Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights & the

University of Minnesota Human Rights Center

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING OF

TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE IN SIERRA LEONE

Saturday, April 17, 2004

1 to 4 p.m.

University of Minnesota Law School

Room  65

With the help of hundreds of volunteers, Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights has monitored human rights conditions and produced more than 50 reports documenting human rights practices in more than 30 countries.   In 2002, Minnesota Advocates began using human rights monitoring methods to contribute to the success of transitional justice in Peru.  Countries around the world are transitioning from violence and repression to peace and reconciliation.  That transition increasingly involves the creation of truth commissions and other transitional justice mechanisms that confront past human rights abuses and recommend institutional reforms to prevent future human rights abuses.  Human rights monitoring is one way to help ensure that transitional justice processes move forward.

Building on our experience monitoring transitional justice in Peru, Minnesota Advocates began monitoring transitional justice in Sierra Leone in 2003. A Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights team will be in Sierra Leone next month to monitor the transitional justice process.  The training for the Sierra Leone team will be open to all interested members of the community. 

This specialized training program will cover international human rights and humanitarian law, as well as the basics of human rights monitoring methodology.  In addition, the training will provide background on the conflict in Sierra Leone and the transitional justice mechanisms (the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Special Court for Sierra Leone) currently operating in the country.

The training is free and open to the public, but participants who would like a copy of the training materials will be asked for a $15 donation.  Application will be made for 3 CLE credits.

Please R.S.V.P. to Rose Park at Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

By Thursday, April 15^th

Phone: (612) 341-3302 ext. 106 · Email: [email protected]