2022-2025
HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER STRATEGIC VISIONING
WE WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK ON: Is our strategic vision: clear, ambitious, and realistic?
What additional knowledge, skills, or resources will we require to achieve our strategic aims?
What are the critical constraints or limiting factors for achieving our goals?
If we were to become the enter we are planning to be by 2025, how would it be for you or your organization?
SUBMIT THROUGH EITHER: Commenting directly on the PDF
Sending an email to hrc@udayton.edu
BY MARCH 13, 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part 1: Why a new strategic vision now? Part 2: What was the strategic visioning process? Part 3: What is our strategic framework? Part 4: How do we adjust our current work? Part 5: How do we grow our vision?
UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 1
Part 1: Why a new strategic vision now?
1 The URGENCY
2 The PROMISE
This section sets up the urgency and the promise behind our new strategic vision, and the challenge of our identity today.
3 The CHALLENGE
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The URGENCY Human rights are being threatened by a series of foundational crisis, from rampant inequality, the persistence of structural racism and patriarchy, rising unaccountable corporate power and technology-driven capitalism and misinformation. The climate and health crises and increasing authoritarianism—even within formal democracies around the world—are acutely concerning. Moreover, the international human rights framework and institutions are being questioned by anti-rights alliances, political strongmen and fake news, with global implications. In this context, human rights are as important as ever, to secure dignity, peace and justice for all on a shared, healthy planet. UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 3
The PROMISE People around the globe are defending human rights in many different ways. They have risen up to demand social, cultural and economic rights, in the face of the socio-economic crisis of COVID-19. Anti-racist, women’s, indigenous, environmentalist and other movements are creating new grammars and practices of racial, social, gender and environmental justice. The interdependence of all rights – such as, rights to free media, to health, to science, to environment and to vote - has never been more apparent. And learning between the Global South and North flows more rapidly than ever before. New ways of organizing, campaigning, advocacy and activism are emerging, including through new technologies, social entrepreneurship, engineering and sciences. This makes it extremely relevant to discuss the social practice of human rights, to understand and promote insights, tools, mutual learning, active solidarity, and transformational advocacy to securing justice, peace and dignity for all. UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 4
The CHALLENGE As a private university in the Mid-West, UD has an institutional commitment to human rights, rooted in its Marianist values, vision and mission, and vocalized by its highest leaders, which provides the potential for interdisciplinary and university-wide engagement, as well as community-based work. It has also made a profound commitment to anti-racism and diversity, equity and inclusion. There are also challenges, particularly related to gender justice and sexual and reproductive rights, and the legacy of the role of the Catholic Church in colonization and the oppression of indigenous and black communities. The University is situated in a generally impoverished city, with a diverse racialized and polarized community. It also involves dependency on wealth accumulation and consumption embedded in the US economic system which is implicated in the creation of global inequities and catastrophic climate change. This is particularly relevant for the HRC, as this remains a challenge for the broader human rights ecosystem as well. UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 5
Part 2: What was the strategic visioning process? This section describes the mandate of the SV process from the HRC & UD leadership and the strategy process methodology.
Be bold and assume new resources
01
To guide future development of the Center and of the University's commitments to human rights, do not limit the strategic vision to existing resources or current institutional set-up.
Name specific priorities
02
To implement important priorities, choices will have to be made, funds will have to be raised, and UD will have to define its specific commitments and support to move forward.
Be experimental and participatory
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While maintaining an experimental and participatory character of the visioning process to allow learning, testing of proposed initiatives and adapting or strengthening the proposals of this planning should be continuous.
