Description
In Romania, grassroots human rights NGOs have a very low capacity to undertake watchdog activities, although they are the best informed as to human rights breaches of the most vulnerable. Human rights think-tanks seem to be, on the other hand, too little connected to grassroots realities. The project's objective is to develop the watchdog and advocacy capacity of NGOs and think-tanks. Putting NGOs and think-tanks together, to monitor and report on Romania’s implementation of its international human rights commitments (a topic less present in the public debate after EU accession) will be efficient for in increasing their watchdog capacity. 17 NGOs and think-tanks will be trained in human rights standards and monitoring mechanisms and, together with the project promoter will undertake advocacy campaigns on topics which are of interest to them and the vulnerable groups they work for and together with. A specific topic the project will focus on is hate crime data collection, or lack of data thereof, in Romania.
Summary of project results
The project was a response to the need for better trained and more active civil society in advocacy and watchdog for human rights. The project aimed to strengthen the capacity of NGOs to do advocacy using international human rights standards and to place a renewed focus on the need for Romania to adequately tackle hate crimes. Since the hate crime phenomenon remains one of the most pressing human rights matters in Romania, largely ignored by the relevant authorities despite it being the topic of constant criticism from international human rights bodies, the project included this topic as well. The project presented a model of human rights advocacy watchdog activities. On the topic of hate crimes, outputs included a wide international Conference, preceded by a training course and the launch of a Guide for practitioners and decision-makers in the field. The Conference included as speakers representatives of vulnerable groups, professionals from five EU countries as well as Romanian officials and professionals. Its main aim was to change the paradigm in which authorities tackle hate crime and thus to demand adequate combating of the phenomenon. Secondly, the grassroots NGOs have been trained, and then, under project promoter's coordination, teamed to draft, publish and disseminate five position documents/policy papers on: the need for emergency referral centres for victims of sexual violence, the need for spaces promoting gender equality, the need for pro bono lawyering, the difficulty to obtain IDs for vulnerable persons which cannot provide proof of residence, the lack of accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Summary of bilateral results