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North Africa: Human Rights Conference
North Africa: Human Rights Conference
Date distributed (ymd): 990411
Document reposted by APIC
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: North Africa
Issue Areas: +political/rights+
Summary Contents:
This posting contains an announcement of "The First
International Conference of the Arab Human Rights Movement,"
to be held in Casablanca on 23-25 April. For more information
contact the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS;
e-mail: cihrs@idsc.gov.eg. The posting also contains selected
other links relevant to human rights in North Africa.
+++++++++++++++++end profile++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cairo Institute For Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
The First International Conference of the
Arab Human Rights Movement:
Prospects for the Future
23 - 25 April 1999, Casablanca
In the context of the role and duty of the CIHRS toward the
human rights movement in the Arab world, and in standing up to
the urgent tasks facing the movement on the threshold of the
twenty first century, the CIHRS with the collaboration of the
Moroccan Organization for Human Rights is holding a conference
bringing together the leaders of the Arab human rights NGOs
and the outstanding experts in the field.
The conference will take place in Casablanca, Morocco during
the period 23 - 25 April 1999. Special concern will be given
to the representation of the three generations in the movement
(the founding, intermediary and the youth generations), and to
the participation of representatives of international human
rights NGOs and funding agencies as an observers.
The Objectives of the Conference
First: Defining the progress and shortcomings in the realm of
human rights in the Arab world on the level of the condition
of human rights; the response of the Arab human rights
organizations; and the cooperation of the international
community
Second: Defining the common tasks of the Arab human rights
organizations and the ways to deal with them
Third: Defining ways to enhance the effectiveness of the human
rights organizations in the current Arab context, activating
the Arab human rights movement. Also ways of consolidating
cooperation among the human rights organizations in the Arab
world
Fourth: Reviewing the principal elements of the discourse of
the Arab human rights movement in addressing the Arab
governments, the Arab civil society and the international
community on the fringe of the twenty first century, thus
defining the movement's positions on the major issues on both
the Arab regional and the international levels
The Topics of the Conference:-
1 - Re-evaluation of the progress achieved in the realm of
human rights' conditions in the Arab world
2 - Universalism and particularism: Human rights discourse and
the Arab culture
3 - The strategies for human rights education and promotion
4 - -Internal challenges facing the Arab human rights movement
(funding, institutional structure, professionalism and
voluntarism), and the prospects for the development of the
Arab human rights movement
5 - The protection of human rights defenders and the legal
status of the human rights NGOS, etc)
6 - New approaches to strengthen the cooperation with
international NGOs
7 - Refugee rights
8 - The right to development and social and economic rights
9 - Arab women rights
10 - Terrorism and freedom of belief
11 - Peace and human rights
12 - Economic sanctions and human rights
13 - Manipulating human rights issues in the international
community
14 - Rights of Arab immigrants and anti-foreigners campaign in
hosting countries
15 - Freedom of the press, opinion and expression
Mechanism and Schedule of the Conference:
The goal of this mechanism is to ensure maximum active
participation by the greatest number of human rights actors
(organizations and individuals) through dynamic consultations.
It would run as follows:
1 - In mid-January 1999, a consultative committee is to be
formed of the outstanding Arab experts in human rights (23
members), with due consideration given to the relative weight
of the movement in the different countries. The consultative
committee is to give the CIHRS advice on the intellectual
issues of the conference, its themes, draft of its
recommendations, and the final declaration to be adopted.
2 - On January 25th, fifteen working groups are to be formed
around the fifteen themes of the conference. On the first of
February 1999, the coordinator of each group should start the
discussion (by fax or e-mail) by presenting a working paper
(first draft) on the theme of the group in addition to
specific recommendations to be adopted by the conference.
After the deliberations of the working groups (within five
weeks), the coordinators should submit the second draft (on
March 7th, 1999).
3 - In mid March, the CIHRS staff in charge of the
preparations for the conference will have prepared a draft
"Casablanca Declaration" (first draft) after receiving the
second draft of the working papers from the fifteen
coordinators. The draft Declaration will be presented for
discussion to the consultative committee, and based on the
discussions a second draft will be formulated.