THE STRATEGIC VISIONING PROCESS Led by two experts in human rights and participatory design and research methods, the team developed a participatory and evidenced-based process that included:
2020
Review of existing documents
20 in depthinterviews
Survey with 105 respondents
Two workshops: 60 participants each
4 in-depth workshops with the HRC
2021
2022
Short version of strategic visioning for public comment
Review by Executive Advisory Committee
Long version of strategic visioning presentation
Interim report to receive feedback
HRC progresses to prototyping, adaptation and using iterative and creative methods to implement and modify based on learning UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 8
Dialogue with Executive Advisory Committee
THE PROCESS REDEFINED THE VISION AND MISSION OF THE HRC AND CREATED SPECIFIC PATHWAYS OF CHANGE TO REALIZE THEM AND OPTIMIZE IMPACT. UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 9
The VISION is broken down by the THEORY of CHANGE
The Mission & Strategy Map help achieve the Vision & Theory of Change
The MISSION is detailed through the STRATEGY MAP
Part 3: What is our strategic framework? This section presents the new HRC vision and mission, rooted in its understanding of social practice and theory of change (ToC).
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Highlight 1
Our understanding of the social practice of human rights
Highlight 2
Our vision and mission
Highlight 3
Our principles
Highlight 4
Our ecosystem
Highlight 5
Our strategic aims
Highlight 6
Our theory of change
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIAL PRACTICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS We believe human rights are constantly being shaped by the individual and collective efforts of many people. Through action, conversation, and reflection, human rights are realized in daily life. Grounded in universal, global norms, standards and agendas, the social practice of human rights approach complements traditional perspectives that situate human rights in formal institutions, or in the actions of experts, lawyers, and professional advocates. Our work focuses on discourses, dialogues and cultures to understand how human rights are protected, spread, experienced and given meaning through the practices of diverse communities.
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OUR VISION AND MISSION Vision: A diverse community developing transformational and sustainable social practices that address systemic injustice and advance peace, dignity and human rights. Mission: We advance human rights by conducting research-driven, participatory advocacy; educating future practitioners; and fostering inclusive and reflective dialogue and learning that promotes innovation and deepens impact. Inspired by our Catholic Marianist roots, we work through sustainable partnerships with human rights practitioners and justice organizations in Ohio, the United States and around the world.
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OUR PRINCIPLES Making the education-research-advocacy nexus central to all our practice — We integrate projects that promote formal and experiential learning from applied research on the practice of participatory transformational advocacy.
Students are at the center of our theory of change — We amplify and build new multidisciplinary educational opportunities, advance student participation in applied research, and ensure that students receive basic human rights formation at UD.
Action research for change — We promote research that is action-oriented, community-led, and directed to support transformational advocacy with evidence and insights, but also by strategically learning from all we do..
Root our work in genuine, horizontal and sustainable partnerships — This allows us to mobilize power, tools, knowledge, and information from a range of fields for the human rights community.
Intersectional, feminist, anti-racist and decolonial approaches — We actively seek to identify and transform oppressive practices or structures present in the context, including our own projects, structures and initiatives.
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OUR ECOSYSTEM LEGEND 1. Enabling environment 2. Broader HRC ecosystem 3. Broader Dayton region 4. University of Dayton campus
DONORS COMMUNITY PARTNERS
FACULTY, STAFF, GRAD, & UNDERGRAD STUDENTS AND INTERNS NON-PROFITS, NGOS, & OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Working together to bring human rights issues to UD's campus and create a larger human rights-centered community.
ALUMNI
DAYTON COMMUNITY
THE HRC FULL TIME STAFF
ALL THOSE DIRECTLY OR PERIPHERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH UD, LOCALLY & INTERNATIONALLY, WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS
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OFF CAMPUS PARTNERS
ACADEMICS & PRACTITIONERS WORKING ON HUMAN RIGHTS ACROSS THE US AND GLOBALLY
01
OUR STRATEGIC AIMS
02
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Generational renewal Students and alumni contribute to human rights change around the world, and assume leading and supporting roles within human rights struggles across civil society, government, business, science, art or other fields
Partnership-building across global divides that alters power dynamics Partner organizations-based locally and globally build solidarity and contribute to critique and self-reflection on privilege and practice within the human rights community
Innovation and application of transformational advocacy methods Practitioners and organizations in the human rights ecosystem are utilizing tools, methods, and insights (including those of HRC) from a range of fields to improve, innovate and adapt advocacy practices
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PART 4. HOW DO WE ADJUST OUR CURRENT WORK? The process gave evidence that current flagship initiatives and projects remain relevant, although they should adjust to the new strategic vision.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS MORAL COURAGE PROJECT
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01
The flagship initiatives and projects need to be better integrated in the HRC, and be implemented through an advocacy and applied research agenda.
