Projects for 2005-2006

In March 2006, Rights & Democracy opened its office in Port-au-Prince after much delay, due to the political crisis and lack of security in Haiti. Recent presidential and parliamentary elections, in which over 60% of the electorate participated, give hope for a transition toward democracy.

Our programme, carried out in partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is aimed at strengthening civil society in the transition toward democracy. In Haiti, civil society organizations have traditionally had little capacity to influence national policies, and have also lacked open spaces for participation in promoting human rights and making public policy proposals. In response, a newly developed advocacy training programme, drawing on the original and positive experience of two Haitian civil society coalitions, Coordination nationale de plaidoyer pour les droits des femmes (CONAP) and Forum citoyen pour la réforme de la justice, will be conducted by Rights & Democracy’s local staff in a number of regions across the country. It will be offered to different sectors of civil society engaged or wanting to engage in advocacy, including women’s rights groups, human rights organizations, peasant organizations and groups working for the rights of Haitians with disabilities. The material will also be widely disseminated through publications. The project as a whole, led by the Haiti Office Coordinator and her team, will take place over a 16-month period.          

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Rights & Democracy invited Victoria Neuta, a member of the Women’s Commission of the Organización Nacional Ind?gena de Colombia (ONIC) and a member of the Continental Network of Indigenous Women, Enlace, for meetings in Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal in August 2005. The goal of the visit was to raise awareness among the media, government representatives, NGOs and the public about the human rights situation in Colombia, particularly with regard to indigenous peoples, and to present their peace-building strategies. The conflict, which has lasted for more than 45 years, has had a disastrous impact on the indigenous peoples of Colombia. While the Colombian constitution is one of the most progressive in terms of indigenous rights, the implementation of its provisions is far from being a reality. For example, according to the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous Peoples, several indigenous peoples are in danger of extinction as peoples.

Rights & Democracy continues its support of the Centro de Culturas Indias (CHIRAPAQ). Working together in order to further develop and promote the cultural identity of indigenous peoples in Peru, the project this year has also placed focus on the struggles of indigenous groups in other countries, notably in Canada. The organization, made up of indigenous associations comprised of a majority of women, set up a permanent training location for indigenous women leaders from the Andes and Amazonia. This training programme enables female leaders to play an influential role in the decision-making process and to develop a deeper understanding of the issues confronting them. The project also supports an international training workshop in partnership with the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

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