E.MA students in Kosovo for field trip

As per tradition and in keeping with the action- and policy-oriented approach of the E.MA Programme, masterini are currently in Kosovo for their annual Field Trip.

Often defined by students themselves as "an eye-opener" or "a reality check", this field training aims at providing deeper insights into the practical tasks, difficulties, and expectations faced on a daily basis by human rights officers in the field, and to get a better understanding of the concrete situation in a post-conflict country.

Before their departure to Kosovo students attended a full week of specific lectures and workshops on Field Mission and Practical Human Rights Work by eminent specialists like:

• Prof. Manfred Nowak (University of Vienna, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture), 
• Mr. Bill O’Neill (Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum, Director), 
• Dr. Victor Bojkov (DG Enlargement of the European Commission; University of Bologna), 
• Ms Bea Ferenci (OHCHR Gaza, formerly OHCHR Nepal and OSCE Kosovo),
• Ms Renate Frech (formerly UNHCR and OHCHR Kyrgyzstan).

The academic responsible for the Field Trip is Prof. Marijana Grandits (University of Vienna).

The programme of this year includes visits to EULEX, IOM, OHCHR, UNHCR, UNMIK, UNDP, OSCE Mission to Kosovo, Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims, Kosovo Judicial Centre, Centre for Gender Research and Training, Kosovar Civil Society Foundation and several local NGO.

The Field Trip is a trademark of the E.MA Programme and has been organised since 1998, first in Bosnia and Herzegovina and then in Kosovo for the past nine years.

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