26 lawyers from Belarus gathered in Vilnius for a regional kick-off seminar, as similar seminars were taking place in three more states – Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Russian Federation. The four states had been selected for further participation in the project of HRH Network. The participating lawyers are going to take a one-year special course in human rights, international and constitutional law, without having to leave their countries or even working places. The skills are expected to be helpful for their further practices.

The main focus of the course, including both theoretical and practical parts, is applying the concept of human rights and international legal standards for practical advocacy, whether domestically or internationally, e.g. in the European Human Rights Court or the UN Human Rights Committee.

Empowering  
The educational capacities are provided by a special online technology for distance learning called Moodle. It is functioning effectively in the European Humanities University (EHU), a Belarusian higher school reopened in exile in Lithuania after its closure in Belarus, making distance learning for students possible.

Now it is also used for empowering Belarusian lawyers; they spent a whole day of the kick-off meeting to get familiarized with the technology kindly shared by the EHU as a project partner.

The lawyers also took part in thematic discussions with international law experts who shared their experience on defending human rights at the European Court and other international mechanisms.

Stage I: intensive courses  
After leaving Vilnius, the participants are going to obtain all the information they need from an E-library which was created especially for the project. Along with obligatory tutorials, it contains extra sources on human rights for lawyers and human rights defenders.

As early as in March this year, the next stage of the program is beginning: the participants are about to take five intensive training courses right from home or a working place.

Developed by international human rights experts, the courses constitute the first stage of the distance learning. They focus on law spheres like law history, law philosophy and trends; basic concepts, principles and institutions of the international law in human rights; the implementation of international human rights standards in the national legal systems; constitutional human rights protection system; human rights and international humanitarian law.

Stage II: new horizons 
After five months of studies, 5 or 6 best “students” will be selected for the second stage of distance learning and participation in two international conferences in Vilnius this year.

Alongside improving human rights awareness, the launched program is supposed to bring about more networking among the participants, both inside each country and, on a wider scale, among four participant countries, of whom three happen to be members of the EU’s Eastern Partnership program.

It provides the participants with additional opportunities of representing their own country and gaining useful contacts abroad, in addition to professional bonuses and the program completion certificate. It goes without saying, how important it is for sooner integration of participant countries like Belarus into international human rights protection mechanisms.