Czech Helsinki Committee 2014
Czech Helsinki Committee • CHC mission is to foster and to protect HR which are the key values of every society and of our work. • CHC activities are oriented towards the development and strengthening of civil society, democracy and social development. • CHC is dealing with problems concerning equal chances and social excluscion, discrimination on different grounds, racism, hate speach etc. • We are helping to all vulnerable groups like children, seniors, persons with disabilities and to persons who are excluded (prisoners, Roma etc.)
Historical summary • The Czech Helsinki Committee (CHV), originally The Czechoslovak Helsinki Committee (CsHV) has been founded in May 1990 to follow the activity which started in the former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in 1988. • It has been founded from the initiative of the International Helsinki Federation – by a group of 30 critically thinking and opposition wise acting citizens (headed by Professor Ji ř í Hájek, Václav Havel, who were active also in group around Charter 77. This paralelly with the Citizens initiative called CHARTA 77 and the COMMITTEE • PROTECTING THE IMPUTED AND PERSECUTED PEOPLE (VONS). • Their decided to publish their standpoints concerning the incompatibility of former legislative and juridical as well as political practice with the internationally accepted human right documents, which were sign in 1976.
Historical summary • When the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic split in 1992 to 2 independent states, the Czechoslovak Helsinki Committee split to the Slovak Helsinki Committee and the Czech Helsinki Committee. • Czech Helsinki Committee and Slovak Helsinki Committee have remained members of the International Helsinki Federation till the year 2007, when the IHF finished its existence.
The activities/projects of the Czech Helsinki Committee • Since 1988 The Czech Helsinki Committee annually publishes Report on human right status in the Czech Republic. • We are monitoring the laws and policies and participating in expert groups which are preparing new laws. • We are makeing public statements and write letters to institutions (e.g. case of Radio Free Europe) • We are defending individual cases where serious infringements of human rights • We are running a Consulting centre (3000 requests a year) /formerly we had center for refugees and center for civil rights – they are now individidual organisations • We are doing educational activites on human rights like lectures, seminars, round tables, medial campaigns etc. (e.g. rights of children in schools/ guardians of persons with disability on legal capacity issues etc, rights of prisoners )
Example 1 of our national project: Children of prisoners – The number of prisoners in the Czech Republic is one of the highest in the EU (16 000 in 2014/24 000 in 2012) – Imprisonment of person with children affects many aspect of its life and many people around who are in relation with her/him – From the beginning of their parent´s imprisonment, the children are subjects to traumatic events and issues, which in turn can affect their personal development. – The aim of this project: to support children/family members to maintain contact with parent (mother or father in prison) and not to be affected or traumatized againg during the visits – CHC provides: • Selection of the clients • Individual consultation • Incorporation of selected children into the programme • Assisted visits • Skype call visits/new pilot project
Example 2 of our national Project: concerning iIllegal sterilization of women/men – Preparation of a proposal on the compensation of illegally sterilized women – In early 2014, CHC sent the proposal to all ministries – CHC is searching for all the men and women who were illegally sterilized between the years 1966 - 2012 – Director of CHC participates in the new established working group which is preparing the draft legislative proposal on compensation of illegally sterilized people in past. – The plan is to provide the government with a proposal by the end of 2014. – The goal of this project: compensation provided by the government for the people who were illegally sterilized and support to victims.
The international activities of the Czech Helsinki Committee • The Czech Helsinki Committee is participating in several international projects (concerning e.g. Roma rights, rights of children). • This is done in co-operation with French Ligue des Droits de l’Homme (LDH) (Roma rights project) and with CORAM legal Center from UK - children rights
Example 3 of our project: the European project “Roma people have rights – INSEROM: for effective exercise of fundamental rights” • This project pursues two objectives: to empower Roma people by making them knowledgeable about their rights, to fight the discrimination they are facing as well as to foster greater knowledge about intervention toward Roma communities. • To achieve these objectives, a toolkit has been created and was presented at the conference in June 2014 in Brussels. • The toolkit is composed of two parts: a Reference Book stating the rights of Roma people in the countries of the partnership and at the EU level as well as a Trainer’s Guide addressed to trainers and volunteers working on the field. • This project is coordinated by the French Ligue des Droits de l’Homme (LDH) and brings together several partners such as the European Association for the Defence of Human Rights (AEDH), the Asociación Pro-Derechos Humanos de Andalucía (APDHA, Spain), the Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland (BEMIS, UK) and the Czech Helsinki Committee (CHC, Czech Republic). • For more information on the project, have a look at the INSEROM website: www.inserom.eu
The networking activities of the Czech Helsinki Committee • Co-operation on international level (CHC is memeber): – The European Association for the Defense of Human Rights (AEDH) – The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) – Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) – The International Network Against CyberHate (INACH)
The networking activities of the Czech Helsinki Committee national level • Czech Women‘s Lobby • Romea • Coucelling centers for citizens • Coucelling Center for citizenship, civil and human rights • Coucelling Center for foreigners • League for human rights
We are co-operating with: Other HR bodies on national level: • Governmental council for HR • Ombusdperson HR bodies on international level: • CPT (Coucil of Europe Committee for prevence of torture • CAT – UN Committee against torture
AEDH – The European Association for the Defense of Human Rights • They act to make fundamental rights accepted as universal, indivisible and effective for all residents of the European Union. • They advocate a democratic Europe in which the citizens get a real power. • They perform actions to promote Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to influence European institutions • For more information: http://www.aedh.eu/?lang=en
ENAR – The European Network against racism • ENAR is the only pan-European anti-racist network • ENAR was set up in 1998 by grassroots activists • ENAR has a strong and dynamic network of over 160 NGOs working to combat racism everywhere in Europe. • For more information: http://enar-eu.org/
COPE – Childern of Prisoners Europe • European-wide initiative on behalf of children with an imprisoned parent • Their vision: Every child be guaranteed fair, unbiased treatment, protection of his or her rights, and equal opportunities regardless of social, economic or cultural heritage. • For more information: http://childrenofprisoners.eu/
INACH – The International Network Against Cyber Hate • INACH promote respect, responsibility and citizenship on the Internet trough countering cyber hate and rasing awareness about online discrimination. • INACH reinforces Human Rights and mutual respect for the rights and reputation of all Internet users. • For more information: http://www.inach.net/index.php
Czech Women‘s Lobby • Czech Women‘s Lobby is a network of non-profit organizations promoting women‘s rights in the Czech Republic. • Main aims and priorities: – Cooperation, networking and laying down common point of view and positions of Czech women‘s and gender NGOs – Monitoring in the field of gender equality – Opening important public discussions – For more information: http://www.czlobby.cz/en/home/
Contact details: • Address: Štefánikova 21 150 00 Praha 5 Czech Republic • E-mail: lucie.rybova@helcom.cz (director) • Phone number: +420 777 220 503 • Website: www.helcom.cz • Facebook: CHC Facebook • Twitter: twitter.com/helsinskyvybor
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