Basic Writing Skills for Human Rights Appeal

Hotline Pakistan has been organising training workshops on "Basic Writing Skills for Human Rights Appeal" in different diocese in Pakistan. Young people aged 25 to 30 with interest in defending Human Rights and responding to Human Rights violations are invited from parishes. Through the workshops, it is expected to help develop solidarity among the participants and assist them to communicate and share information with each other towards this solidarity.

The workshop aimed at familiarising the participants with the following:

1. An understanding of the Human Rights and their violations occurring around them and HR situation in the country.
2. Motivation to play their role as Human Rights Defenders.
3. Introduction to UNO and UN institution dealing with Human Rights and how this institution can be approached.
4. Work of Hotline Asia/Hotline Pakistan in responding to HR violations.
5. Importance of responding to HR violations through Appeal/Letter writing.
6. Basic writing skills for Human Rights appeal.
7. Preparation to respond to the human rights violations through letter writing as a recipient of the urgent Appeals from Hotline Asia and their role as helping hands to report to Hotline Pakistan about HR violations for urgent action.

		The first workshop was held on 15 and 16 February 2003 at Christian Study Center, Rawalpindi. About 26 participants from all over Rawalpindi Diocese participated in the workshop.
		The second one was on 5 April 2003 at the Justice and Peace Commission, Multan, with 27 participants from all over Multan Diocese.

In the second half of 2003 and early 2004, Hotline Pakistan will organise similar training workshops in the Lahore and Karachi Diocese, and follow up workshops in Rawalpindi and Multan.