Civil Society Intervention for the Advancement of Minority Rights: Aiming for sustainable impact : Civil Society Intervention for the Advancement of Minority Rights: Aiming for sustainable impact HREA Webinar
5 November 2009
Minority Rights Group International : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Minority Rights Group International International human rights advocacy organization
Unique focus on minority rights
Regional work and global/thematic work
Aims:
Working to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and indigenous peoples
Promoting cooperation and understanding between communities
Minority rights – working definition : Minority rights – working definition Minority rights are based on four key pillars:
protection of existence,
protection and promotion of identity,
non-discrimination, and
effective participation.
MRG’s intervention logic : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org MRG’s intervention logic International legal framework and mechanisms for MR protection (UN, African Commission, Inter-American Commission on HR, CoE, EU, OSCE)
Tools: advocacy, capacity building, strategic litigation, standard setting, policy development, treaty monitoring, awareness raising
Partnership with NGOs
Minority organizations, interethnic organizations, community based and grassroots
Empowerment of minorities : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Empowerment of minorities Learning by doing
Partnership cooperation
Joint planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
Organizational support
Ownership of programmes
Measuring our work : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Measuring our work Outputs (products)
Outcomes (results)
Impact (change in people’s lives)
Specificity of MR programming : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Specificity of MR programming Requires express linkage with (minority) rights
Requires participation of beneficiaries (vulnerable, marginalized, socially excluded, suffering discrimination)
Must result in empowerment
Rights-based approach to programming : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Rights-based approach to programming Identifies rights-holders and duty-bearers
Participation (access to information)
Accountability
Non-discrimination
Indivisibility and interdependence of human rights Rights-based approach to programming Identifies rights-holders and duty-bearers
Participation (access to information)
Accountability
Non-discrimination
Indivisibility and interdependence of human rights
Benefits of human rights language : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Benefits of human rights language Objective reference to standards
Legal obligation on states
Adds strength to arguments
High moral ground (!)
Sustainability of civil society effort : Sustainability of civil society effort Conducive legal framework
Conducive societal framework
Capacity and skills
Availability of funds
Challenges : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Challenges Capacity of partner NGOs (skills, knowledge, language, remote location…)
Sensitive, politicized issues
Prejudice and stereotypes
Delayed impact of advocacy work
Poverty and marginalization of beneficiary communities
(In)adequacy of the legal system
Resources
Meaningful change can only happen at the local level
Working with IGOs : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Working with IGOs Lack of understanding of MR
Lack of organizational policies on minorities
Lack of coherence and consistency
Preference for platforms
Organizational bias against the marginalized and disempowered
Complex rules and funding procedures
Non-participation of minorities
Some successes : Minority Rights Group International www.minorityrights.org Some successes EU accession process: consultation and participation
Landmark legal decisions before judicial and quasi-judicial bodies
Establishment of minority special procedure and preservation of minority forum at UN
Increased confidence, skills, knowledge, voice
Slide 14 : Snježana Bokulic
Director of Programmes
Minority Rights Group International
54 Commercial Street
London E1 6LT, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7422 4200
Fax: +44 (0)20 7422 4201
Email: snjezana.bokulic@mrgmail.org
Website: http://www.minorityrights.org