It is internationally recognised that individuals and organisations are entitled to organise activities that promote and protect human rights. Yet governments often prevent or restrict the work of human rights groups, and they as well as media and other organisations sometimes claim that human rights organisations are not sufficiently accountable. In this context, the Council is examining several questions: what does the entitlement to operate imply? Do human rights organisations have a duty to act responsibly, and what does that imply? And how do context and situation change that duty?
Rights and Responsibilites of Human Rights Organisations
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Biographical affiliation was accurate when research took place.
David Petrasek, Research Director, ICHRP, 1998-2002. From 2003, Monette Zard, Research Director, ICHRP, 2003-2006. From 2007, Elizabeth Griffin, Consultant Project Manager, ICHRP. Please contact her for more information on this project.
Mike Dottridge, (2002-2003), consultant; former Director of Anti-Slavery International and Head, Africa Regional Programme, Amnesty International. Mike Dottridge has worked on human rights issues for over two decades and has experience of managing both small and large NGOs.
Martin Abregú, (Advisor until 2003). Director, Ford Foundation Regional Office, Chile.
David Bryer, (Advisor until 2003). Senior Advisor, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Switzerland.
Hyo Je Cho, (Advisor until 2003). Associate Professor, Graduate School of Civil Society, Sungkonghoe University, Republic of Korea.
Eitan Felner, (Advisor until 2003). Executive Director, Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR).
Ibrahim Kane, Legal Officer, Interights, London.
Ahmed Motala, (Advisor until 2003). Director, Human Rights Institute of South Africa.
Emma Playfair, (Advisor until 2003). Director, Ford Foundation Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt.
Regan Ralph, Director, Global Human Rights Fund, Washington DC.
Wilder Tayler, Deputy Director, International Commission of Jurists, Geneva.
Council Projects are designed so that target audiences are involved progressively in research as it proceeds. Initially, consultation is within a small group of experts. As the research evolves, more individuals, selected because of their expertise or responsibility in the area concerned, are consulted about drafts, research findings and recommendations. At each stage, the consultations cover a range of institutions and countries and include feedback. The objective is to enable a widening circle of people who have a direct interest in the issue to engage with the content of the research, to improve it, to acquire a sense of ownership in relation to it, and finally to support or promote the findings – leading to practical action based on research.
Review Seminar, 2002
A first Review of the research was undertaken in December 2002. A second Review Seminar is planned for mid 2008
Draft of Report
A first draft Report was circulated for comment in 2003. Work on the text was slowed down. A second draft was prepared in 2006, but was not circulated for comment. A third Draft will be prepared at the end of 2007, and will be circulated for comment in 2008.
Final report
A final report will be published at the end of 2008.
