The widows of Kandhamal

• 1 copy per participant of each of the two handouts – ‘The widows of Kandhamal’ and the ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ (UDHR).
• 1 copy of the annotated facilitators version of the text.
• Ordinary pens.
• Flip chart sheet and marker pen.

Find the blog text, annotated version and UDHR at www.forb-learning.org/exercises/kandhamal.

Explain to participants that they are going to do an exercise which helps us to reflect on the relationship between freedom of religion or belief and other rights. Give each person a copy of the blog text and of the UDHR and a pen.

READ AND THINK (20 min)

Ask participants to spend 20 minutes in silence, reading the UDHR and then reading the article. Whenever they come across something they think is a rights violation ask them to underline it and write the number of the article they think is being violated next to it.

BUZZ GROUPS (15 min)

Divide participants into buzz groups of three and ask them to share their thoughts with each other.

PLENARY FEEDBACK (20 min)
Ask one group for two examples of articles of the UDHR they thought had been violated and how. Note the articles on a flip chart sheet. Ask another group for two examples and continue with other groups until the groups have nothing more to add. Referring to the annotated facilitator’s version of the article, mention any examples they have missed.

Ask the group for their reflections on the exercise – what struck them? Try to draw out points about the interrelated and interdependent nature of human rights from their answers. Conclude with the following question: Can we promote FORB effectively without promoting human rights as a whole?

Thank participants for their engagement. If the exercise has left a heavy feeling in the group, share a positive story to encourage them that change is possible even in difficult circumstances!

Think of an inspirational story from your context or share inspiration from the ‘changemaker stories’.