United Nations holds a three-day Workshop for Human Rights Defenders from Iraq

Amman, 28 June 2005 - The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq’s (UNAMI) Human Rights Office and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) are holding a workshop on “Human Rights Defenders” for some 30 Iraqi civil society representatives from 27 to 29 June in Amman.

Following the collapse of the one-party regime in Iraq, around 4,000 new Iraqi Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organizations were established, including human rights and women’s groups. These newly born organizations face many challenges.

The workshop aims at strengthening Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) capacities to engage in advocacy work and human rights promotion at the national, regional and international levels; providing assistance in developing strategies to address past, current and future human rights violations; and building a network through which NGOs can share information and develop a collaborative approach.

During this workshop, participants meet to discuss a range of topics including the legitimacy, transparency and accountability of the work of human rights defenders; the operational framework for NGOs in Iraq; the importance of collecting and disseminating information on human rights violations; the support for victims of human rights violations; and how to campaign and work at the local, national, regional and international levels - supporting better governance and government policy. Hina Jilani, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders, opened the workshop.

The outcome of the workshop will be made available at : www.ohchr.org/english/countries/iq/programme.htm.

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For further information, please contact Hanan Rabbani : rabbani@un.org ;
or Aicha Elbasri : elbasri@un.org