4 - The conference is to be convened on April 23rd in plenary
sessions and parallel working groups. The fifteen working
groups will discuss the second draft prepared by the
coordinators of the working groups, and will prepare a third
draft.
5 - The plenary sessions are to review the third draft of the
working groups' recommendations, and adopt the
recommendations.
6 - The final session of the conference on April 25th is to
review the third draft of the "Casablanca Declaration" which
will have been prepared in the light of the changes to the
second draft according to the working groups' recommendations.
7 - On April 25th the final recommendations and the
"Casablanca Declaration" will be adopted; the declaration will
set out the principal, ethical standards and human rights
perspective that provide guidance to the Arab human rights
movement. Also a follow-up committee will be formed. The
deliberations of the conference will be published as a book in
Arabic, English and French.
CIHRS and the Arab Human Rights Movement
This conference crowns a number of activities undertaken by
the CIHRS in the last four years, and shifts to a higher level
the discussions in the circles of the Arab human rights
movement on the different aspects of its activities. The CIHRS
publications, such as the bulletin Sawasiah, the quarterly
journal Rowaq Arabi and the book series, have always served as
a podium for such discussions.
The advancement of the Arab human rights movement and the
development of its strategies have been constant concerns of
the CIHRS; and for this reason it has organized a number of
workshops and seminars that were attended by some of the most
prominent leaders and experts of the movement. In cooperation
with the Palestinian Institution for Democracy Studies
(Muwaten) and the International Politics journal, the CIHRS
organized a major conference on the "Problematics of the
Hampered Democratic Transformation in the Arab World" from
February 29th to March 3rd 1996. Around 200 intellectuals
attended the conference; academicians and human rights
activists form twelve Arab countries. Sixteen research papers
and thirteen written comments on the issues under discussion
were submitted. The deliberations of the conference were
published in book form.
From 13 to 16 March 1997, the CIHRS, in cooperation with the
four major Palestinian human rights groups, organized a
workshop titled: "Strategies of the Palestinian Human Rights
Movement." In July 1997, the CIHRS held a workshop under the
title: "Toward Strategies for the Advancement of the Arab
Human Rights Movement," which concluded with the establishment
of an "Arab Regional Working Group for Human Rights." The
CIHRS carried out the secretarial work and hosted the
activities of the Working Group from its founding in July 1997
until mid-1998 when it was capable of securing its own
resources and office. In August 1997, the CIHRS organized a
training course on the "Strategies of the Human Rights
Movement" for the young leaders of the Arab organizations.
Moreover, a number of joint activities were carried out with
Arab human rights organizations and defenders in Palestine,
Sudan, Tunis, Yemen. Yet, some of them were published.
Furthermore, the CIHRS published a book by a group of authors
who are among the most prominent leaders and experts of the
Arab human rights movement called: "Challenges facing the Arab
Human Rights Movement." Also, it organized a number of
workshops on "The Peace Process" and "The Renovation of the
Arab Political Thought." The discussions of these workshops
were published, the first book titled "The peace process
implications for democracy and human rights", and the second:
"revitalization of political thought through democracy and
human rights" focusing on political Islam, Marxism and
pan-Arab nationalism. In addition, some of the issues of the
monthly bulletin Sawasiah and the quarterly Rowaq Arabi were
related particularly to issues of the Arab movement.
In March 1998, the CIHRS organized a workshop attended by
thirteen Arab experts to evaluate the preliminary draft of the
UNESCO manual for teaching human rights. CIHRS had already
participated in the preparation of the manual representing the
Arab world along with other organizations that represented
other areas of the world. This workshop came in the context of
a series of activities carried out by CIHRS in preparation for
the issuance of this manual.
Participants
About 100 human rights defenders, and experts in human rights
from 15 Arab countries and those residing in Europe and the
United States are scheduled to take part in the conference. In
addition, representatives from major international human
rights NGOs and donors working in this field are also expected
to participate as observers.
