Bandar Seri Begawan - Hajah Fauziah Haji Abdul Hamid, Acting Senior Special Duties Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), is currently in the United States as part of a US State Department-sponsored International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP).

The programme's subject matter is Asean: Human Rights Monitoring and Protection. The programme started on October 31 and will conclude on November 21.

US Ambassador Todd said, "I am pleased that Hajah Fauziah was selected for this important and very timely programme. Asean has increased focus and attention on human rights and I believe this programme will be of benefit to both Hajah Fauziah and Brunei.

"The State Department's fully sponsored IVLP is an important part of our public diplomacy programme globally, regionally, and in Brunei."

The IVLP programme is an all-expense-paid trip supported by the US Department of State. Hajah Fauziah will join 10 other participants from Asean member countries with varying backgrounds. The participants will include members of local human rights organisations, academics, journalists and other members of civil society involved in human rights issues.

As Asean officials recently formed the Asean Inter-Governmental Commission of Human Rights, this project will focus on the civic role in monitoring and reporting abuses and protecting the community by exploring the work of similar citizen and non-profit organisations in the US. The Human Rights programme was designed with the following objectives:

To increase understanding of human rights and civil rights issues in US domestic and foreign policy; to examine the role and work of organisations which monitor international and domestic human rights issues; to explore the work of grassroots organizations which seek to influence human rights policy at the international, national, state and local levels; to encourage international cooperation in protecting human rights; to gain an appreciation for US ethnic, cultural and religious diversity and its contribution to US society and political system.

The programme will take participants to a total of five cities in the US. The programme will start in Washington DC (Oct 31- Nov 7) with an overview of the programme themes, role of think-tanks in examining human rights as a foreign policy concern, multilateral and international institutions, role of non-governmental organisations in defending human and civil rights. In Washington DC, participants will have the opportunity to tour the city and enjoy true American hospitality with American host families.
After Washington DC, participants will move to New York City (Nov 7-11), where they will observe international human rights advocacy through NGOs, the United Nations and news media and end with tour of the city and cultural event.

From November 11-14, participants will travel to the mid-west, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the group will observe academic training in the field of human rights, visit civil rights memorial and community centres and observe human rights advocacy at the local level.

From November 14-17, participants will travel to southern state of Alabama, where they will learn more about the history of the civil rights movement, visit regional civil rights institutions and meet with state government leaders on protecting civil rights.

The final city stop will be San Francisco, California from November 17-21 where participants will observe city government and human rights protections, meet with non-profit advocacy for at-risk groups (youths, differentlyabled). There will be a final wrap-up session and tour of the city before the programme formally ends.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment