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Description
Within the project we would like to create and develop a network of cooperation between experts in the field of human rights and business as well as to strengthen the potential of the Central & Eastern Europe Business & Human Rights Association. The aim of the project is, among others, to disseminate knowledge about human rights in the context of business in the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia and to raise awareness in non-governmental organisations of the ethical standards of cooperation with business. The impulse for the preparation of the project was the diagnosis of current challenges and problems during the implementation of other projects of the Institute for Human Rights and Business, elaboration of analyses and carrying out research. These challenges include: insufficient knowledge of human rights in society, lack of advanced regional cooperation and systemic solutions, insufficient number of human rights specialists in business, outflow of experts from the third sector to business and difficult relations between business and NGOs. As part of the project, we will prepare educational materials in Polish and Ukrainian to publish on the Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia Resource Hub on Business & Human Rights website. We will conduct a study visit to Iceland and a workshop on ethical principles of cooperation between NGOs and business. We will carry out a Summer Academy, a series of thematic webinars, prepare a publication and hold a concluding conference. The direct beneficiaries of the project are students, novice professionals from Poland, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. Indirect beneficiaries are entrepreneurs and people working for them, public authorities and the media. The project is implemented in partnership with Yaroslav the Wise National Law University in Kharkiv (Ukraine), the Alda Association and the Ombudsperson for Children in Iceland.
Summary of project results
The international nature of threats to human rights, the specificity of the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, as well as the low level of society''s awareness of human rights issues, especially in relation to business, as well as the lack of properly prepared experts in the region, constituted a challenge and inspiration. for the implementation of the project. Its essence was to create and develop a network of cooperating experts in the field of human rights and business and to disseminate knowledge on human rights in the context of business in the region of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, taking into account its specificity (including challenges and problems).
The project was implemented by the Polish Institute of Human Rights and Business in cooperation with project partners: the Ukrainian National University of Law. J. Mądrego, the Icelandic non-governmental organization Alda and the Ombudsman for Children of Iceland.
Educational materials (Polish, Ukrainian) were developed and updated on the CEECA Resource Hub portal (https://ceeca-bhr.org) and in the PIHRB knowledge zone (https://tiny.pl/cvmgt).
A study visit was organized (28-29/06/2022; Reykjavík), including workshops. The result of these activities is the report (Polish, English and Russian): S. Finnbogason, "Transparency, ethical codes and relations between non-governmental organizations and business", PIHRB WP Series 1/2022 (https://tiny.pl/cvmg9 ).
A comprehensive educational program CEE&CA BHR Summer Academy was implemented, including a 5-day training cycle (https://tiny.pl/cvmgd), a series of 4 webinars (https://tiny.pl/cvmgj), an e-publication "How not to do BHR in CEE&CA. Case studies” by participants of the Summer Academy (https://tiny.pl/cvmgl) (English, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian language versions are available at www.pihrb.org/publikacje).
The International Conference on Business and Human Rights in CEE and Central Asia was organized (1-2/06/2023, Warsaw & online), the aim of which was to look at the situation of human rights in the context of business in the region and discuss the legislation and trends that have or will have influence on them. The recording of the first day of the conference is on YouTube (https://tiny.pl/cvmg4). On the second day, the focus was on strengthening the potential and relationships of the network of experts created as part of the project, an educational game combining aspects of human rights and company management was organized, as well as workshops for Summer Academy participants. The program is available at: https://tiny.pl/wqlzm.
The potential of PIHRB was strengthened as part of institutional development regarding ongoing changes and institutional processes in the organization (including updating the mission, vision and strategy). The PIHRB office was rented and equipped, and an office worker was employed.
An evaluation report was prepared.
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A brochure with the project''s products is available: https://tiny.pl/cvttl
The key result of the project is the network of experts in the CEE&CA region initiated by the Summer Academy, a mature concept of its development on a regional scale and a developed development plan, clarified after the end of the project at network meetings. The leader and the Ukrainian partner continue their activities, initiating and facilitating joint activities and cooperation within the network and organizing training dedicated to this group, e.g. on "EU Green Deal regulatory environment" (18/12/2023). Support for network members is also provided, e.g. through individual mentoring.
An original training program for human rights and business specialists has been developed, tested and evaluated, and will be continued in 2024, thanks to obtaining additional funds. In the first edition, 15 people received a Summer Academy diploma, of which 12 people received the CEECA Country Contact Points status: https://ceeca-bhr.org/eecacategory/country-contact-points; 12 participants of the Summer Academy expanded the group of members of the CEEBHRA association, which, by decision of its members, was then transformed (decision of November 2023) into CEECABHRA. Experts trained as part of the series include: created a non-governmental organization for BHR in Bulgaria, conducted training for local communities in Kyrgyzstan as well as for participants of the BHR program organized by UNDP in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, strengthened the human resources of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, several companies and law firms.
Summer Academy participants are also promoted as part of expert events both within and after the project - e.g., a participant from Kyrgyzstan was a speaker on a panel co-organized by PIHRB at the 12th UN Forum on BHR in Geneva (November 2023). The promotion is also supported by the publication "How (not) to Do BHR in CEE&CA" written by the above-mentioned people. Case Studies". This allows you to increase the region''s visibility on international forums.
Information and materials on BHR promoted as part of the project reached almost 60,000 people. Internet/social media users.
Summary of bilateral results
With the Icelandic RPD – Prof. Salvor Nordal – it was completed:- Webinar 6/12/2022 Children Rights and Business, during which (due to health reasons) she was replaced by expert Sigurveig Þórhallsdóttir.- Website: https://pihrb.org/ceeca-summer-academy-webinars/ (recording available in English and Russian).- speech by prof. Salvor Nordal as part of the conference on project - on June 1, 2023