UNESCO's “Assisting Bioethics Committees” Project: 3rd Training Session in Gabon

In the framework of a 3 year training cycle developed to guide Gabon in its efforts of capacity building, this 3-day intensive training will focus on applications of the bioethics principles included in the “Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights” (2005), to ensure the responsiveness of the new National Bioethics Committee established in Gabon.

Part of UNESCO's “Assisting Bioethics Committees” (ABC) project, this 3rd training will allow members of the National Bioethics Committee, not only to get a comprehensive understanding of the internationally-agreed norms on Bioethics and Human Rights, but also to conduct situational analysis, to identify ethical dilemmas at the global level and in their country, and more specifically to learn the deliberative methodology used to deal with them.

In the third year, the training is designed around a theme chosen by the Committee. The Gabonese Committee has chosen the following theme: Ethics, Law and Health.

In order to raise awareness about current bioethical dilemmas in Gabon, this training will include a public session with the participation of national and international experts.

The “Assisting Bioethics Committees” (ABC) project, in the framework of which this session takes place, offers to countries participating to address their needs, tailoring the trainings to the needs of each country and each newly-established institution.

Implemented as one part of UNESCO’s bioethics capacity building initiative, derived from the “Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights”, this project guides the countries in the development of their National Bioethics Committees (NBC) over a course of 3 years providing them with one training per year and a variety of resources.

Led by both UNESCO staff and international experts from among UNESCO’s partners, the content of the trainings rely on a series of guides that UNESCO has produced specifically for this aim, and also on the UNESCO Bioethics Core Curriculum, which is primarily designed around the internationally-agreed ethics standards but also around internationally-agreed human rights standards, while it acknowledges and invites local variation.

Special consideration is given to promoting gender equality in terms of the content of materials used for training and the development of the agendas and plans of the National Bioethics Committees.

For the trainings, as well as for the capacity building initiative as a whole, UNESCO gives special consideration to addressing first African states, in line with demand.