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Human Rights Academy was established in 2020 with the cooperation of civil society and academia to transform the various human rights courses that the Friedrich Naumann Foundation has been carrying out for nearly ten years into an institutional and regular structure.

 

The Human Rights Academy aims to fill the missing human rights education within the scope of undergraduate or graduate education with various activities, ensure the development and dissemination of human rights information in Turkey, and provide human rights education to individuals working in various fields and fields need of it.

 

The first lecture of the Academy was held physically in March 2020, but due to the pandemic, the method of the Academy was transformed into online education and activities transformed onto online platforms. The Academy organized three basic level human rights courses in 2020; various forums and workshops were organized to put the knowledge gained in these courses into practice. In addition to the courses organized for a limited group, open lectures with internationally important human rights academics were held and broadcast to increase society's human rights knowledge level.

 

At the beginning of 2021, two advanced level human rights courses were organized for those with fundamental human rights education, in line with the demands of alumni and different groups. In the same period, an Advisory Board consisting of experts was formed to guide the works of the Academy, and insanhaklariakademisi.org was put into operation.

 

In addition, since many participants are in the process of writing a thesis, the Academic Mentorship program was launched, which aims to bring the participants together with people who can guide them, other than their advisors, on thesis subjects. Many HRA alumni were brought together with academicians who are experts in their fields.

 

"International Protection and Refugees Summer School" was organized in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in line with the intense demand from the civil society on the human rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Many participants from academia, the field and civil society took part in this course, which attracted great interest.

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As a first in Turkey, "Human Rights Career Day" was held in July 2021. In this career day with hundreds of participants and more than 20 experts in 6 different sessions, human rights career opportunities were introduced for different sectors from academia to politics, civil society to the field, and international institutions to commercial life.

 

In September 2021, the "Human Rights of Vulnerable Groups Thematic Course" was held, which included topics that attracted great interest in various courses. Within the framework of this course, the issues of Women, Children, LGBTI+ and Minority Rights were discussed with expert academics, and the participants were enabled to put what they learned into practice through forums. The first physical event of the Academy, was held in October 2021. During the Human Rights Movie Night; a documentary on minority rights was screened and a book promotion was held. the event attracted great interest from the alumni.

 

Only a group of 25-30 people can be selected for each course among more than 7,000 applicants to the courses organized by the Human Rights Academy, which will continue these activities in the upcoming period. Participants who are selected for the courses and who successfully complete the courses are included in the vast alumni network of the Human Rights Academy. Our alumni network of more than 150 people come together frequently at different events.

 

Two thematic courses, an international summer school, a career day on human rights, various movie nights and an introductory course are planned for 2022.