UNITAR, in line with the framework set by the UN Secretary-General, engages in various activities aimed at establishing and strengthening the rule of law at the national, regional and international levels. To this extent, UNITAR develops and implements capacity-building initiatives for the benefit of Member States, institutions and key actors at all levels with the aim of enhancing a worldwide compliance to international principles, norms and standards while advancing a culture of peace, democracy, justice and respect of human rights.

In the midst of its initiatives, UNITAR learning services and products aim at assisting societies devastated by conflict or emerging from repressive rule to re-establish the rule of law and come to terms with large-scale violations of human rights. UNITAR offers a variety of training activities related to transitional justice and human rights, in order to ensure accountability, serve justice and achieve reconciliation. Particular emphasis is dedicated to the range of factors embedded in these fields: addressing root causes of conflicts; ensuring accountability for human rights (civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights); preventing discrimination of vulnerable groups (such as minorities, women, and children); and reinforcing good governance within institutions, as well as judiciary and security sectors.

Courses

• Rule of law
• National human rights institutions and the international human rights system
• Elections and voting as instruments of governance
• Electoral legal and regulatory frameworks
• Electoral management bodies
• Electoral systems and managing representation
• Understanding and managing boundary delimitations
• Political parties, campaigns and political finance
• Electoral planning and budgeting
• Voter registration and identification systems
• Electoral operations
• Marginalised electorates and special voting programmes
• Elections and technology
• Civic and voter education
• Media and elections
• Electoral integrity and malpractice
• Electoral security and conflict prevention
• Electoral justice systems
• Electoral observation, evaluation and validation
• Policy advice and electoral reform
• Modern direct democracy