02
Both minor and major adjustments are needed for our existing flagship programs to better connect with the strategic vision.
03
Although research is being developed at the HRC, there is a lack of an institutional research agenda and use of applied or action-research methods. To build a coherent applied research agenda on and for transformational advocacy, specific resources and institutional incentives are needed.
CROSS-CUTTING ADJUSTMENT:
SPHR conversations and conferences Anti-trafficking work
Harvest knowledge from existing programs as part of a new applied research agenda
Human rights on campus - HRC and HRS Program Malawi practicum (for example) generates knowledge for research generates knowledge generates knowledge
CURRENT PROGRAMMATIC STRATEGIES FOR PURSUING OUR HUMAN RIGHTS AGENDA
Research and Knowledge production
generates knowledge generates knowledge
Moral Courage Project Romero Human Rights award Human rights rallies, events, and celebrations UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 26
1 VISION
Part 5: How will we grow our vision? This section presents the new HRC strategy map— i.e., the ways in which we will assure the strategic vision will get implemented.
3 AIMS
5 STRATEGIES
1 MISSION UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 17
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STRATEGY AND CAPABILITIES PERSPECTIVE: WHAT WILL WE DO AND HOW WILL WE INNOVATE? PART 1 UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 20
SC1: Consolidate and expand formal education offerings across schools and within the Center
Develop and mainstream human rights courses across disciplines, including CAP (e.g., HRC/HRS MCP, HR & Development in Africa, Anti-trafficking and Genocide & Justice, HR Methods) Contribute to the development of minors (or specialized academic offers) across disciplines, including support for the Engineering and Human Rights minor Build a graduate program and certificate for future practitioners on human rights practice Develop and implement a summer school for practitioners on the social practice of human rights Clarify and strengthen articulation and possible integration between the Human Rights Studies program and the HRC
SC2: Increase experiential learning opportunities through new alliances within UD and in the HR ecosystem
Develop EL opportunities for human rights including international placements, expanding existing collaborations such as the Law Collaborative, GIS with the DoG & AAAS, and partners, including Counterpart, Cristosal, PEJ, and BHRRC Build new strategic EL partnerships on HR, particularly in the Global South and locally in Dayton/Ohio Create an alumni network to support training, teaching and mentoring of HR students Establish learning objectives and reflective practices for assessing all HRC EL opportunities
SC3: Convene continuous spaces for dialogue and learning on HR issues with key stakeholders
Continue dialogue work on human rights issues across the university in collaboration with CSC, ODI, Dialogue Zone Enhance opportunities for non-violence education for students and the local community including visiting scholar-practitioner Facilitate North-South/Dayton dialogues building on partnerships from SPHR
STRATEGY AND CAPABILITIES PERSPECTIVE: WHAT WILL WE DO AND HOW WILL WE INNOVATE? PART 2 UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 20
SC4: Implement an advocacy and activism agenda based on clear HR and learning goals
Define advocacy goals for existing programs and initiatives such as the Romero, MCP and AO Increase student engagement in advocacy and action, generating UD wide support for initiatives Orient towards cultivating audience for HRC tools, resources and materials / products including redesigning the SPHR to further the workshopping and active advocacy approaches Support specific locally-led initiatives, resulting from dialogue among the HRC, Dayton & Ohio-based organizations (SPHR) to advance human rights goals close to home.
