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Being an ICLD mentor

11 November, 2020

Mentors play a crucial role in ICLD’s International Training Programmes (ITPs). They offer support to participating teams on their change projects and provide valuable experience and knowledge within a particular field and context. Here is what one of our mentors had to share about being a mentor for a training programme.

Mariia Tyshchenko is one of our mentor in the local governance with a rights based approach programme, working with participants from Georgia and Ukraine . Mariia is an expert in social cohesion and integration of gender and diversity issues into social-economic activities. She has spent over 15 years working with the promotion of equal rights and has worked with gender experts at UN Women. We asked her a few questions about her work as a mentor:

Why are you a mentor in the Local Governance with a Rights Based Approach training programme?

‘I am inspired by the opportunity to guide people along the path of getting involved in life issues and in decisions that impact upon their lives, their communities and their futures’.

What is the biggest challenge for municipalities when it comes to ensuring Human Rights for all citizens?

Mariia believes that municipalities have a task to reach out to involve more people and develop a like-minded community. The progress in ensuring human rights for all will have to be accompanied by ‘a good process that encompasses, adequate funding, persistence, learning, adaptation, efficiency, transparency, and accountability’.

How can this programme raise awareness of the rights to demand Equity, Participation, Transparency and Accountability for all citizens?

‘The programme will strengthen local government capacity and support for the equitable treatment of citizens. Through this programme we are working on building collaborations between citizens and government to ensure that the priorities and feedback of beneficiaries will help government officials provide better services’.