Course Summary:

The Human Rights in the Field course by Magna Skills is a practical, hands-on training programme designed to equip professionals working in government institutions, NGOs, humanitarian agencies, and development projects with the skills to apply human rights principles in real-world field environments.

Unlike purely theoretical human rights courses, this programme focuses on operational realities—including field missions, community engagement, monitoring and reporting, protection of vulnerable groups, conflict-sensitive programming, and ethical decision-making under pressure. Participants will gain practical tools to identify human rights risks, respond to violations, and integrate a human rights–based approach (HRBA) into projects, policies, and service delivery.

The course is tailored for African development contexts, drawing on regional case studies, donor requirements, and institutional realities faced by practitioners working in fragile, post-conflict, and resource-constrained environments.

Course Objectives:

• Understand and apply core human rights principles in field operations, programmes, and policies

• Identify human rights risks and violations during fieldwork, service delivery, and project implementation

• Apply a Human Rights–Based Approach (HRBA) to planning, monitoring, and evaluation

• Strengthen ethical decision-making and accountability when operating in sensitive or high-risk environments

• Develop practical strategies for protection, advocacy, documentation, and reporting of human rights issues

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Human Rights in Field Operations

• Overview of international and regional human rights frameworks

• Human rights obligations of states, NGOs, and development partners

• Roles and responsibilities of field practitioners

Module 2: Human Rights–Based Approach (HRBA) in Practice

• Principles of HRBA: participation, accountability, non-discrimination, transparency

• Integrating HRBA into programmes and service delivery

• Practical examples from NGO and government projects

Module 3: Identifying Human Rights Risks in the Field

• Early warning signs of rights violations

• Risk mapping in humanitarian and development settings

• Working in fragile, conflict, and post-conflict environments

Module 4: Protection of Vulnerable and Marginalised Groups

• Women, children, persons with disabilities, refugees, and minorities

• Gender, inclusion, and safeguarding principles

• Ethical engagement with communities

Module 5: Community Engagement and Participation

• Rights holders vs duty bearers

• Conducting community consultations ethically

• Managing power dynamics and expectations

Module 6: Monitoring, Documentation, and Reporting

• Collecting human rights information in the field

• Ethical documentation and data protection

• Writing credible human rights and field reports

Module 7: Responding to Human Rights Violations

• Immediate response mechanisms

• Referral pathways and coordination with authorities

• Working with legal, medical, and psychosocial services

Module 8: Human Rights, Security, and Staff Safety

• Operating safely in high-risk environments

• Balancing access, neutrality, and protection

• Security protocols and ethical dilemmas

Module 9: Accountability, Ethics, and Professional Conduct

• Codes of conduct and organisational accountability

• Preventing exploitation, abuse, and corruption

• Whistleblowing and internal reporting mechanisms

Module 10: Case Studies and Practical Field Scenarios

• Real-life African field case studies

• Group exercises and simulations

• Developing personal and organisational action plans