Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png INTRODUCTORY CLASS 1. course 2. teacher 3. students 4.region 5. human rights 6. civil society • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png MAIN QUESTION OF THE COURSE •HOW DOES CIVIL SOCIETY CONTRIBUTE •TO THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION •OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS •IN EASTERN EUROPE? •HTTPS://MIRO.COM/APP/BOARD/UXJVN3OIEVA=/ Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png EASTERN EUROPE ? •ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES BOTH BY •- THE UN (CAN BE ELECTED TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL FOR EASTERN EUROPEAN REGION) AND •- THE EU (MEMBER OF EASTERN PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE). Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png GOALS OF THE COURSE •reflect on HR and CS •basic HR, HR documents and institutions •civil society activities •examples from the our region and from history •players promoting HR in Eastern Europe •threats to human rights defenders •your own potential for civic engagement •interpret the readings •ask questions Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png FORMAT OF THE COURSE •Preparation at home •https://is.muni.cz/auth/predmet/phil/jaro2024/CORE099 - Study materials - Interactive Syllabus • •Quiz in class every week (not graded) • •Discussion with a guest • •Reflection Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png ASSESSMENT 1.ENGAGEMENT WITH A MINIMUM OF 9 TOPICS •(either presence in class or a short written reflection on home preparation materials – to be sent to the teacher by email by May 9, max. 350 words) 2.SHORT WRITTEN ANALYSIS – during reading week, on human rights and/or civil society in our region or elsewhere in the world, show us what you‘re interested in 3.OPEN-BOOK TEST – at home May 10-May 16 4.QOLLOQUIUM - TIMOTHY SNYDER: ON TYRANNY (the university library has limited copies, so it is recommended to purchase the book or make copies in advance. You can order it for example from this great Brno bookstore - Book Therapy. There is also an illustrated version.) Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png WORKLOAD •3 CREDITS • •1 CREDIT = 30 HOURS OF WORK PER SEMESTER • •1 CREDIT – LECTURES AND/OR WRITTEN REFLECTION OF HOME ASSIGNMENTS •1 CREDIT – AT-HOME PREPARATION – 3 HRS WEEKLY •1 CREDIT – SHORT WRITTEN ANALYSIS, OPEN-BOOK TEST, COLLOQUIM Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png INTRODUCTION OF THE TEACHER •ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN STUDIES, FACULTY OF ARTS, MUNI •WORK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS •- People in Need – covered Ukraine and Belarus •- Civic Belarus •- Human Rights House Foundation – a Norwegian organization – lived in Tbilisi, Georgia and covered mainly Azerbaijan and Armenia •TEACHING ENGLISH TO HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FROM EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png INTRODUCTION OF STUDENTS •1. Where are you from and/or what do you study? • •2. Why are you interested in Eastern Europe and/or human rights and civil society? • Celestia-R1---OverlayTitleHD.png OUR REGION (INDIVIDUALLY) Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png WHEN DID THE SOVIET UNION DISSOLVE? •a) 1989 • •b) 1991 • •c) 1993 • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png WHEN DID THE SOVIET UNION DISSOLVE? •a) 1989 – fall of communism in Czechoslovakia, Eastern Germany, Hungary, Poland… • •b) 1991 – Sovied Union dissolves • •c) 1993 – Czechoslovakia splits into Czechia and Slovakia • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png CONNECT THE NUMBERS WITH THE NAMES OF COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES •Abkhazia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, •Crimea, parts of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions •occupied since 2014, Moldova, Nakhichevan, •Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, South Ossetia, •Transnistria, Ukraine • • •Map of current situation in Ukraine: •https://liveuamap.com/ Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png CONNECT THE NUMBERS WITH THE NAMES OF COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES •3 Abkhazia, 10 Armenia, 11 Azerbaijan, 6 Belarus, •2 Crimea, 5 parts of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions •occupied since 2014, 9 Moldova, 13 Nakhichevan, •12 Nagorno Karabakh, 8 Russia, 4 South Ossetia, •1 Transnistria, 7 Ukraine • • •Map of current situation in Ukraine: •https://liveuamap.com/ Celestia-R1---OverlayTitleHD.png HUMAN RIGHTS Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png DEFINITION • fundamental rights and freedoms inherent to all human beings • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png PURPOSE •To protect • •dignity, equality, and justice • •globally Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png QUESTIONS FOR YOU: 1.What is the main international document? 2. 2.When was it adopted? 3. 3.Who adopted it? 4. 4.Is it binding? Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png •1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) • •2. Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly •(48 member states voted in favor, eight abstained, none opposed) • •3. 