OSCE holds course on international protection of human rights in Turkmenistan
ASHGABAT, 2 December 2011 – More than 30 students at the Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan attended an OSCE-organized course on human rights and international relations that concluded in Ashgabat today.
The course featured lectures on international relations and human rights in the world as well as on the international system for the protection of human rights. It also focused on how the international protection of human rights responds to the needs of particular groups of people essentially identified by their relative vulnerability.
Students discussed the interconnection between different human rights and explored the interdependence between human rights, peace and security, economic and social development as well as international diplomacy and the negotiations process. Short articles from the press and case studies served as illustrations to the issues discussed.
“Early warning and conflict prevention are among the OSCE’s primary objectives. Promoting respect for human rights, especially those of people representing vulnerable groups, is crucial for eliminating any threats at the early stage to avoid conflicts caused by violation of their rights,” said Ambassador Sergei Belyaev, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.
“In today’s world, knowledge of and familiarity with human rights – norms, systems and issues – is a requirement for the effective conduct of international relations,” added John Packer, Professor of International Law in the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom, who led the course.
“It is good to see young scholars and future professionals engaging actively with this subject. This will benefit Turkmenistan in the future, at home and abroad.”
The five-day course is organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the Institute of International Relations.
The event is part of the activities implemented by the Centre to promote education in different aspects of the human dimension.