Alumni take a group photo during their YES Human Rights Campaign training. 

Every year on December 10th, the world celebrates the United Nations General Assembly's proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For this special occassion, alumni in Gaza organized the YES Human Rights Campaign. The Campaign had two phases, starting with a twenty-hour intensive human rights training in partnership with the Network of Human Rights Defenders in Gaza. The second phase involved a full day event for alumni to share their knowledge of human rights with high school students.

The training commenced on December 11^th and lasted for three days ending on December 13th. During this time, the trainers and alumni discussed the definition of human rights as “inalienable and fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being,” and highlighted the history, philosophy and classification of human rights. Discussions continued with how human rights are protected by national and international law. Moreover, trainers presented on the function of the International Criminal Court, and its reponsiblity for hearing cases of violation of international humanitarian law brought by countries throughout the world.

After the training, alumni went on to present what they learned by organizing an event with students from the U.S. Department of State funded English Access Micro-scholarship program. There were 50 participants - 25 males and 25 females – and the event included ice breaking activities, presentations on human rights, group work and discussions related to human rights. The campaign was a great success!