SC5: Establish a coherent applied research agenda on the social practice of human rights
Develop and implement an applied research agenda oriented towards building a network of staff/faculty, students and human right scholar-practitioners Engage in collaborative research-related projects with other departments and centers (particularly engineering, business and sustainability), as well as between UD and partners, particularly from the Global South Develop capacity of faculty/staff in innovative applied research approaches Undertake regular and consistent production of high quality applied research tools, guides and reports
ECOSYSTEM PERSPECTIVE: HOW DO WE ENSURE ECOSYSTEM ENGAGEMENT? UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 21
E1: Amplify & diversify offerings to students to access formal education programs and courses, & experiential learning opportunities
Connect students with experiential learning and action-research opportunities through existing programs and creating new ones, including participating in transformational advocacy campaigns Establish institutional arrangements with ETHOS, HSI, Department of Geology, Krotty Center, CIP, MEC & Fitz for advocacy programming
E2: Consolidate and diversify sustainable partnerships with diverse human rights organizations and practitioners in the US and around the world
New strategic partnerships would be established that expand experiential learning placements, applied research, and collaborative advocacy (MOUs) Create partnership pipeline for visiting practitioner and amplify partner organization advocacy efforts
E3: Involve community in co-design, implementation & evaluation of HRC strategies aimed at safeguarding human rights locally
Establish clear partnerships with organizations in Dayton and Ohio shaped in an integrated and genuinely participatory way of working Targeted organizations will also focus on rural areas of Ohio
E4: Create opportunities to develop research on and for human rights advocacy, dialogue and education
Incentivize HRC faculty and staff to engage in experiential learning and transformational advocacy as part of their work Provide resources for applied research agenda that translates into support for partnerships and transformational advocacy
INTERNAL PROCESSES AND LEARNING PERSPECTIVE: WHAT WILL HELP US ENGAGE OUR ECOSYSTEM AND DO OUR WORK? UD Human Rights Center | SV 2022-2025 | Page 22
IPL1: Implement a creative outreach strategy to share learnings and impact of the HRC and its allies with a growing local, national and global community
Strengthen of current communication channels on existing initiatives (ie, blog, newsletters, website and social media) Develop consistent documentation and communication strategies Establish new digital formats accessible for practitioners and movements, oriented to sharing lessons & applied research on effective transformational advocacy
IPL2: Consolidate its internal structure and foster collaboration through participation in UD-wide efforts
Establish an official organogram for the Center with roles and responsibilities Consolidate Advisory Executive Committee as an effective space & network Participate actively in UD processes to improve human rights and SDGs at the University collaborating with other centers, institutes and units (Global Voices, MLK Day, procurement, facilities, Laudato Si platform, Communication on the Compact)
IPL3: Invest in an environment that fosters the connection, well-being and participation of all involved with the HRC
Strengthen internal processes, communication and resources to have a fully equipped center Formalize processes and internal functions that facilitate innovation and learning Develop internal capacities on dialogue, innovative facilitation methods and participatory applied research and advocacy approaches
IPL4: Implement a framework to evaluate our impact, and allow evidence-based decision making
Develop & implement a framework for monitoring, evaluation and accountability (KPIs) Conduct after action reviews on major initiatives (SPHR, Romero) Draft annual brief report for the EAC
FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE: HOW DO WE SUSTAIN AND INCREASE OUR RESOURCES? UD Human Rights Center | SV 2021-2025 | Page 23
F1: UD guarantees a favorable environment that enables the HRC to impact the UD culture on human rights and support engagement in challenging justice issues, and will distribute sufficient resources and funding to be financially sustainable based on our vision
F2: HRC sets goals, monitors for and implements an external fundingstrategy to amplify its potential
Additional resources for staffing, establishing positions that include the HRS Director with roles in the Center, and increase capacity in key areas (e.g., organizing/campaigning) Support from UD leadership for HRC to take on challenges issues and projects, including a direct management line to the Provost Establish a faculty line at the HRC for teaching in the human rights studies and graduate program Enable mechanisms for support for visiting scholar-practitioners (housing, visas, etc.)
Increase and diversify funding by pursuing a wide range of funding opportunities Capacity for fundraising integrated in HRC or provided by UD Allocation of funds for internal capacity development of HRC team
As a Catholic, Marianist university, our focus is on the movements and action that seek deeper and greater justice and dignity. - President Eric F. Spina