~:: Introduction.

Home | About Us | Contact Us | Site Map

Introduction

                         PROJECT ON STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITY OF MINORITY
                    AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE TO ADVOCATE FOR
              THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

         This training workshop is an outcome of the above project which is a joint initiative of
       the Minority Rights Group (MRG) London and International Centre for Ethnic Studies
      (ICES), Colombo.

	Introduction
	Registration
	Prgramme / Events
	Training Modules
	List of Participants
	Info for Participants
	News Updates
	Photo Gallery

Project Objectives

To protect and promote the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples and address the marginalisation and poverty they are facing, by contributing to the effective implementation of relevant international human rights standards at a national level. To this end, the project aims to improve the capacity of NGOs working with minorities and indigenous peoples to effectively use the United Nations Treaty Bodies, namely, the Committee on Human Rights and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (responsible for overseeing implementation of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination respectively) and to improve NGO advocacy initiatives at a national level.

Project activities

The holding of regional training workshops: Four regional training workshops will be held, one in each of the following regions: West Africa, Central America, Central Asia & Caucasus, and Asia. The Asia workshop to be held in Bangladesh or the Philippines in November 2004 is the first of the series.

The workshops will focus on: the content and scope of the rights contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD); the monitoring process provided for by the treaties; human rights fact-finding, drafting alternative reports to those submitted by the state; submitting focused information and questions to the relevant treaty bodies; lobbying the treaty bodies to take up particular issues; designing strategies for the dissemination and lobbying for implementation of the recommendations of the treaty bodies; strategies for lobbying at a national level.

2. Follow up by participating NGOs: national networking, training, advocacy and dissemination initiatives, and preparation of input into treaty bodies

3. Facilitating access to treaty bodies: Financial and logistical support will be provided through the project to facilitate the participation of one minority or indigenous peoples’ representative from each of the participating countries, up to 12 in total, in the sessions, working groups and theme days of the treaty bodies in Geneva.

Expected Results

1. Increased capacity of minority and indigenous peoples’ civil society organisations to understand available mechanisms, to demand their rights and to hold their governments accountable through the mechanisms of treaty bodies and international human rights standards.
2. Civil society organisations engage in increased and improved advocacy and lobbying activities at a national level, and governments respond positively.
3. National civil society networks are developed and strengthened.
4. Minorities and indigenous peoples have a greater voice and increased profile at national/international levels.

Ultimately this initiative will contribute to improving the human rights situation of minorities and indigenous peoples in the programme countries, thereby increasing the social inclusion and consequent economic and social well-being of these groups.

About the Regional Training Workshop

One five-day regional training workshop will be held in Asia (Bangladesh or the Philippines). The workshop will bring together up to 30 participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia and the Philippines (10 from each country). The participants will be composed of representatives of NGOs, including minority and indigenous communities, and international and regional experts. As well as conveying information, the training workshops will function as a planning and strategy meeting for the key players from the relevant countries, and will have a multiplier effect as their lessons are later disseminated at a national level.

Participant Selection Criteria

Participation covers the regional training workshop in Bangladesh or the Philippines in November 2004, as well as advocacy and follow-up projects after completion of the workshop. The selection of participants will be based on the experience of the organisation with which they work, as well as on criteria specific to the individual applying.

Candidates must meet the following requirements

- Work with NGOs promoting the rights of minorities and indigenous communities
- preferably belong to a minority or indigenous community, although not essential
- have a detailed knowledge of both minority and indigenous experience in the national context and have some knowledge/experience of national legislation, politics, processes and advocacy opportunities
- committed to transmitting the acquired knowledge and skills to others after returning to their own country or region
- capacity to work in English
- committed to consult members of their community before the training and take part in follow-up advocacy and projects after the regional training workshop.

Selection Process

Those interested in participating in the project should ensure that a completed application form is returned to ICES no later than 25th August, 2004. All applications received will be reviewed according to the selection criteria and the best qualified candidates will be notified by 5th September, 2004.

Should you be interested in participating in the workshop and follow-up activities, please fill out the form at the end of this letter and return it to us by the 25th of August 2004. Furthermore, we would appreciate receiving your suggestions concerning other organisations in Bangladesh, Cambodia and the Philippines that could benefit from participating in this initiative.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Dhanya Ratnavale
Researcher /Project Coordinator- Minority Rights
International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES)
No 2, Kynsey Terrace
Colombo 8- Sri Lanka

Tel: 94-1-2691324; Fax: 94-1-2698048
E-Mail: dhanya@icescolombo.org

Nirekha De Silva.
E-mail- nireka@icescolombo.org