancing interactivity, incorporating better visual aids, and improving presentation slides for an enhanced learning experience.