Faith for Rights: Empowering Faith Community Leaders to Protect Human Rights



Overview

This course is ideal for both students and practitioners, for those who are religious leaders or working towards it, leaders within worldview organisations and faith-based humanitarian and charitable organisations, community organisers, those working with diverse communities, faith-based NGO workers, those working in the field with development or intergovernmental human rights or humanitarian agencies, theologians, and anyone interested in the intersection of faith and human rights. 

Whether you are looking to deepen your understanding or lead change, this course provides an enriching platform to explore and strengthen the synergy between faith and rights, leveraging religious and worldview teachings to advocate for universal human rights principles.

 

Key Features of the Course:

Deep Engagement with the Faith for Rights Framework: Participants will immerse themselves in the Faith for Rights framework, developed under the auspices of the United Nations, in conjunction with those who have designed and are delivering the course. Faith for Rights is based on 18 commitments with core principles of major world religions and belief systems to uphold human dignity and justice.

Practical Tools and Skills Development: Participants will acquire practical tools and skills necessary for effectively leading promoting human rights within their communities. The course coordinator has worked for over 30 years in community development, human rights and conflict prevention and will include additional video material from faith for rights / human rights experts.

Project Design and Implementation: Each participant will have the opportunity to design and plan a Faith for Rights project tailored to their community's needs.

 

What You Will Gain:

A comprehensive understanding of Human Rights: Enhance your knowledge of global human rights issues and how they intersect with faith-based teachings and practices.

Areas covered: The modules in this course will explore contemporary human rights issues where they interact with faith and belief communities including minority rights, gender and faith / belief, conflict and peace, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Faith for Rights, conflict prevention and freedom of religion or belief.

Facilitation and Leadership Skills: This course will outline the tools needed to facilitate discussions, develop and lead community projects, and promote peace and tolerance across diverse groups.

Programme details

Course begins: 1 Oct 2024

Week 1: Introduction to Faith for Rights and it’s role in promoting Freedom of Conscience

Week 2: Religious or Belief Pluralism

Week 3: Religion, Faith, Belief and Gender Equality

Week 4: Minority Rights and Good Community Relations

Week 5: Countering Incitement to Hatred and Reducing Community Tensions

Week 6: Impartiality in delivering faith based services

Week 7: Ethical and Spiritual Leverage

Week 8:  Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Week 9:  SDGs and Faith for Rights - Environment and Sustainability

Week 10: Developing Faith for Rights in our community

Certification

Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points 

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee for each course you enrol on. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. If you do not register when you enrol, you have up until the course start date to register and pay the £30 fee. 

See more information on CATS point

Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework, but only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education, you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee. 

 

Digital credentials

All students who pass their final assignment, whether registered for credit or not, will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Rev Rabbi Alex Goldberg

Rabbi Alex Goldberg is a barrister, chaplain, and human rights expert. He is currently the Dean of Religious Life and Belief at the University of Surrey. He is the only Rabbi within this role in Europe. He continues to work on a number of international and UK-based community relations and community development projects and is the Rabbi to a growing Jewish community connected to the University of Surrey. Alex is a contributor to BBC Radio 2's Pause For Thought and was a member of the BBC's Religion and Ethics Conference.

He chairs the English Football Association's Faith Network; founded the human rights group René Cassi; and is an advisory member of the UK’s Religion Media Centre and Centre for Britain and Europe.

He was founding chair of Faiths Forum for London and the Mayor of London's Faith Conference. He led a delegation to the UN Human Rights Council for over a decade where he successfully changed international law in relation to group access to justice. In 2012, he was an Olympic and Paralympic Chaplain.

Course aims

Course aim: To develop a deep understanding of the Faith for Rights framework as developed in conjunction with the United Nations and how it enhances the capabilities of individual faith and belief leaders in advocating for human rights through religious teachings and peer-to-peer learning methodologies and other practical mechanisms.

Course objectives: 

  1. Deepen Understanding of Human Rights in Faith Contexts: Participants will gain foundational knowledge of the Faith for Rights framework, explore the principles of freedom of conscience, ethical leverage and ipartiality and understand religious teachings on human rights issues like gender equality, minority rights, and environmental sustainability.

  2. Develop Facilitation and Conflict Resolution Skills: Learn how to develop strategies for conflict prevention and peacebuilding within diverse communities through a Faith for Rights framework.

  3. Apply Knowledge through Practical Engagement: Learn from role play, scenarios and case studies how to develop actionable faith-based strategies to address contemporary issues at a communal, national or international level.

Teaching methods

1. Interactive Lectures

2. Peer-to-Peer Learning

3. Case Studies

4. Role-Playing and Simulations

5. Workshops and Hands-On Activities

6. Group Discussions

7. Feedback and Reflection Sessions

8. Capstone Projects

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1. Gain comprehensive Understanding of the Faith for Rights Framework

Participants will understand the Faith for Rights framework and its 18 commitments in depth.
They will be able to articulate how these commitments intersect with universal human rights principles and religious teachings.

2. Ability to Apply Religious and Worldview Teachings to Human Rights Advocacy

Participants will be skilled in interpreting and utilizing religious texts and teachings to support and advocate for human rights within their communities.
They will demonstrate how to align religious practices with the protection and promotion of human rights.

3. Skills in Facilitating Diverse and Inclusive Dialogues

Participants will be adept at managing and encouraging inclusive and respectful dialogues among diverse groups.

4. Proficiency in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding

Participants will learn techniques for conflict prevention and resolution, applying these skills to foster peace within their communities. They will understand the role of religious leaders in mediating conflicts and promoting coexistence.

5. Development of Practical Projects on Human Rights and Faith

Participants will design and implement capstone projects that apply Faith for Rights principles to real-world issues, demonstrating their ability to translate theory into practice.
They will showcase their projects, reflecting on the challenges and successes of their implementation.

6. Enhanced Leadership and Advocacy Skills

Participants will emerge as confident leaders and advocates for human rights in their faith communities.
They will possess the skills to engage with both religious and civic institutions to promote human rights and social justice.

7. Knowledge of Gender and Minority Rights within Religious Contexts

Participants will understand the specific challenges faced by women, girls, and minority groups within religious contexts and will develop strategies to advocate for these rights.
They will be equipped to challenge and transform discriminatory practices and beliefs through informed dialogue and advocacy.

8. Integration of Sustainable Development Goals with Faith Initiatives

Participants will learn how to integrate environmental stewardship and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their religious and community activities.
They will develop actionable strategies that use faith-based motivations to promote environmental sustainability and other SDGs.

Assessment methods

Participants will be asked to design a Faith for Rights project addressing a specific human rights issue in a particular community or situation, utilising principles and methodologies from class. This includes understanding the Faith for Rights framework, faith/ belief/ worldview concepts, and human rights, demonstrating creativity and project feasibility. A 500-word project outline will comprise the formative assessment submitted halfway through the course, and a detailed final report for summative assessment of up to 1500 words will be submitted at the end of the course. The assessment will include a detailed proposal with community analysis and project design, and an implementation strategy with an action plan.

 

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

We will close for enrolments 14 days prior to the start date to allow us to complete the course set up. We will email you at that time (14 days before the course begins) with further information and joining instructions. As always, students will want to check spam and junk folders during this period to ensure that these emails are received.

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support