IVLP Highlight: Human and Civil Rights for Marginalized Communities I | Multi-Regional

In late-April, Global Ties San Francisco collaborated with World Learning and the Office of International Visitors at the U.S. Department of State to implement the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) multi-regional project Human and Civil Rights for Marginalized Communities I for Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Burma, Egypt, France, Haiti, India, Israel, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Nepal, Peru, Poland, Rwanda, Spain, Suriname, Taiwan, and Uganda.

Our 21 international human rights advocates, activists, government officials, and NGO leaders explored creative approaches to celebrate diversity, promote inclusive public attitudes, address sensitive issues by working across institutional lines, and expand collaborative networks.

The professional engagements we arranged in San Francisco and Oakland fostered cross-cultural dialogue between diverse human rights practitioners, centering on inclusive approaches to social services for immigrant, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized populations; local government policies for gender, racial, and economic equity; and methods to prevent and address human rights violations.

Through a half-day workshop led by Mr. Ilir Zherka, Chief Executive Officer of Civica, participants shared personal advocacy stories and evaluated models of effective multi-stakeholder engagement, highlighting the impact of alliances across government, civil society, and the private sector in addressing mutual issues of interest. (Read Ilir’s firsthand experience here!)

This exchange helped pave the way for future international collaboration toward collective social justice and human rights for diverse and underrepresented communities.