• Engaging in Human Rights Work >>>
• Critical Reflections >>>
• Advocacy – Global and Local >>>
• Visualizing Rights >>>

• Human Rights Education >>>
• Framing Human Rights >>>
• Migrants and Minorities >>>
• Justice and Judicial Systems >>>

In this session, presenters and attendees will discuss different dimensions of the question, "Does All Human-Rights Funding Use a Human Rights-based Approach?"

In the U.S., grant strategies and decisions have historically been made by individuals and funders behind closed doors, with little transparency and accountability. Grant seekers, not to mention the public at large, have rarely had insight into how those decisions are made or any influence on the process. What criteria are they using? To whom are they accountable? And how do they make their decisions about what and who they are going to fund?

Replacing traditional hierarchical models of funding, participatory grantmaking applies a human rights-based approach to how funding is determined and who makes the funding decisions. The emphasis is on the practice as well as on the impact of the funds. In this participatory panel presentation, moderated by a staff person from the International Human Rights Funders Group (IHRFG), panelists and audience will explore a range of models for transforming the relationship of social justice actors with funders.

• Humanitarian Concerns >>>
• Rethinking Rights >>>
• Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking >>>
• Roundtable: Teaching and Doing Human Rights Well >>>

• Religion and Human Rights
• Case Studies in Human Rights Activism
• Media and the Digital Age

To train future human rights advocates and development professionals, the University of Dayton Department of Political Science sponsors an applied research practicum for undergraduate students in Malawi. Working closely with Determined to Develop, a Karonga-based NGO founded and directed by the University of Dayton alumnus Matt Maroon '06, practicum students spend eight weeks living, learning, and serving in the northern region of Malawi.

Mr. Maroon serves as the practicum’s in-country coordinator and hosts the students at his economic development lodge, Maji Zuwa. Working closely with the local community leaders and organizations and other Malawian university students, each practicum student designs and conducts a research project on a critical human rights or development issue. This research provides the community and leaders with much needed analytics and affords the students invaluable – indeed, life changing – experiences and opportunities to learn from the Malawians.

Research topics have included the assessment and analysis of:

• Secondary education needs
• Gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment techniques in community building
• Water security in rural settings
• The right to grieve and the psychology of orphan care
• Impact of macroeconomics on rural businesses and development projects
• Teacher training and educational access
• Life skills education for girls

For more information on Dejusticia, see the organization website >>>.