345 graduate from International Human Rights Law Certificate course

Three hundred and forty-five persons graduated on Saturday from the Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Ministry’s International Human Rights Law Certificate Course, with Minister Gail Teixeira emphasising the importance of applying human rights principles in professional and public life.
Addressing the graduates, Teixeira said the course was intended to deepen participants’ understanding of human rights and anti-corruption, particularly among Public Sector employees and persons working in sensitive areas such as law enforcement.
She disclosed that 83 per cent of participants were from the Public Sector, while 13.2 per cent came from the private sector and 2.9 per cent from civil society.
“We have to educate people in their jobs, their careers, and particularly sensitive areas like law enforcement, which is always sensitive in how they are perceived by the press, by the media, and by the public, and if they are carrying out their lawful responsibilities,” the Minister said.
She added that an important outcome of the programme was that participants should leave with a greater appreciation and knowledge of human rights and anti-corruption.
Teixeira also highlighted the growing demand for the course, revealing that the Ministry had received approximately 2000 applications this year, exceeding its expectations.
She said that when the programme was being planned, officials had anticipated that about 50 persons would apply. The Ministry had previously received around 1000 applications in each of two consecutive years.
The Minister said efforts had also been made to encourage participation from other Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries by inviting nominations for virtual attendance, although the Ministry had received no response.
Reflecting on the broader significance of human rights, Teixeira told the graduates that Governments, institutions and civil society organisations could change over time, but individuals remained central to the protection of rights.
“Governments come and go, institutions come and go, civil society comes and goes, but the individual remains,” she said.
She encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained through the course in their respective careers and communities, noting that human rights must remain focused on the individual.
“Human rights is about the individual,” Teixeira said.
The Minister also addressed the implications of rapid technological development, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), and the need to ensure that emerging technologies are used responsibly.
She said technological progress should be directed towards improving people’s lives and addressing challenges such as climate change, while maintaining a human rights-based approach.
According to Teixeira, the course examines both the potential benefits of AI and the dangers associated with its use, issues that Governments and international organisations are increasingly being called upon to address.
The programme also covers the relationship between human rights and contemporary social and governance issues, extending beyond the study of legislation to consider how rights are protected and applied in practice.
In October 2025, Guyana Times reported that the course’s 2025 cohort, like the inaugural 2024 batch, had a strong female majority, with women accounting for approximately two-thirds of participants.
At the time, Teixeira said the participation pattern highlighted the need to encourage greater male involvement in governance and human rights programmes, particularly given the importance of addressing violence against women and children and violence across society.
She had also disclosed that participants came from all 10 Administrative Regions, with representation from both coastal and hinterland communities.
The Ministry had further indicated that participants entered the programme with varying educational qualifications, ranging from secondary-level education to postgraduate qualifications, stressing that the emphasis was on learning and the ability to apply the knowledge gained.