NGOs train youth in human rights

A Burundian human rights NGO, Ligue Iteka, said on Monday it had begun the second phase of a programme aimed at training youths in human rights law. Launched at the weekend in collaboration with the French NGO Agir ensemble pour les droits de l'homme (Collective Action for Human Rights), some 25 youths aged 16 to 26 years from 18 human rights organisations will take part in the training. A first round of training took place in 2003, focusing on the theoretical foundations of human rights law. The current session, due to take place one weekend per month for five months, will now focus on practical application of human rights law, Iteka said. The meetings that took place at the weekend focused on "general principles pertaining of fundamental rights and liberties, problems encountered in enforcement, case studies, causes and consequences, primary implementing parties, and protection of vulnerable groups," Iteka reported. Iteka said the age range of participants was chosen "to target a dynamic segment of the population capable of addressing the wrongs of the past 10 years of crisis".