■ Exploring constitutional processes in Barcelona

By Melanie Allen, Assistant Programme Officer, International IDEA

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On a chilly, bright morning on 21 November 2011, 25 people from 20 different countries filed into a large, vaulted-ceilinged room at the Montjuïc Castle. This former military fortress and prison, now a space for the promotion of peace, would be theirs for the week. They were the successful applicants to the training course Constitution Building for Democracy, offered by the Constitution Building Programme of International IDEA in partnership with the Barcelona International Peace Resource Center.

Among the participants were gender and human rights activists, political party dialogue conveners, electoral specialists, legal and justice sector reformers, and parliamentary staff. The issues they wanted to know more about ranged from ‘what are the components of a constitution building process’ to ‘how do you constructively work with opposition groups to achieve your goals’. Their specific motivations for attending the course differed, but they held in common the desire to learn more about how they can effectively engage in constitutional reform and implementation processes, and how people in other countries have solved problems similar to their own.

The framework for the training course was the six-stage constitution building cycle. Over the course of the five days, participants explored each stage of the cycle through interactive exercises, presentations by constitutional and human rights specialists, and facilitated discussions. There was a rich exchange throughout the training, where participants remarked more than once at their surprise to discover so many shared challenges. The training offers a great deal of new information, but the deepest lessons are learned through peers sharing their questions, advice and experiences.

A highlight of the training was a drafting exercise, which required participants to reflect and apply the new knowledge and skills they had acquired. Identifying controversial human rights issues about which they are passionate, participants drafted constitutional provisions to guarantee relevant rights - only to have to sit across from other participants who were equally passionate, but were on the opposite side of the issue with their own provisions. Dialogue, negotiation and an understanding of the intersection of human rights and the role of the state were engaged as participants sought to harmonize their provisions while maintaining the integrity of their own positions.

As with any training, the most important step happens when participants return to their own countries to apply what they have learned. Here is what some participants plan to do when they go home:

• Create a capacity building course for women to participate in constitution building
• Write op-ed pieces on the proposed constitutional amendments
• Engage the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice to coordinate a media campaign on the constitutional reform process
• Engage with and build coalitions among stakeholders on the contentious issues in the constitution in order to initiate a dialogue
• Conduct research into how the gender provisions in the new constitution can be implemented, guided by experiences elsewhere

If you are interested to know more about the training programme, you can watch the video in the box to the right, and check here for upcoming training opportunities.