Peace & Human Rights

Course Content: 

Human rights and conflict transformation are instrumental for societies seeking peace and social justice. Over time, recognition of the close links between human rights, conflict, peace, and development has grown, and a certain blurring of boundaries between these fields of practice has been observed. Yet experiences indicate that linking human rights and conflict transformation effectively is often easier said than done, partly because they can complement and contradict each other.

Course Objectives: 

• familiarize yourself with key concepts, focus areas, and strategies in the fields of human rights and conflict transformation;
• understand the relevance of linking human rights and conflict transformation for dealing with past conflicts;
• gain analytical and methodological skills allowing them to incorporate the course content into their own work in various conflict-related situations;
• understand both short and long-term challenges and dilemmas related to linking human rights and conflict transformation and explore strategies for addressing these;
• critically reflect on dominant policy paradigms and programming practices at the complex interface between human rights and conflict transformation;
• exchange experiences and become part of a community of practice.

This course aims at familiarizing participants with key normative assumptions, policy frameworks, and practices in the fields of human rights and conflict transformation. Drawing on international cases such as Ethiopia, Colombia, Cambodia and Ukraine and participants’ experiences, we will consider questions such as: what is the value of linking human rights and conflict transformation? What can these perspectives and fields of practice contribute to one another? What challenges and dilemmas remain, and what are strategies for addressing them?

Is this course for you? 

This course is designed for:

• Practitioners and aspiring practitioners in the fields of peacebuilding, humanitarian work, international relations, human rights, or business in fragile contexts
• Representatives of non-governmental organizations whose mission and mandate include peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and transformation 

If you are unsure, do not hesitate to contact us for personal advice.

Tuition fee: 1'700CHF

The course consists of preparatory readings and a 3-day on-site training (Wednesday to Friday). The course schedule is 9h00-12h30 and 14h00-17h30 (may be subject to change). 

Apply here until: 31 May 2026