Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University (SabaUni), with the support of the USAID Rule of Law Program, enhanced regional students’ knowledge of human rights and anti-discrimination standards by conducting two two-day trainings of trainers (ToTs) for students that left a profound impact on the 16 participants. The trainings were conducted on October 7-8 at SabaUni and on October 10-11 at Zugdidi State University (ZSU).

The ToT initiative is a part of a USAID Rule of Law Program-supported project under which SabaUni and ZSU work together to raise legal awareness among high school students and offer support to internally displaced persons (IDPs). The universities will also establish a mobile clinic that will actively involve students, providing them with valuable hands-on experience in legal practice. Additionally, this project will implement a comprehensive clinical syllabus at both universities, integrating “Street Law” components into the curriculum. The students trained at SabaUni and ZSU will play a vital role in enhancing legal awareness among pupils in Tbilisi and Zugdidi public schools through the universities’ “Street Law” programs, as well as provide legal consultations to internally displaced people residing in settlements.

The ToT was led by human and child rights experts who are also the academic staff of SabaUni – Giorgi Goradze, Maka Partsvania, Tsisia Okropiridze, and Ketevan Bakhtadze. It included an in-depth exploration of the trainer's role and responsibilities, audience management, and the art of effective communication. There were also practical exercises and discussions centred on topics such as: children's rights, and the broader landscape of human rights.

Mariam Sabedashvili, a student at SabaUni, said “I believe that these trainings gave me the opportunity to develop my skills, particularly on such important issues as managing and adapting to the audience. We also learned how to solve problems quickly so that our self-confidence does not decrease, and how to inform people in proper and understandable language.”

Another student from the SabaUni, Levan Kharbedia said “The training played an important role in equipping me with specific knowledge and skills to effectively conduct training courses. The program allowed me to gain valuable knowledge and develop skills that will be important to me in my professional activities and interactions with various groups in society.”

Eliso Topuria, a ZSU student living in Abkhazia who passes the de facto border every day to pursue her higher education, said that it is important for her that the university offers her free education and encourages participation in trainings. “It gives me more confidence, as well as knowledge that helps me better protect myself and those around me. Many students could not come precisely because they come from Abkhazia and it requires a lot of travel time.”