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Programs: Human Rights
In post-conflict countries and in countries undergoing a democratic transition, ordinary citizens have suffered from widespread and sustained abuse and deprivation of their human rights. This debasing legacy poses important concerns for the development of a civil society, and complicates the transition to democracy. In most cases, more than a generation has grown up without being able to experience or practice many of their basic human rights or related values, such as social and political tolerance, the rule of law, or civility and civic trust. Many concepts that are essential to a democratic transition are missing, or greatly misunderstood: the role of democratic political opposition; limits on government; minority rights under majority rule; the accountability of government; women’s equality; and the rights and responsibilities of an independent media.
Human rights promotion and protection is not something that can or should be left solely to human rights watchdog groups, or to the government, or to any other single entity. Rather, respect for human rights requires a commitment from all citizens. The starting point for building a genuine respect for human rights must be to understand not only the words of human rights declarations, but also how human rights are exercised, respected and protected in practice.
ADF provides technical assistance, training and grants to local human rights organizations in support of human rights education, advocacy, monitoring, documentation and reporting. Human rights education programs are designed to increase understanding and commitment to respect for human rights on the part of both citizens and government. ADF’s work also focuses on improving the capacity of human rights organizations to monitor, document, and report on human rights abuses to local, national, and international bodies. ADF assistance includes mobilizing legal, medical, psychological and other forms of support to victims of human rights abuses, in order to facilitate their rehabilitation and social reintegration.
ADF has conducted programs to increase human rights promotion and protection by civil society organizations in Angola, Burkina Faso, Croatia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nicaragua, Panama, Russia, Serbia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Highlights: Russia
One of ADF’s primary partners for civil society development in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union is the International Charitable Foundation for Political and Legal Research (Interlegal). Interlegal is a Russian NGO established in 1989 to promote the growth and development of the NGO sector throughout the former USSR. ADF has worked with Interlegal since 1992 with funding from USAID and private foundations. The range of successful collaborative projects includes: 1) research and educational programs to build public understanding and support for the NGO sector; 2) legal consulting services for NGOs to facilitate their registration and organizational development; 3) technical assistance to voluntary organizations for developing their public policy and advocacy platforms; and 4) information clearinghouses to encourage collaboration among voluntary organizations at the local, national, and international levels. Joint programs have been conducted in Russia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Highlights Haiti: Human Rights Fund (HRF)
In July 1994, ADF developed and operated the Haiti Human Rights Fund at the height of one of the worst human rights crises in Haiti’s troubled history. ADF provided urgently needed assistance to victims of politically motivated violence and supported Haitians to redress human rights abuses...
Highlights: ADF Activities in Croatia 1994-2000
Legal Assistance and Human Rights Programs Benefiting Refugee and Displaced Populations and other Vulnerable Groups in Croatia. 1994-1997.
ADF/Croatia’s original program, begun in 1994, served to strengthen the capabilities of Croatian NGOs to assist refugees and displaced populations through the provision of legal assistance services and human rights protection...
ADF/Croatia’s original program, begun in 1994, served to strengthen the capabilities of Croatian NGOs to assist refugees and displaced populations through the provision of legal assistance services and human rights protection...
Human Rights - Selected Country Highlights
Selected Country Highlights: Human Rights
An institutional partnership program in Russia with the Moscow Research Center for Human Rights (MCHR) provided the framework for strengthening the capacity of this coalition of Russian human rights NGOs, and significantly extending its...
Human Rights Fund Haiti
HUMAN RIGHTS FUND HAITI
Summary
During the three years of military rule and President Aristide's exile, large elements of Haiti's mosaic of peasant, human rights advocacy and citizen action groups felt compelled to shut down or adopt low profiles. Others continued to speak out against the injustices their members experienced and seek local resources with which to expand their aid to the victims and their families. They urgently needed additional resources, an opportunity to coordinate their actions and a focal point for mutual support and counsel.
To fill this need, the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development Mission to Haiti (USAID/Haiti), launched a series of human rights round-table discussions in April 1994, and established the $1 million Human Rights Fund in July 1994.
From July through November 1994, the fund provided critically needed services, including urgent medical care and trauma counseling, temporary housing, safe haven and subsistence allowances, and legal aid, asylum advice and prison monitoring to nearly 2,500 families, including over 700 direct victims of violence. With the return of President Aristide, the number of new cases dropped dramatically, and by February 1995, this portion of the Fund’s work ended.
The Fund shifted its focus to training civic education trainers and developing the "Files of Abuse and Persecution" (FAP) database.
Note: Artwork in report is by Frantz Ewald
Summary
During the three years of military rule and President Aristide's exile, large elements of Haiti's mosaic of peasant, human rights advocacy and citizen action groups felt compelled to shut down or adopt low profiles. Others continued to speak out against the injustices their members experienced and seek local resources with which to expand their aid to the victims and their families. They urgently needed additional resources, an opportunity to coordinate their actions and a focal point for mutual support and counsel.
To fill this need, the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development Mission to Haiti (USAID/Haiti), launched a series of human rights round-table discussions in April 1994, and established the $1 million Human Rights Fund in July 1994.
From July through November 1994, the fund provided critically needed services, including urgent medical care and trauma counseling, temporary housing, safe haven and subsistence allowances, and legal aid, asylum advice and prison monitoring to nearly 2,500 families, including over 700 direct victims of violence. With the return of President Aristide, the number of new cases dropped dramatically, and by February 1995, this portion of the Fund’s work ended.
The Fund shifted its focus to training civic education trainers and developing the "Files of Abuse and Persecution" (FAP) database.
Note: Artwork in report is by Frantz Ewald
Final Report Human Rights Nicaragua 1995 Summary
Final Report Human Rights Nicaragua 1995 Summary
Final Report Moscow Research Center for Human Rights Institutional Partnership Project 1997
Final Report Moscow Research Center for Human Rights Institutional Partnership Project 1997
ADF Russia Human Rights Institutional Partnership Project Final Report
ADF Russia Human Rights Institutional Partnership Project Final Report
ADF Russia Moscow Research Center for Human Rights Final Report
ADF Russia Moscow Research Center for Human Rights Final Report
Human Rights Fund Haiti Info Cover with Original Artwork by Frantz Ewald
ADF Facilitated Meeting of Moscow Human Rights Center
ADF/MRCHR Human Rights Advocacy Workshop, Vladimir
