Staffing the programme
Working for a support programme for human rights defenders can be challenging, but also enormously rewarding and fulfilling. Many schemes have a coordinator or similar role which is a unique position within any university, as it forms a bridge between the university and civil society globally and manages the day-to-day support for human rights defenders. It is also a post that requires a particular skill set.
“When universities protect human rights defenders they give them unlimited options for growth and, sometimes, a different space from which to defend human rights and democracy. When I left activism some years back, I was completely drained. I didn’t want to be a human rights defender again, I was burnt out! Eventually, I found my way back to university, still wanting nothing to do with being an activist. I thought of the university as a place for further disengagement, at least emotionally, from my activist work. However, in light of the shrinking democratic spaces and threatened freedoms, including those of academics, I inevitably found myself working on human rights again. But this time from a university, hosting defenders and doing other work to protect those who struggle to defend human rights and democracy in Africa”
Running a programme is resource intensive and core staffing needs should not be underestimated or undervalued. Funding proposals should reflect the time and effort required to undertake this work, and be transparent about the resources needed to run programmes effectively.
Schemes may need full-time or part-time core staff, or both, and perhaps additional staff input at key times. How many staff you need will depend on the number of people on the programme as well as how much support you can rely on, for example from academic staff who might take a mentoring or similar role, and other staff and services in the university e.g. human resources, fundraising, finance, legal, counselling.
Pressures on programme staff can also be eased by enlisting the help of community and civil society organisations, and volunteers. Examples of how a local NGO provides social support to the University of Deusto, and of how volunteers have set up a ‘Friends scheme’ at the University of York, are outlined later in the Guidelines in the section on Social Support (ADD LINK).
Importantly, support for the staff administering the programme and any volunteers assisting with defenders should be provided. The Barcelona Guidelines on wellbeing and temporary relocation emphasise that staff working on relocation programmes may suffer in terms of their own wellbeing.
Finally, the work of programme staff should be recognised as a unique and sometimes challenging contribution to the university through appropriate pay, training, psycho-social support and commendation..
More information
‘Allocate responsibility for managing provision of practical support’ and ‘Map existing support for refugee and at-risk academics’ in CARA’s Supporting persecuted academics: A guide for higher education institutions (pages 24 to 29).