1948 • •4. Non-binding Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png WHICH OF OUR COUNTRIES/TERRITORIES ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS? • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png WHICH OF OUR COUNTRIES/TERRITORIES ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS? •Abkhazia •South Ossetia •Transnistria •Nagorno Karabakh until recently Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png CATEGORIES OF RIGHTS • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png CATEGORIES OF RIGHTS •Civil and Political Rights •(e.g., freedom of speech, right to a fair trial) • •Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights •(e.g., right to education, work, and healthcare) Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png TWO INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS LEGALLY BINDING IF RATIFIED •on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) • •on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png WE ARE GOING TO MENTION •Right to Life (Article 3 of the UDHR) •Freedom from Torture (Article 5) •Freedom from Arbitrary Arrest and Detention (Article 9) •Right to a Fair Trial (Article 10) •Right to Freedom of Expression (Article 19) •Freedom of Peaceful Assembly (Article 20) •Freedom of Association (Article 20) •Rights to participate in government (Article 21) Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png UN HR MECHANISMS HTTPS://WWW.OHCHR.ORG/EN/INSTRUMENTS-AND-MECHANISMS • • • • • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png UN HR MECHANISMS HTTPS://WWW.OHCHR.ORG/EN/INSTRUMENTS-AND-MECHANISMS • • •Decisions by the UN HR Committee •https://www.ohchr.org/en/countries - by country • •Universal periodic review – UN HR Council •https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/documentation - by country • •Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus – since 2012 •UN HR Monitoring Mission in Ukraine – since 2014 • •Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI) – database •https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/ • • • • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY •Contributing information •national or shadow reports •meetings with UN experts and member states •side-events •submit allegations of human rights violations •Advocacy and awareness •Monitoring implementation Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png ALSO RELEVANT (NOT FOR BELARUS AND RUSSIA) •Council of Europe • •European Covenant on Human Rights • •European Court of Human Rights Celestia-R1---OverlayTitleHD.png CIVIL SOCIETY Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png DEFINITION •organized groups and institutions •outside of the family, market and state •represent or advance particular interests, values or causes of people •some definitions: promote the public good • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png VÁCLAV HAVEL AND CIVIL SOCIETY •https://www.vaclavhavel.cz/elearning/en/course/9 • • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png THE RISE OF ILLIBERAL CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png THE RISE OF ILLIBERAL CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION •2018 •covers: Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova •illiberal, anti-Western and socially conservative civil society, anti-civil rights •Particularly regarding LGBTI rights, women‘s role in society, abortion, the attitudes toward ethnic and religious minorities •linked to the dominant religious organisations, or political factions with influence over state resources •while some groups have direct or indirect contact with Russia, many do not and the primary drivers of such activity are to be found in the local societies •https://fpc.org.uk/publications/the-rise-of-illiberal-civil-society-in-the-former-soviet-union/ Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png 2013 – GEORGIA – 17 IDAHO (TODAY IDAHOBIT) ACTIVISTS X THOUSANDS OF VIOLENT ANTI-GAY ACTIVISTS AND ORTHODOX CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES IDAHO COMMITTEE CONDEMNS VIOLENCE AGAINST LGBT DEMONSTRATORS IN TBILISI, GEORGIA. ~ may17.org Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png CIVIL SOCIETY CONSISTS OF CITIZENS WHO VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNANCE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. ARE YOU ACTIVE? •Are you a member of a party, trade/labor union, business/professional organization, rights advocacy organization, church/religious organization, sports/leisure club, cultural association, another voluntary association, or an online group related to your interests? •Have you taken part in a protest/demonstration/strike or social movement? •Have you ever volunteered? •Have you organized others around a common interest? •Have you signed a petition? •Have you donated money to a non-governmental organization or a social cause? •Have you shared information about a public issue on social media? •Have you contacted a politician or civil servant in respect to an issue you are concerned about? • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png NGO VS CSO • Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png NGO VS CSO •NGO – non-governmental organization • •CSO - include NGOs, but also professional associations, foundations, independent research institutes, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, social movements, and labor unions. Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png SITUATION IN YOUR COUNTRY •Can you tell us about one interesting fact concerning civil society or human rights in your country? •Important or interesting non-governmental organizations? •Reasons for protests? •Topics the civil society mobilizes itself around? •Human rights issues? Celestia-R1---OverlayContentHD.png FINAL REFLECTION •Do you have any questions on your mind right now? • •How do you feel after today‘s class? One word