Geneva Advocacy Programe -GAP
Geneva for Human Rights - Global Training
There is a gap between, on the one hand, international standards and decisions of international bodies, and, on the other hand, realities in the field. This gap is increasing with the current polarization process between States in the U.N. organs and the restoration of States’ authority in the U.N. meetings. We monitor significant steps back in the standard setting, in the rights of NGOs, and a lack of political will by the majority of States to take initiatives and decisions to put an end to large scale human rights abuses. This new situation requires more lobby efforts by NGOs, and advocacy needs to be integrated in our human rights training. Our ‘Geneva Advocacy Programme’ is aiming at strengthening in the international fora the action of human rights organisations, in order to reach tangible results on specific issues. Currently, through this Programme, ‘Geneva International for Human Rights’ is involved in the following initiatives : 'Geneva Coalitions'We participate in several coalitions, in particular to pèrovide partners with analysis and orientation :
'West-Papua Project'As some of the founding members of ‘Geneva International for Human Rights’ did at the beginning of the 80s regarding the situation in East Timor, we have been actively involved in the set up of an international coalition on West Papua. A first international meeting took place in Geneva on 30 March 2003. Our ‘Geneva Advocacy Programme’ is a member of the network’s Steering Committee. The aim is to develop an international strategy for all the organisations concerned, and to coordinate the efforts on West Papua inside the U.N. and other international organisations, so that in the coming ten years the question be put high on the international agenda. Partners from West Papua are actively involved in the network. 'Project on minorities'‘Geneva International for Human Rights’ intends to be involved in the follow-up to the World Conference on Racism and Racial Discrimination held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001. A key issue is that of the rights of minorities. The ‘Geneva Advocacy Programme’ is involved in several initiatives promoting minority rights. From 1 to 4 February 2003, Adrien-Claude Zoller chaired in Budapest the International Conference on ‘Equal Participation of Minorities : Cases in Central and Eastern Europe’, which was convened by two Dutch partners, Cordaid and the Dutch Commission ‘Iustitia et Pax’. |
