5 March 2014 - To assist in protecting human rights in the community, UNMISS and the state government launched clubs in four secondary schools today in Aweil, Northern Bahr El-Ghazal State.

“The purpose of these human rights clubs is to engage you in human rights debates and equip you with some knowledge and understanding of human rights,” UNMISS Human Rights Team Leader Yishak Tefferi said at the opening session in Salva Kiir Girls Secondary School.

What they learned could be applied at school as well as with friends, colleagues, peers, their families, communities and the country at large, Mr. Tefferi said.

“We are doing this because we believe that you are the hope … the future leaders of this country,” he added.

Yel Akot Chan, Director of Planning and Budgeting in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, which supported the launch, urged UNMISS to form clubs in all state schools, including primary ones.

“The launching of this programme will help students in secondary school to spread the spirit of humanity and rights,” he said.

Human rights clubs were launched in Aweil National, Salva Kiir Girls, Saint Maria and Akol Kuol secondary schools.