The Consultative Committee
An ad-hoc consultative committee was formed from 23 members
belonging to 10 Arab countries.
Morocco
1 - Abdel Aziz El Banani: President of the Euro-Mediterranean
Human Rights net work (EMHRN), President of the Moroccan
Organization for Human Rights (OMDH)
2 - Abdellrahman Ben Amr: President of the Moroccan Society
for Human Rights
3 - Amina Lamrini: Democratic Association for Moroccan Women
4 - Idrees Yazmi: Assistant Secretary General of the French
League for the Human Rights, Member of the Executive Committee
of EMHRN
Algeria
5 - Mustafa Boshashi: Lawyer, & Professor of Law - University
of Algeria
Tunisia
6 - Kamel Jandoubi: Spokesperson of the Committee of the Work
for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia -
Paris, Member of the Executive Committee of EMHRN
7 - Khadija El Sharif: Former Vice- President of the Tunisian
League for Human Rights
8 - Moncef Al Marzouk: Spokesperson of the National Council
for Freedoms in Tunisia
9 - Salah El Gorshy: Vice- President of the Tunisian League
for Human Rights
Sudan
10 - Abdullahi An Naim: Professor of Law, Emory University - USA
11 - Amin Makky Madani: President of the Sudanese Human Rights
Organization
Mauritania
12 - Fatma Embay: Vice President of Mauritanian Association
for Human Rights
Syria
13 - Aktham Na'eesa: Spokesperson of Committees for the
Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights
Lebanon
14 - Waeel Kheir: Director for Association of Human Rights and
Humanitarian Rights
Palestine
15 - Khider Shukairat: Director of the Palestinian Society for
the Protection of Human Rights and Environment (Law) -
Jerusalem, Treasure of the EMHRN
16 - Maha Abu Deia: Director Women Center for Legal Guidance
- Jerusalem
17 - Mohaammed Zeidan: Director The Arab Institution for Human
Rights, Nazareth - Israel
18 - Raji Al Sourany: Director The Palestinian Center for
Human Rights-Gaza
Iraq
19 - Abd Al Hussein Shaaban: President of the Arab
Organization for Human Rights - U.K
Egypt
20 - Abd Al Aziz Mohammed: President of the Egyptian
Organization for Human Rights, EOHR.
21 - Amal Abdel Hadi: Coordinator of the Women's Program at
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies - CIHRS
22 - George Ajaieby: Committee for Peace and Justice
23 - Hanny Megally: Executive Director, Human Rights Watch -
Middle East
Executive Team of the conference
- Bahey El Din Hassan, CIHRS director (Egypt)
- Driss Ben Zikri, Vice-President of the Moroccan Organization
for Human Rights (Morocco)
- Magdi El Na'im, Conference Coordinator (Sudan)
- Mohammed El Sayed Said, CIHRS Academic Advisor (Egypt)
- Mohemmed Hussien El Sayed, Program officer at CIHRS (Egypt)
- Mohammed L'ghtas, The Moroccan Organization for Human Rights
(Morocco)
- Sara Hassan, Assistant Conference Coordinator (Sudan)
For more information please contact
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)
PO Box 117 Maglis El Shaab, Cairo
Fax: (202) 3554200 / Tel: (202) 3551112 / 3543715
Email: cihrs@idsc.gov.eg
Selected Other Links
Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR)
http://aohr.org
Center for Human Rights Legal Aid (Cairo) Links Page
http://www.chrla.org/links.htm
1999 Report from Human Rights Watch / Middle East and North
Africa
http://www.hrw.org/worldreport99/mideast/index.html
For additional links on North African countries, see the
Africa Policy regional page:
http://www.africapolicy.org/featdocs/north.htm
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the
Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC's primary
objective is to widen the policy debate in the United States
around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa, by
concentrating on providing accessible policy-relevant
information and analysis usable by a wide range of groups and
individuals.
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