Human Rights for All: Strengthening the Civic Space through Cooperation and Education

Strengthening civil society and defending human rights in Slovakia require a more comprehensive approach than isolated advocacy efforts by individual human rights actors. Civil society organizations need more appropriate human rights education, that is, opportunities for professional development, the exchange of experiences, cross-sector and cross-thematic collaboration, and capacity-building. Human rights organizations and initiatives need spaces where they can find answers to current challenges, share practical tools and methodologies, strengthen their internal capacities, and build or develop regional networks.

At the same time, it is important to give diverse individuals and groups the opportunity to learn about the work, membership, and expertise of these organizations, and to acquire the knowledge and skills that will enable them to join the ranks of human rights defenders, whether within existing organizations or through their own initiatives, and to engage in the activities of networks in the sector. There is also a growing need to raise awareness of human rights among the general public and various vulnerable groups, so that they understand these rights and become involved in protecting them. It is therefore necessary to develop widely accessible and inclusive activities that connect civil society organizations, experts, activists, journalists, students, and the general public.

The project aims to address these challenges and ensure that:

• young people have the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of human rights and become active, participate in the activities of human rights organizations and their networks, or serve as advocates and multipliers
• human rights organizations and experts have the opportunity to educate, meet, and present their work to the general public
• students have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the work of human rights organizations and seek ways to present it to the public
• human rights organizations jointly communicate to the general public the importance of human rights, the challenges they face, and what needs to be done to improve the situation in Slovakia
• human rights organizations cooperate more intensively
• various disadvantaged groups have more opportunities to participate in the activities of human rights organizations

To achieve these goals, the project will implement the following activities:

• Human Rights School: a 5-day school bringing together human rights organizations, activists, trainers, young people, and specifically people from disadvantaged groups. The school will provide a space for education, skill development, and the exchange of experiences.
• Human Rights Conference: a 3-day conference held on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, focused on fostering public discussion, addressing human rights education, and strengthening connections between civil society organizations and the broader public.
• Podcast series: a series of podcasts produced by students in collaboration with human rights organizations.
• Awareness campaign: a long-term campaign highlighting the activities of human rights organizations, addressing threats to human rights, attacks on human rights defenders, and efforts to curtail civic space, and providing information on solutions to various problems proposed by human rights organizations.

Organizations affiliated with the Human Rights Coalition will be involved in the planning of all activities. They will provide their expertise, serve as trainers, volunteer, and participate in the exchange of experiences and the project’s communication activities. The Human Rights Coalition was established in early 2025 and currently brings together 21 organizations, with plans to gradually expand to include others. The membership is diverse and includes, for example, organizations advocating for the rights of LGBTI+ people, Roma, homeless people, and women, as well as cultural institutions, community foundations, and informal groups. One of the outcomes of the project will be closer cooperation among human rights organizations.

Throughout its implementation, the project will ensure that representatives of various disadvantaged groups are involved in the activities and that all activities are inclusive and accessible to the widest possible public. The educational activities will provide participants, the general public, and specifically members of various vulnerable groups with the knowledge, skills, and information needed to become actively involved in the protection and promotion of human rights in Slovakia. The long-term organization of educational activities will form part of broader support initiatives that strengthen the human rights sector in Slovakia by making it easier for people from various segments of the population to join it.

All activities will also be organized in a way that minimizes negative impacts on the environment and climate.