Description
Preliminary research has revealed that people living in peripheral areas lack awareness of human rights and ways of their implementation. The local NGOs are mostly active in cultural activities while other civic engagement activities are left behind. However, there are no detailed analysis about situation in those peripheral areas of the country nor there are any notable initiatives towards raising awareness of human rights. Our objective is to strengthen NGOs, working in peripheral areas, so they could build awareness of rural communities on equality, anti-discrimination, tolerance and other aspects of human rights as well as ways of ensuring implementation of these rights. The key achievements of the project include improved knowledge of BCF in specific areas of human rights and civil liberties as well as advocacy, analysis of human rights awareness and implementation in peripheral areas of Lithuania implemented and 15 communities empowered to solve human rights related issues. Awareness raising campaign targeted at local communities shall also be implemented. The target groups is NGO, local communities, people living in peripheral areas of Lithuania.
Summary of project results
On average awareness of human rights and ways to protect and implement them is quite low within Lithuanian society. However, the situation in cities and peripheral or rural areas is dramatically different. People in rural areas in Lithuania often possess very little or no knowledge about issues of human rights, equal opportunities, non-discrimination, tolerance, etc. Local NGO‘s mostly engage in cultural activities but rarely tries to build citizenship of local communities or induce their civic participation. On the other hand there was no comprehensive analysis of human rights situation in rural areas as well as no considerations on how to improve it. Despite that people living outside big cities experience the same (or even to a greater extent) cases of discrimination, intolerance, violations of human rights, i.e. in employment market, at the workplace, etc. Project promoter which had previous successful experiences in activating rural communities and enabling them to stand for their rights and interests has addressed the situation by carrying out an in-depth analysis of the situation, developing and implementing an adapted cascade style human rights training course for local communities, grassroots and private activists, as well as inspiring all of them to spread the knowledge further at their areas of living. Project promoter has produced the following results: a) improved BCF capacities in lawmaking, equal opportunities, discrimination, advocacy spheres; b) 705 residents from rural communities interviewed; c) human rights awareness situation analysis implemented; d) based on the analysis, methodology for members of Initiative Groups developed thus helping them provide trainings in their local communities. e) after the project implementation 15 rural communities have empowered Initiative Groups that provide help to solve practical human rights related situations and issues; f) 15 rural communities empowered by direct trainings, in lawmaking, equal opportunities, discrimination, advocacy spheres, strengthened org. g) 15 local initiatives/actions were organized in 15 rural communities.
Summary of bilateral results