Colombia – Province of Colombia-Bogota hosts formation course in advocacy and human rights

The Salesian St Peter Claver Province of Colombia-Bogota hosted the first formation course in Advocacy and Human Rights, with the aim of learning about advocacy strategies in the light of the human rights-based approach and starting from the work that is carried out in the scenarios and areas in which the Salesians operate. During the course, the advocacy methodologies used internationally by the Congregation were discussed, especially at the United Nations and in the European Union.

The meeting, held on 22 and 23 August, brought together 20 participants, including the Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, Fr John Fredy Hernández, the Provincial Economer, Fr Rafael Andrés Lasso, and the lay people of the Province responsible for the preferential option works. The members of the Provincial Commission for Human Rights in the Salesian San Luis Beltrán” Province of Colombia-Medellín, coordinated by Salesian Broher Juan Carlos Echavarría, and the Youth Ministry Coordinators for the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in the Provinces of Nieves and Chiquinquirá, Sister Magda Cruz and Sister Diana Castillo, also participated.

This course was the result of the motivation and proposal of the Youth Ministry Sector, thanks to the General Councillor for Youth Ministry, Fr Miguel Angel García Morcuende, and the Reference person for Social Works and Services in the Sector for Youth Ministry, Fr Rafael Bejarano. The work of the two days was facilitated by Barbara Terenzi, Coordinator of the Human Rights and Advocacy Office  for the Salesian International Volunteering for Development (VIS) NGO, with the special participation of Sara Sechi, Executive Secretary of on Bosco International.

The course ended with identifying the actions to be followed for the development of a project proposal based on an approach to human rights in the works and social services of the Provinces and with the firm intention of establishing a development path for a network that permits achieving greater political influence in the areas where the Salesian mission takes place.

Source: Salesian Province of Bogotà – InfoANS