On our A-game for the human rights-based approach

In May 2018, NIRAS started an exciting journey together with the European Commission ‒ to work actively to better understand and implement a human rights-based approach (HRBA) and gender mainstreaming in EU projects, addressing power imbalances and ensuring interventions reach the most marginalized segments of the population. In establishing the so-called Support Facility to the EU and its delegations around the globe, NIRAS brought together a team of seven highly qualified experts, led by Dr Saskia Ravesloot, a senior expert on human rights and gender equality. The team is equipped with specific skills and capacities in human rights, democracy and gender equality and work closely with the European Commission department on International Partnerships, and particularly the unit working with Human Development, Migration, Governance and Peace on a daily basis. Their tasks focus on three main areas: they review action documents describing the EC’s goals and ambitions for their interventions and projects; they provide training and capacity building on how to apply HBRA and tackle gender mainstreaming; and they assist with knowledge management ensuring institutional capacity as well as the capacity of individuals is strengthened.

Team Leader Saskia Ravesloot (R) and Madalena Moita (R)

Spotlight on training and capacity-building

In pre-Covid times, the Facility organised multiple face-to-face trainings for EU Delegations. The team members went on missions to 16 Delegations in Africa (Angola, Burundi, Chad, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zimbabwe), Asia (Nepal) and Latin America (Guatemala and Haiti). During these visits they trained 460 EU staff members how to apply and use HRBA and implement gender mainstreaming. These trainings generally followed the same structure: a first kick-off management meeting on Monday morning and an awareness-raising session in the afternoon, followed by two days of training on HRBA and gender mainstreaming. The in-person trainings allowed for tailor-made technical support during the two last days of the week. These trainings garnered a lot of positive attention and an added value came from the cross-fertilisation and exchange of experiences and best practices between participants.

On occasion of training missions, the team had the opportunity to organise unique workshops and seminars with other stakeholders. For example in Guatemala, an additional 80 participants were invited to join a unique constructive dialogue with Civil Society Organisations for the integration of HRBA and gender mainstreaming in EU programming in the country. The facility also organised two live events in Brussels on HRBA, gathering more than 100 Gender Focal Points from all-over the globe. Multiple sessions have also been held for EU staff at headquarters in Brussels, for example during a thematic event on infrastructure.

During the pandemic, the team prepared and hosted six webinars on COVID-19 from a gender equality and human rights perspective, which 321 people attended.

Given the persistence of the COVID-19 situation, the Facility has not been able to return to the partner countries for further capacity building and training activities. As a result the team members’ creativity has had to shift towards the development of online training sessions. Since March 2020, the trainers have been happy to connect with more than 302 participants over 16 trainings, involving 19 EU Delegations. The Facility is now developing a self-paced course on HRBA to share the message with a larger audience, beyond just EU staff members.