Faith for Rights: Empowering Religious Leaders to Protect Human Rights

Programme details

This course begins on the 12 Jan 2027 which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting which will be held on 19 Jan 2027, 16:00-17:00 (UK time).

Week 1: Introduction to Faith for Rights and it’s role in promoting Freedom of Conscience

Week 2: Religious or Belief Pluralism

Week 3: Religion, Faith, Belief and Gender Equality

Week 4: Minority Rights and Good Community Relations

Week 5: Countering Incitement to Hatred and Reducing Community Tensions

Week 6: Impartiality in delivering faith based services

Week 7: Ethical and Spiritual Leverage

Week 8: Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Week 9: SDGs and Faith for Rights – Environment and Sustainability

Week 10: Developing Faith for Rights in our community

Level and demands

This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.

This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements

Course aims

To develop a deep understanding of the Faith for Rights framework as developed in conjunction with the United Nations and how it enhances the capabilities of individual faith and belief leaders in advocating for human rights through religious teachings and peer-to-peer learning methodologies and other practical mechanisms.

Course objectives: 

• Deepen Understanding of Human Rights in Faith Contexts: Participants will gain foundational knowledge of the Faith for Rights framework, explore the principles of freedom of conscience, ethical leverage and ipartiality and understand religious teachings on human rights issues like gender equality, minority rights, and environmental sustainability.

• Develop Facilitation and Conflict Resolution Skills: Learn how to develop strategies for conflict prevention and peacebuilding within diverse communities through a Faith for Rights framework.

• Apply Knowledge through Practical Engagement: Learn from role play, scenarios and case studies how to develop actionable faith-based strategies to address contemporary issues at a communal, national or international level.

IT requirements

Any standard web browser can be used to access course materials on our virtual learning environment, but we recommend Google Chrome. We also recommend that students join the live webinars on Microsoft Teams using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a phone or tablet due to the limited functionality of the app on these devices.

Programme details

This course begins on the 12 Jan 2027 which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting which will be held on 19 Jan 2027, 16:00-17:00 (UK time).

Week 1: Introduction to Faith for Rights and it’s role in promoting Freedom of Conscience

Week 2: Religious or Belief Pluralism

Week 3: Religion, Faith, Belief and Gender Equality

Week 4: Minority Rights and Good Community Relations

Week 5: Countering Incitement to Hatred and Reducing Community Tensions

Week 6: Impartiality in delivering faith based services

Week 7: Ethical and Spiritual Leverage

Week 8: Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Week 9: SDGs and Faith for Rights – Environment and Sustainability

Week 10: Developing Faith for Rights in our community

Teaching methods

This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams. Shortly before a course commences, students are provided with access to an online virtual learning environment, which houses the course content, including video lectures, complemented by readings or other study materials. Working through these materials over the course of the week will prepare students for a weekly 1-hour live webinar you will share with your expert tutor and fellow students. All courses are structured to amount to 100 study hours, so that on average, you should set aside 10 hours a week for study. Although the course finishes after 10 weeks, all learning materials remain available to all students for 12 months after the course has finished.

All courses are led by an expert tutor. Tutors guide students through the course materials as part of the live interactions during the weekly webinars. Tutors will also provide individualised feedback on your assignments. All online courses are taught in small student cohorts so that you and your peers will form a mutually supportive and vibrant learning community for the duration of the course. You will learn from your fellow students as well as from your tutor, and they will learn from you.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1. Gain comprehensive Understanding of the Faith for Rights Framework

Participants will understand the Faith for Rights framework and its 18 commitments in depth.
They will be able to articulate how these commitments intersect with universal human rights principles and religious teachings.

2. Ability to Apply Religious and Worldview Teachings to Human Rights Advocacy

Participants will be skilled in interpreting and utilizing religious texts and teachings to support and advocate for human rights within their communities.
They will demonstrate how to align religious practices with the protection and promotion of human rights.

3. Skills in Facilitating Diverse and Inclusive Dialogues

Participants will be adept at managing and encouraging inclusive and respectful dialogues among diverse groups.

4. Proficiency in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding

Participants will learn techniques for conflict prevention and resolution, applying these skills to foster peace within their communities. They will understand the role of religious leaders in mediating conflicts and promoting coexistence.

5. Development of Practical Projects on Human Rights and Faith

Participants will design and implement capstone projects that apply Faith for Rights principles to real-world issues, demonstrating their ability to translate theory into practice.
They will showcase their projects, reflecting on the challenges and successes of their implementation.

6. Enhanced Leadership and Advocacy Skills

Participants will emerge as confident leaders and advocates for human rights in their faith communities.
They will possess the skills to engage with both religious and civic institutions to promote human rights and social justice.

7. Knowledge of Gender and Minority Rights within Religious Contexts

Participants will understand the specific challenges faced by women, girls, and minority groups within religious contexts and will develop strategies to advocate for these rights.
They will be equipped to challenge and transform discriminatory practices and beliefs through informed dialogue and advocacy.

8. Integration of Sustainable Development Goals with Faith Initiatives

Participants will learn how to integrate environmental stewardship and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their religious and community activities.
They will develop actionable strategies that use faith-based motivations to promote environmental sustainability and other SDGs.

Assessment methods

You will be set independent formative and summative work for this course. Formative work will be submitted for informal assessment and feedback from your tutor, but has no impact on your final grade. The summative work will be formally assessed as pass or fail.

Rabbi Alex Goldberg

Rabbi Alex Goldberg is a barrister, chaplain, and human rights expert. He was appointed Dean of Religious Life and Belief at the University of Surrey, and is the only rabbi in leading in such a senior multifaith chaplaincy role in Europe. He continues to lead a number of international and UK-based community relations and development projects and is the Rabbi to a growing Jewish community.

Rabbi Alex serves as the Faith Focal Point on the UN Human Rights Office-supported Faith for Rights Community of Practice Steering Group. He has led faith-based delegations to the UN Human Rights Council for over a decade, helping to influence and shape international law on group rights and access to justice. He is also the Convenor of the Faith in the City initiative for the City of London Corporation, supporting multifaith engagement and religious literacy for 685,000 workers and 8,500 residents in the Square Mile.

He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 2’s Pause For Thought and a former member of the BBC Religion and Ethics Conference. He chaired the English Football Association’s Faith Network, founded the Jewish human rights group René Cassin, and serves on the advisory boards of the Religion Media Centre, the Centre for Britain and Europe, the UK Faith Minister’s Social Inclusion Advisory Group and the NPCC’s Faith and Race Group.

He was the founding chair of Faiths Forum for London and the Mayor of London’s Faith Conference, has advised the OSCE on Islamophobia and antisemitism, and served as a chaplain to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Assessment methods

You will be set independent formative and summative work for this course. Formative work will be submitted for informal assessment and feedback from your tutor, but has no impact on your final grade. The summative work will be formally assessed as pass or fail.

Level and demands

This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.

This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements

Fees

Module code: O26P800THZ

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