Deadline: 12 February 2020
The Youth Department and Anti-Discrimination Department of the Council of Europe are organising a training course on the Council of Europe Standards and Approaches to Combating Hate Speech (Training Course No Hate Speech).
The training course intends to improve the link between the Council of Europe’s standards and educational approaches in addressing hate speech. Therefore, it is aimed at multipliers active with young people on combating hate speech, experts working on standards on fighting discrimination and hate speech, and activists using human rights education and counter-narratives for awareness-raising against hate speech.
The training activity is consisted of e-learning modules from March to May and a residential course from 11-16 May 2020 in Strasbourg.
Aim and Objectives
The training course aims to strengthen the competences of multipliers and advocates in the youth and Human Rights field to promote the Council of Europe standards and approaches to addressing hate speech, with a specific focus on counter and alternative narratives through human rights education.
Objectives:
- To improve the understanding of Council of Europe standards and approaches in order to ensure a comprehensive approach to combating hate speech within a human rights framework;
- To clarify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in society in combating hate speech, notably local and national authorities, equality bodies/ombudspersons, youth organisations and other NGO’s and promote a multi-stakeholder engagement;
- To build capacity in using Human Rights Education approaches and methodologies to prevent and address hate speech;
- To explore the current realities, challenges and achievements in relation to addressing hate speech;
- To learn about the practices and tools to address hate speech such as: media literacy, counter and alternative narratives, advocacy and redress mechanisms;
- To associate the participants closer to the programmes of the Youth and Anti-Discrimination Departments of the Council of Europe, notably the Youth for Democracy programme and the work of the No Hate Speech and Cooperation Unit.
Competences developed through the training course
The course contents and methodology are designed to allow participants to develop their competences in respect to:
- Understanding the standards related to addressing hate speech;
- knowledge about human rights and the Council of Europe instruments for their promotion and protection
ability to advocate for and apply human rights education as means to combat hate speech; - Ability to critically reflect on the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in addressing hate speech
- Understanding different aspects of online and offline hate speech and the potential of the comprehensive approach to address them;
- Ability to address hate speech through human rights education, advocacy work, information and media literacy, the use of counter and alternative narratives and legal measures;
- knowledge about human rights and the Council of Europe instruments for their promotion and protection
ability to advocate for and apply human rights education as means to combat hate speech; - Ability to co-operate and network with different stakeholders in addressing hate speech;
- Ability to effectively communicate human rights values and standards to different target audiences, including young people, legal professionals, individuals and communities targeted by hate speech and general public;
- Critical thinking;
- Ability to design, implement and evaluate initiatives and projects addressing hate speech;
- Ability to reflect on own biases and values that could impact own work related to combating hate speech.
Profile of the Participants
The course will gather 30 participants from national equality bodies/ombudsoffices, youth and other NGOs, public authorities including but not limited to:
- The consultants active with the Anti-Discrimination Department;
- The trainers / educators active in the Youth Department;
- Activists / multipliers from European networks of NGOs active in the field of antidiscrimination, youth and combating hate speech;
- Activists / leaders active in national campaigns of the No Hate Speech Movement.
Eligibility Criteria
All participants should also:
- Be able to use English as a working language;
- Be in a position to act as multipliers and follow up the course;
- Be resident in a member states party to the European Cultural Convention (Council of Europe member states plus Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the Holy See) or Morocco and Tunisia.
- The Council of Europe welcomes applications from all candidates who fulfil the specific profile of the activities, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief or sexual orientation.
How to Apply
For more information, visit https://www.coe.int/en/web/youth/-/call-for-participants-no-hate-speech-training-course