The SHUREA project improved capacity in partner countries to conduct human rights research and provide research-based teaching in human rights.

Key information

Strengthening Human Rights Research and Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (SHUREA)

Project Budget: €539 749 with MFA funding, total project budget €674 686
Project Duration: 1.3.2017–30.3.2020 
Coordinating Institution: Åbo Akademi University, Finland
Partner Institution(s): University of Pretoria, South Africa; University of Nairobi, Kenya; Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; Makerere University, Uganda

Project description and Key Results

The SHUREA project aimed to improve capacity in project countries to conduct human rights research and provide research-based teaching in human rights of high standard and relevance for societal development processes. The aim of the collaboration was to find ways and means to institutionalise the joint PhD training in human rights and to make it a permanent feature in the cooperation between the partner institutions. In addition, the SHUREA project aimed at reaching out beyond the academic community to different stakeholders engaged in societal development processes.

Each partner institution had a high level of commitment and proactive involvement in human rights research and policy development, as a result of which the formation and synergy of the network was/is considered exemplary.

The SHUREA project had a strong focus on strengthening doctoral training and research in human rights. According to the partner universities and self-assessment of the doctoral candidates, quality of their output has improved owing to their participation in the AfriDoors conferences and mobility programmes under the project. The project has also enhanced the positive impact of the research in societal decision and policymaking in Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya. The clear strength of the project lay/was in capacitating doctoral students in international context providing networking opportunities, mobility and peer review for articles.

SHUREA was successful in establishing links with non-academic stakeholders working in the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the governments, lawyers, persons working indifferent United Nations and African Union agencies as well as in civil society organisations. More than 3400 East-African stakeholders were reached through the various stakeholder workshops in the partner countries.

See SHUREA's website