Arab Institute for Human Rights (AIHR)

Institut arabe des droits de l'homme (IADH)

Contact Details

Main address: Pres: Dr Taieb Baccouche, 54 Al Khalij El Arabi Street, El Menzah 8, CP 2037, Ariana, Tunisia, Tel: (216 71) 703 905 - 709 234, Fax: (216 71) 709 321

URL: http://www.aihr-iadh.org/

Aims

Raise awareness of civil, political, cultural, social and economic human rights as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration for Human Rights and the related international instruments; disseminate the culture of human rights and democracy in the Arab region.

Official Relations

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)^* (Special); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)^* (Associate Status); Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)^*.

Activities

Promotes activities of training and human rights education and democracy through conferences, seminars and workshops; organizes annual training sessions (summer course); carries out studies and surveys about human rights; enhances the role of the media in the promotion of human rights; consolidates NGOs and civil society institutions and promotes their efficiency in the Arab world; develops human rights information exchange; promotes women and children's rights.

Publications

Arab Review for Human Rights - online scientific review. NGOs, Political Parties and Trade Unions (2009) in Arabic, English. Collection of documents and lectures from training sessions; conference proceedings; pamphlets.

Members

Membership countries not specified.

UNESCO NGO Section Data

Type of Relation with UNESCOAssociate Status

Admission Date2000

Reclassification date2005

Programme sector: EDYes

Programme sector: SCNo

Programme sector: SHSYes

Programme sector: CLTNo

Programme sector: CIINo

Programme sector: BSPNo

Programme sector: AFRNo

Name and contact details of NGO focal point at UNESCOM. Solinis German
SHS/SRP/POL

History1989 Creation 2000 Operational Relations (159 EX/29) (159 EX/Dec.7.2) 2005 Admission to formal consultative relations (171 EX/39) (171 EX/Dec. 49)

Contribution to UNESCO's programmes The Arab Institute for Human Rights, which celebrates its fifteenth anniversary in 2004, has always worked throughout that period in close cooperation with UNESCO, which has been its source of inspiration since its founding in 1989. Its strategy, plans of action and activities in the fields of training, education, information, documentation and research have been based directly on UNESCO’s recommendations. Moreover, since its admission in 2000, the Institute has contributed to the implementation of the Plan of Action of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004). In that context it has carried out many activities under the UNESCO human rights programme. For example, in 2001 it published the Arabic version of the UNESCO manual “All human beings...”. In collaboration with UNESCO and the International Organization of the Francophonie, the Institute held, in Beirut (Lebanon), from 27 February to 1 March 2003, a regional conference on “The place of human rights in secondary-education curricula and textbooks”, which was attended by representatives of NGOs working in the field of human rights education and experts from the Arab countries and sub-Saharan Africa. The Institute played a major role in the scientific and logistical organization of the subregional workshop on “Human rights education in school systems in the Gulf countries”, held by OHCHR, UNESCO and UNICEF in February 2004 in Doha (Qatar). In collaboration with UNESCO, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Organization of the Francophonie, AIHR held in Tunis (Tunisia), from 4 to 6 May 2004, a regional conference on “Evaluation of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education in the Arab countries”, which was attended by representatives of ministries of education, ministries of human rights, national human rights commissions and governmental and non-governmental organizations. In addition, with UNESCO’s support, AIHR now has in its library a collection of UNESCO publications for consultation by NGOs and by Arab academics, researchers and students in particular. Under financial cooperation arrangements, UNESCO provides financial support for the publication of the Arab Human Rights Review (a half-yearly review published in Arabic). The Institute’s work in recent years has provided a new momentum in the Arab countries by placing emphasis primarily on the introduction of human rights into education systems, human rights training for NGOs, judges, lawyers, police and the media, and research. Owing to the development of its activities in the Arab region, the Institute opened subregional offices in Beirut (Lebanon) in 2000 and Manama (Bahrain) in 2004. This expansion has helped the Institute to develop cooperation ties with government institutions in the Arab countries (such as ministries with responsibility for education, justice, social affairs and children) and has further consolidated its action and enlarged its network of researchers, trainers and other experts in the field of human rights. AIHR has contributed to UNESCO’s programme activities, in particular during the last two years, upstream, through consultations and preparation for UNESCO’s programmes and publications, and downstream, through actual programme implementation. It must therefore be concluded that the reclassification of the Arab Institute for Human Rights (AIHR) to formal consultative relations would strengthen that fruitful collaboration.

Previous evaluation made by Programme sector concerned The Institute’s work in recent years has provided a new momentum in the Arab countries by placing emphasis primarily on the introduction of human rights into education systems, human rights training for NGOs, judges, lawyers, police and the media, and research. Owing to the development of its activities in the Arab region, the Institute opened subregional offices in Beirut (Lebanon) in 2000 and Manama (Bahrain) in 2004. This expansion has helped the Institute to develop cooperation ties with government institutions in the Arab countries (such as ministries with responsibility for education, justice, social affairs and children) and has further consolidated its action and enlarged its network of researchers, trainers and other experts in the field of human rights. AIHR has contributed to UNESCO’s programme activities, in particular during the last two years, upstream, through consultations and preparation for UNESCO’s programmes and publications, and downstream, through actual programme implementation.

Keywords Human rights,Education,Education for Peace,Training,Tolerance

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