From August 19 to 24, CCIG conducted a set of online “Training of Trainers” (ToT) in partnership with Good Shepherd International Foundation (GSIF), GSIF Nepal and Opportunity Village Nepal (OVN). The online training course consisted of three modules focusing on the protection of human rights against human trafficking and other abuses against women and girls in Nepal. Around 20 participants engaged in the training, including social workers, psychosocial counselors, project officers, safe-home in-charges, community outreach and social mobilization workers, child protection officers, as well as management and administrative staff.

This training is part of the broader project, “Fighting human trafficking and exploitation of women and girls in Nepal through the UN Human Rights Council and Universal Periodic Review”, which aims to fight human trafficking and exploitation of women and girls in Nepal by reinforcing local capacities for human rights international advocacy in the framework of Geneva-based UN bodies, in particular the Human Rights Council (HRC) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Started in August 2026, this project will continue throughout January 2027, with the support of Ville de Geneve.  

Through it, the CCIG hopes to foster human rights awareness at a community level and international level. Local civil society’s engagement in Nepal is crucial in highlighting the voices of the most vulnerable populations, specifically women and girls. CCIG holds importance to the continuation of strengthening the capacity of local leaders to voice their concerns about pressing issues in their communities. 

Accordingly, the primary goal of the online training course was to enable local and international civil society actors to gain an enhanced understanding of the UN system for the promotion and protection of Human Rights, in particular children’s rights, and effectively utilize the mechanisms available to them.The training consisted of three modules of two hours each. 

In Module I, participants were introduced to the UN mechanisms for the protection of human rights, with emphasis on the Human Rights Council, exploring the added value of the engagement of local NGOs in the field of international advocacy. Module II focused on the follow up on the UPR of Nepal specifically ensuring that the recommendations of human rights mechanisms are implemented on the ground and ultimately make a positive difference in the lives of rights holders. Finally, Module III introduced Special Procedures through independent human rights experts mandated by the HRC to report and advise human rights situations. Each Training module presented the opportunities for NGO participation in relevant UN mechanisms and provided examples of possible advocacy activities by local civil society actors to be undertaken at the international level, with the participation of children. Accordingly, through these online sessions, local trainers and educators prepared to create participatory learning spaces for adolescent girls to reflect on their rights and priorities, specifically in relation to trafficking and exploitation. 

Training participants will engage in the upcoming project activities, ranging from local human rights sensitization to capacity building and local and international advocacy. Specific actions will include participatory workshops with girls and young women in Nepal, circulation of UPR outcomes at the local level and delivery of oral statements in the UN Human Rights Council. 

CCIG is looking forward to seeing the results and impact of this project and encouraging local girls and women survivors of trafficking and exploitation to engage in international spaces.